Mums Who Co-Sleep With Their Baby Are More Motivated To Breastfeed
New research has revealed that mums who co-sleep with their baby are more motivated to breastfeed [Photo: Rex Features]
The issue about whether to sleep in the same bed as your baby is a controversial one with experts coming down on both sides of the to share or not to share debate. But a new study has revealed that mums who share a bed with their newborn are more motivated to breastfeed and more likely to keep it up for longer.
The British study used data from 870 new mothers in the North-East of England. For 26 weeks following birth, mothers gave information about whether they had breastfed and whether they had slept in bed with their baby for at least one hour in the past week. 44% of mums said that they “rarely” or “never” bed-shared, 28% did so “intermittently” and 28% said they shared a bed with their tot “often.”
More of the women who said they bed-shared often were still breastfeeding after six months. Those who sometimes shared a bed tended to breastfeed for around five and a half months, while those who bed-shared rarely breastfed for an average of just over three months.
Sleeping with your baby can help you reach your breastfeeding goals [Photo: Rex Features]
The research also found that mums who co-slept with their baby often had demonstrated more motivation to breastfeed during pregnancy. 70% who ended up bed-sharing often had said before birth that they viewed breastfeeding as important. Compared to about 56% among woman who went on to bed-share intermittently or never. Similarly, 95% of mums who frequently co-slept had expressed a strong intent to breastfeed during pregnancy, compared to only 87% and 82%, respectively, of mums who shared a bed with their baby intermittently or rarely.
“Women who are most motivated and have the strongest intent to breastfeed are most likely to adopt bed-sharing as a strategy for attaining their breastfeeding goals,” lead author of the research Helen Ball, director of the Parent-Infant Sleep Lab at Durham University told Reuters Health.
Thinking of co-sleeping? Check out safety guidelines first [Photo: Rex Features]
But what of the co-sleeping dangers such as the risk of smothering the baby during sleep and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)? “Women should have information that allows them to make informed choices about bed-sharing,” explained Ball.
The Lullaby Trust suggests avoiding co-sleeping if you’ve drunk alcohol, taken drugs or are on medication than makes you drowsy. You should also be cautious about bedsharing if your baby is at increased risk of cot death, born prematurely, born with a low birthweight or nursing a fever. They also advise that babies should sleep on their backs under light blankets and away from duvets and pillows.
What do you think about the latest research? Let us know @YahooStyleUK.
The Truth About That ‘Breastfeeding’ Catwalk Model
Facebook Post About ‘Cuckoo Awesome’ Benefits Of Breastfeeding Goes Viral
