There is much debate these days about where your baby should sleep and for how long, but most experts agree that it’s a good idea your baby to sleep in the same room with you until she’s about a year old. There are a number of reasons for this, some of which will benefit you, and some of which will benefit the baby.
For one thing, your baby is going to need to eat every two to four hours for the first three months or so of her life. That amounts to two or three feedings overnight in most cases. Having baby nearby makes feeding her more convenient, especially if you are breastfeeding.
Another reason to have your baby’s crib in your room is that many babies, assuming they aren’t hungry or wet, are able to soothe themselves back to sleep more easily if they can see you. Of course, your newborn can’t see very far, but it only takes a few months before your baby is able to see across the room.
Some baby experts are advising cosleeping. Cosleeping means shaving baby sleep in bed with you. The American Pediatric Association and several other baby experts advise against this, both because of the higher risk of SIDS that your mattress presents to baby and because of the potential that you could roll over onto your baby.
If you do want to let your baby fall asleep in bed with you, there’s no harm in that as long as you are awake. After baby falls into a deep sleep, move her over to her crib. Today’s cribs are designed to be safe for your baby to sleep in and are the best place for your baby to sleep.
With that said, however, having baby’s crib in your room makes it easier for her to sleep. It also makes it easier for you as a parent. Trust us on this one, when you have a baby, you’ll be checking out every little noise (or lack of noise) you hear. Having baby in the room with you makes it a lot easier to simply look over and ensure that she’s OK.