Co-Sleeping: Parent-Child and Parent-Infant Night time Interactions

Introduction:

Co-sleeping is an old tradition and families promote co-sleeping practice to nurture their infants
and child. Co-sleeping in developed countries has several controversies related to the negative
health impacts on the child. However, co-sleeping is considered an important tool for normal
development of a child.

Thesis Statement:

Despite some concerns, co-sleeping improves the psychological, social and emotional health of
the child.

Argument 1:

Co-sleeping develops a sense of parental sensitivity and helps in the social and emotional
development of infant or child.

Evidence:

One of the studies has shown that in African culture, mothers co-sleep with their child which
develop a sense of physical closeness [1]. Another study also shows that co-sleeping improves
the psychological functioning of the child [2]. These evidence depict the beneficial influence of
co-sleeping parent-child.

Argument 2:

Co-sleeping develops simple bedtime routines and prevents the use of sleep aids in the later part
of life.

Evidence:

One of the studies has demonstrated that solitary sleepers have difficulty in developing normal
bedtime routines [3]. It also shows that solitary sleepers often have to take sleep aids. These
habits further harm the social relations due to the poor quality of sleep. Co-sleeping interaction
between parent-child is ultimately beneficial for the child in later part of their life.

Counter Argument:
 It has been argued that co-sleeping can cause several physical harms including
overheating, rolled onto or smothered by pillows.

Refuting evidence:

Although these concerns seem legit, however parents are mostly aware of these concerns
and ensure proper preventive measures. One of the studies has shown that co-sleeping parent use
firm mattress which prevents excess bedding [4]. Moreover, parents also ensure that bed is
always floored firmly which avoid the problem of rolling off the bed. Therefore, the positive
impacts of co-sleeping on child outweighs its negative impacts.

Conclusion:

Co-sleeping is a cultural norm in some societies. However, co-sleeping has several

benefits for the psychological, social and emotional health of the child. Therefore, co-sleeping
should be adopted by the parents to improve the health status of their child.

1. Smith, B.P., et al., A Multispecies Approach to Co-Sleeping. Human Nature, 2017. 28(3):
p. 255-273.
2. Cain, N.L. and R.J. Sakakini, School Psychological Practice with Students with Sleep
Problems, in Handbook of Australian School Psychology. 2017, Springer. p. 631-640.
3. Peters, E.M., et al., RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BREAST‐FEEDING, CO‐SLEEPING,
AND SOMATIC COMPLAINTS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD. Infant mental health journal,
2016. 37(5): p. 574-583.
4. Officer, N.R., Safe Sleeping Guidance. 2014.