Co-sleeping is an issue that is vital on different traditional and cultural influences. Due to modifications in socio-economic status, social ethics and values, there are variations of cultures amongst countries and regions viewing on co-sleeping (Huang & Wang, pg. 170). For example, in the United Kingdom, United States, Germany and several other industrialized countries, the predominant medical belief is that co-sleeping is to be depressed and discouraged, despite the lack of research that can validate and establish that co-sleeping is mostly dangerous, unsafe, and hazardous (Huang & Wang, pg. 170). Co-sleeping is a standard nurturing decision in many cultures and is the norm in various countries. Co-sleeping is described as an infant sleeping near or on the surface space to his …show more content…
or her parent (Wert, Lapps, & Katie, pg. 175). Co-sleeping is commonly when the bed is shared with the infant who is asleep in the parents’ side (Wert, Lapps, & Katie, pg. 175). Every family has their own judgments to co-sleep with their child and everyone has their own arrangements and configurations to it. Co-sleeping is acknowledged to have benefits for the infant and the mother’s relationship and parents should be encouraged to co-sleep with their children by pediatricians and parent educators. In China, co-sleeping is very common because it is socially acceptable for the parents to be part of the child-rearing process. The Chinese family values and cultural value system highlights on the family bonds and interpersonal dependence appear to exploit as constructive reinforcement influences for practicing co-sleeping (Huang & Wang, pg. 170). Research has shown in Japan, that co-sleeping is healthy for infants because it is a way for the babies to sleep close emotional and physical connection with their parents who are frequently within arm’s extent (Hormann, pg. 355). Co-sleeping encourages and promotes farther stable vital signs, more and better sleep for both the mother and the baby. Mothers recognize that co-sleeping can be modified to suit the various necessities of the families especially because it can be considered flexible. Studies show that there are short-term benefits for the mothers and infants, along with long-term benefits of co-sleeping for the infants.
The short-term benefits to infants of co-sleeping with their mothers would be increase breast feeding which promotes bed-sharing, increase sleep interval and duration, less crying time, increase compassion to mother’s communication (McKenna, Mosko , & Richard, pg. 604). Short-term benefits to mothers who co-sleep with their infants would be more sleep time with gratification, increase sensitization to infant’s physiological-social status, increase wellbeing and the ability to understand developmental signals from the infant, and improved skill to supervise and accomplish infant wants (McKenna, Mosko , & Richard, pg. 604). Long-term benefits of co-sleeping for infants are under-represented, but it can spread relief with sexual identity, infants become independent and increase control of their reactions and anxiety, and they become more self-determining in task problem solving and initiating because they are better at being unaccompanied (McKenna, Mosko , & Richard, pg. 604). Parents should know the benefits of co-sleeping either long-term or
short-term. Although, it is normal for the mothers to sleep with their infants, there are considerations to think when mothers are co-sleeping with their infants like the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It is important to be informed with this information from the pediatricians and parent educators. Studies show that most reports were increased risk of SIDS with co-sleeping, which affects to infants whose mothers smoke cigarettes (Mitchell, pg. 1466). Infants of mother who smoke in pregnancy have defective “hypoxic stimulation” reactions and their responses to current anxiety may also be dulled (Mitchell, pg. 1466). However, studies show that countries in Asia and the Pacific Islands, where it is more mutual for the infant to share the beds with their mother have little SIDS death percentages. Also, in the United States, co-sleeping has been increasing on the rates because the close interaction benefits both for the mother and the infant. There are considerations to think when mothers are co-sleeping with their infant. Co-sleeping has been increasing further especially because studies have been educating awareness of the need to co-sleep safely. More parents have been considering and searching for ways to look for a safer way to co-sleep with their infant like the “co-sleeper bassinet,” which retains the infant away from a certain reach so the baby can have their personal space (Hormann, pg. 356). There are also “co-sleeping dividers” which assures the infant to stay safe. It is important to know and practice a safe way to co-sleep with the infant. Also, knowing the situations of co-sleeping with the infant is vital because if the mother is sick that would not be a suitable resolution (Hormann, pg. 356). In summary, co-sleeping is a practice that initiates during infancy and resumes through childhood. Research have presented that infants who are located in a hazardous sleep atmosphere can be at threat for mortality, but what restricts as “hazardous” is stagnant discussion between the topics of co-sleeping and lone sleeping (Mesich, pg. 30). These topics findings have happened partially because of the deficiency over precise variables, misclassification of infant mortalities, and unidentified occurrence of co-sleeping happenings (Mesich, pg. 30). Although, many scientific specialists have recommended against the practice of co-sleeping because of its possible consequences, it is significant for the pediatricians and parent educators to distinguish and converse co-sleeping and doing so carefully with the parents instead of expressing them not to do it, which is not efficient and effective. Also, doctors do not know or know little of what happens between the interaction that happens with the mother and their infants when they co-sleep.
