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Co-Sleeping...Any Disadvantages?
However, if we are willing to work it out, co-sleeping should not be difficult at all.
The one thing that makes me frown is that sometimes Jeriel does wet the bed. He's 4 years old and well potty-trained. Still, the bed is wet under certain circumstances.
Some mamas may think that this is rather tedious to have to change the bed sheet so often. If so, what I suggest is to get a waterproof mattress pad and a small, thin mattress, and put these 2 layers in a custom-made mattress cover. Then, put the small mattress with the waterproof mattress pad on the bed where the kid sleeps. When the kid really wets his bed, he'll only wet the small mattress instead of the big bed.
Get a bigger-sized bed then! Well well well...I'm just kidding...really. You don't have to get a king-sized bed to accommodate everybody. When the family bed seems too small for all, you can put a mattress on the floor next to the bed. Older kids can then sleep on the mattress. Alternatively, do get a king-sized bed if possible ;)
Putting a pillow or bolster between you and the kid will be a good idea. However, never let an older kid sleep together with a baby. If necessary, let the older kid sleep separately on the mattress on the floor next to the bed. Otherwise, a parent should sleep between them to avoid the older one accidentally slaps or kicks the baby!
And just imagine the song "Five Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed" is being played... Yes, I admit this is the biggest 'problem' of sharing bed or room with the kids! One positive aspect is to get the kids to help tidying up the room. This in a way will teach them to be responsible for their actions and possessions.
Sometimes parents need to sleep later to carry on their tasks for the day. And the kids may refuse to sleep without the parents and also stay up late before everybody goes to bed. This is considerably bad for young children, especially if the child needs to wake up early to attend kindy the next day. I do have this problem with my kids. While I'm busy with work, they're happily playing with toys although sleeping time has long past. This is not a very good way, I thought. I would then keep my work aside, get the kids to the bed, and lie down together with them. Not long after, they are fast asleep. I will continue my work after that. This tactic doesn't 100% work for all nights though. The kids may lie down with you, but their eyes are wide open. By the time I get up for my work again, it's already the next morning! But isn't sleeping early good for health? That's why I blame no-one for not getting my work done the previous night!
Young kids may have trouble sleeping when we have to leave them with other family members. They are so used to the parents being with them and it fears them having to separate with their parents.
Children will reach the stage of independence when they are ready. Co-sleeping provides a secure environment which allows our kids to out-grow dependency and to develop independence naturally.
When others know that the kids share sleep with us, the one thing that no-one ever fail to ask is that "How are you going to...you know...when the kids are around?" and this..."Will it affect your relationship with each other?" If you don't know what I'm talking here...just read on... The prelude is always, together with the kids...papa lie on top of mama, kids on top of papa...all playing horse riding, a very decent one! After the kids are asleep, that's when the fun part begins... We don't normally have problem being intimated. There're always opportunities for dear husband and myself to have intimacy...that's when the kids are asleep or playing in another room. We just have to be more creative in our sex lives and the kids are never in the way... And NO...our marital relation is not in anyway affected by the kids sleeping together with us.
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