Co-Sleeping
...statements against co-sleeping, Dr. Richard Ferber, child sleep guru, has now sided with a family’s decision to share a bed with their infants. Although the American Society of Pediatrics warns that sleeping with your infant can increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, the exact cause of SIDS is still unknown. The emotional benefits of sharing a bed with your baby can be enormous and some would argue that engaging in co-sleeping strengthens the bond between parent and child.
In a 1997 article in the Boston Globe, Dr. T. Berry Brazelton of Cambridge Massachusetts says he has had more parents ask about co-sleeping in recent years then ever before. “I began to realize that working mothers and single parents really could not leave their baby at night. They have been away too long, it’s too hard for them…How can we make mothers feel guilty when they have such deep issues to deal with?”
What is Co-Sleeping?
Co-Sleeping is the practice of sharing a bed with a child. There has been much controversy surrounding the practice of co-sleeping or sleep sharing as it is also known. In all societies prior to the late 1700’s co-sleeping was a normal practice. To this day co-sleeping is practiced in about 90 percent the world. Solitary infant sleeping is primarily a practice of western culture and is a relatively new practice in terms of history.
Cultural Practices
In various different cultures children are dependent upon their parents or family as opposed to the white culture of the United States. Filipino children are often looked after by a family member if not the parent. This is because in the Filipino culture strangers should not watch one’s children, even in the case of single parents. This duty is usually carried out by the family only, even extended. Children are taught to be wary of strangers and to trust their children from birth up to about 3-years-old....
View Full Essay
