Throughout the history of the human race, it has been common for members of the same family, parents and children, to sleep in the same bed . Either for reasons of space, economics or mere habit.

This practice known as colecho has developed a great reputation in recent years and is strongly defended by those who advocate attachment based parenting. However, there is also a great deal of controversy surrounding this practice. Below we describe what it consists of, its pros and cons.

What is the bedding?

Family bedding refers to the practice of babies or young children sleeping with their parents. This practice, which is very standardised in most parts of the world, has become another means of developing affective and attachment dynamics within the family .

Although on many occasions or in many contexts, bedding is only carried out to ensure that the child sleeps warmly and well at night, it is only recently that those who follow attachment parenting styles have endowed this practice with benefits for physical and mental health, as well as for the happiness of parents and children

There are several ways to practice bedding at home , from spending the whole family in the same bed at night, to using continuous beds or cribs or using specially designed cribs to attach them to the parents’ bed.

Whatever option is chosen, the decision to practice the practice of bedding must be made in a consensual manner between the parents and carried out in a responsible manner, guaranteeing the safety of the baby.

The best option is for those parents who decide to start implementing the bedding to see a specialist doctor or a midwife who will advise them on how best to do it .

However, below are a number of points to keep in mind when practicing bedding.

Tips for practicing

There are a number of guidelines, tips and precautions developed by different organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) that parents should take into account before starting to collect. These guidelines are as follows.

The baby should be lying on its back
Use a flat, firm mattress. The use of water mattresses, sofas or small beds is totally contraindicated.
Parents should ensure that there is no possibility of the baby falling out of bed.

  • Do not cover the baby’s head .
  • The use of pillows, hair blankets or stuffed animals is not recommended.
  • Avoid overheating or excess heat in bed .

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  • If either parent is a smoker, they are discouraged from sleeping in the same bed. As well as smoking in the same room as the baby.
  • Do not share a bed if you have taken any type of sleeping pill , drug or alcoholic drink.
  • If any of the parents have any type of illness that decreases the level of response.
  • Do not share a bed if either parent has a cold, the flu, a fever or an infectious disease.
  • Pets are discouraged from climbing or sleeping in the same bed in which the baby sleeps.

In what situations is it useful?

Regardless of the advantages of bedding, which we will describe later, there are a couple of situations where bedding is especially useful and parents can consider if they want to do it on an occasional basis.

One of the situations in which “bedding”, or the baby or child sleeping next to his or her parents, is when the child is particularly nervous or restless for any reason and it is practically impossible for him or her to sleep alone.

Also, if it is the parents who feel tired or exhausted and have the need to carry out the night care of the baby, with the minimum effort possible, as may be the case with breastfeeding, the bedding is an interesting practice to try.

What are the advantages of bedding?

Various studies have been carried out on the practice of swathing, which have reached a large number of conclusions and have established a series of advantages that this practice has in relation to the health and well-being of the baby.

One of the most important psychological advantages of this practice or custom is that increases the feeling of protection that the baby has, as well as strengthens and reinforces the emotional bond that is established between the parents and the child.

Within the list of advantages offered by the bedding can be included:

  • The bedding helps to establish and maintain breastfeeding and also facilitates night-time feedings .
  • It increases the episodes of REM sleep, this fact reduces the occurrence of sleep apneas, extremely dangerous for the child.
  • Decreases the risk of hypoglycemia.
  • Decreases the frequency and duration of the baby’s crying .
  • It makes it easier for the baby to fall asleep earlier and reduces nighttime awakening.
  • The bedding can synchronize the sleep cycles between mother and baby .
  • It significantly reduces Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Although this point is still under investigation, there are indications that by decreasing sleep apnea the risk of SIDS also decreases .
  • Finally, the theories that support the practice of swathing ensure that it favours the optimal neuronal development of the baby, as well as the development of the response capacity, self-esteem and personal autonomy.

Controversies around this way of sleeping

As with virtually all trends or theories around parenting or childcare, there are a number of controversies and criticisms about bedding.

The detractors of this practice rely on a series of disadvantages or dangers related to the fact that parents and children share a bed . These disadvantages are:

  • Risk of suffocation for the baby.
  • Do not perform on premature babies or weighing less than 2.5 kg.
  • The parent’s alertness that may appear when sleeping with the baby can lead to worse sleep or no rest.
  • The lack of intimacy could harm the relationship.
  • Some studies indicate that practicing bedding after the baby’s first birthday can create dependency in the baby and develop a less mature personality.
  • Contrary to studies that claim that bedding reduces the risk of sudden death, there are a number of medical authorities who insist that bedding may increase the risk of sudden death. However, if we take countries such as Japan, which has the lowest rate of SIDS, as an example, the practice of bedding is advised.