When/if I have a baby, I will not have him/her sleep with my husband and I in the same bed. I probably would be the same as my mother and not get any sleep and become paranoid with the risk of my husband or I rolling over our baby. When he/she gets older and has nightmares and needs that security I will let him/her sleep with my husband and I. In addition, I feel like the child needs to be able to be independent and sleep on their own. In my sources, I have learned many things. I was very surprised with the study of how early co-sleepers show more independence and self-reliance than children who sleep in the crib by themselves. I also learned that there could be some advantages to co-sleeping, like it is easier for the mother to breastfeed since the child is right next to the parents. If you feel like co-sleeping is the best choice, then that is your choice. You, do
Sara believed that it was important for the infant to establish a sense of security by sleeping in the same room as the parents early on, so that in the future when the child becomes old enough to sleep in a different room, the child will feel secure and be calm even when she is alone by knowing that her parents are just in the other room. One way to understand the link between Sara’s sleeping arrangements and her goal of making the infant feel more secure is to consider Erik Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development (Erikson, 1963) The first stage of Erikson’s (1963) theory is trust versus mistrust, during which babies come to trust that their caregivers and other people will meet their physical and emotional needs or start to mistrust that the parents and other people will not take care of them. Sara hoped that by sleeping near her infant so that she could let her child see her when the child goes to sleep or wakes up in the middle of the night, the infant could feel more safe, or “trust,” that the infant’s needs would be tended to whenever necessary. The “trust” would then impact the child’s future development and especially when the time comes for the child to move to a separate room. The child, having received reliable
Even child experts, family doctors and counselors have differing opinions on co-sleeping, a term used to describe the practice of allowing a baby or child to sleep with one or both parents in bed. Other terms, such as bed-sharing or sleep-sharing have also been used. Scientists, pediatricians, family life experts and many authors have conflicting opinions on this custom based on conflicting results of their own research. In the end, some experts believe that it is really up to the family's decision to do what works for them, and no book, research or expert opinion can say definitely which one is best for every family.
Every new parent wishes they were getting more sleep or better sleep. Co-sleeping can be advantageous for the mother, baby, and the rest of the family. I know I felt much more rested and had more energy for my other child, my house, and my husband when I was co-sleeping. There are many benefits to co-sleeping, and some key safety tips as well. When you consider how helpless babies are at birth, co-sleeping just makes sense.
Newborns do not contribute much to society at large. In fact, they do not do much in general. It is impossible to know the details of what goes on in an infant’s mind. One of the things we do know about newborns is that sleep is crucial and they spend an average of 16-18 hours each day sleeping (Ward, 2015). This paper will examine the experiences of one mother’s decisions in regard to sleeping arrangements and the values, both cultural and personal, that support these arrangements. It will also compare her decisions to the decisions of U.S. and Mayan mothers discussed in the research article “Cultural Variation in Infants’ Sleeping Arrangements: Questions of Independence.” The mother who was interviewed for this paper is 54 years old and
Millions of people suffer from the same tossing and turning every which way, getting their sheets all disarranged and their minds abundantly worse. Patients often report indications of insomnia while sitting in the family health clinic. Insomnia traits include hindrance, falling asleep, continuing to awaken, and rejuvenating before wanted. One may suffer from insomnia if one shows signs of an increased difficulty in attentiveness, decreased communal or scholastic skills, and a diminished mood or enthusiasm. Foldvary-Schaefer 111.
Nighttime sleep behaviors . (n.d.). Stanford Hospital and Clinics . Retrieved November 19, 2013, from http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/clinics/sleep/sleep_disorders/nighttime-sleep-behaviors.html
New parents often wonder when the best time is to train a baby to sleep through the night.
In her article, “Depth and Space in Sleep: Intimacy, Touch and the Body in Japanese Co-sleeping Rituals,” Diana Adis Tahhan delves into the social and cultural connotations of co-sleeping, or soine, through a series of teacher interviews and participant-observations conducted in a daycare centre in north-east Japan. The children of the daycare centre were divided into four classes according to age. Tahhan traces the ways in which sleep patterns vary from class to class, and thus from age group to age group. By examining the process through which soine becomes a manifestation of secure intimacy within the scope of Japanese daycare centre classes, Tahhan broadens and enhances conventional understanding of co-sleeping: Co-sleeping does not solely
Sleep and dreams have defined eras, cultures, and individuals. Sigmund Freud’s interpretation of dreams revolutionized twentieth-century thought. Historical archives record famous short sleepers and notable insomniacs—some accounts reliable, some not. When Benjamin Franklin counseled, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,” he was using sleep habits to symbolize his pragmatism.
When children are involved, it is the parent’s responsibility to make sure they are safe. New parents may not be aware of how their babies should be sleeping because they do not have any prior experience. Parents will always fear something unforeseen might happen and want to learn new techniques to keep their babies safe. Some experts may advise them to not let their babies sleep on their stomach, other experts may contradict it. Similarly, many parenting books may give different opinions about it. Parents want to know exactly what they should do to keep their babies safe. Books and experts’ opinions become confusing for some parents because they want the best for their children. To raise and care for a child is a great responsibility.
Sleep is a very important factor in the human function. Our body and brain is able to reset itself and rejuvenate while we sleep. When we do not get the required amount of sleep, we start to feel lethargic and foggy minded, because our mind and body wasn’t able to replenish itself. Sleep is imperative that an insignificant rest deficiency or lack of sleep can affect our ability to remember things; decisions and can affect our temperament. Chronic sleep deficiency can get the body to feel agitated and it could lead to serious health problems such as, heart problems, stress, acne, and obesity.
Sleep and Sleep Disorders. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 July 2013. Web. 7 May 2014. .
Sleep, Sleep, Sleep. Everybody gets tired every now and then but why exactly do we sleep? Not just because we get tired but what causes us to be sleepy? Scientists have been studying sleep for a long time and still have only scratched the surface of the cause of sleep. What do you know about humans and their sleep?
Wells, M., & Vaughn, B. V. (2012). Poor Sleep Challenging the Health of a Nation. Neurodiagnostic Journal,52(3), 233-249.