Dear fellow Mama,
Are you considering co-sleeping and the family bed for your baby? Or, did your baby arrive and you discover the only way s/he will sleep is with you?
Do you feel that the family bed is natural, but still have worries in the back of your mind about “official recommendations” and scare-tactic filled co-sleeping “public service announcements?” (Maybe you're wondering if crib company profits have a way of impacting those recommendations…)
Are you looking for a way to meet your baby's nighttime needs – and get a little more sleep yourself?
If any (or all) of these describe you, I can tell you that you're definitely not alone!! Wanting better sleep is a big deal…
…but you also want to meet your baby's nighttime needs as well as you meet your baby's daytime needs.
Co-sleeping and the family bed make big promises about getting more sleep – and meeting baby's needs, so many families are drawn to the idea.
Co-Sleeping – Sweet Dreams or Dangerous Pastime?
Even if you find you're sleeping sweeter (and so is baby), many families are not sure if the family bed is the right choice. “Official” recommendations call for babies to sleep alone, in a designated crib or cot. In fact, public “service” campaigns have compared co-sleeping to putting your baby to bed with a butcher knife!
And even if you feel sure that it's safe for your little one, you've probably heard plenty of people share doom and gloom predictions about your kid never sleeping on their own (how will you ever send them to college if you can't go along too?!). Or they assure you that you'll never be able to find time for intimacy again – forgot giving your baby any siblings!
The reality is, none of these things are true. You can safely have your baby in the family bed – and sharing sleep may actually be a safer option for many moms and babies. And when you're ready, you can move your baby (or toddler) to his or her own bed.
I want to make the research, the whys, and the how-to of co-sleeping clear and simple for you, so I've put together The Smart Mama's Guide to Co-Sleeping.
Here's what we'll cover in the class:
- What is co-sleeping (and what it's not)
- Why you would consider co-sleeping
- Is the family bed dangerous to your baby?
- Is sleeping alone dangerous for your baby??
- How to set up a safe family bed
- Options for creating a “sidecar” on your bed (including pictures!
- How to breastfeed your baby at night (so s/he is content… and you get some sleep!)
- Special benefits to sharing sleep for busy families
- What to consider if when you're adding adding a new baby to the (already full) family bed
- Should Fido or Fluffy be welcome in the family bed?
- How do alcohol, obesity, and other “risk factors” impact co-sleeping?
- How to tell when baby is ready to graduate to his or her own bed (hint: you don't have to put your little one “all alone” to start moving to his/her own bed!)
- What the evidence says about the “Back to Sleep” campaign
- Considerations for co-sleeping in winter – and summer!
- Gentle, practical steps to make transition from family bed to toddler bed a smooth and sweet
- How everyone can get a better night's sleep!
…and more 🙂
This class is designed to be a great introduction to co-sleeping – or to give you practical tips no matter what point you're at with your family bed.
Normally when I run a group class, the cost is anywhere from $47 – $67, but because this is a recording the class and I want everyone to have access to this information on sharing sleep safely – and happily – I'm pricing it at just $27.
