This is an actual picture of me sleeping with my daughter. We look so peaceful, right?
For us, co-sleeping was the best choice. When I had my daughter, I remember experiencing quite a lot of fear around this choice. I started to question my own intuition...
And, here in the United States, the choice or rather the only option given to us is to have our child sleep in a bassinet next to us or in a crib either located somewhere else in the room or in the child's room. It was definitely something we tried.
I remember those nights of my daughter not sleeping much, me sitting up fully to breastfeed her and then trying to get her calm enough to go back to sleep. I overthought changing her and woke her up.
Then, I started to change it up. I fell asleep with her laying on top of me. When I felt her start to stir, I would move her to my breast. She would nurse then detach. This is how it would be for months. We all slept peacefully. She dream nursed, never fully waking. It allowed her to become aware of the circadian rhythm quicker; it allowed me to be a better, fully-functional parent having slept well.
This practice is actually quite common in other cultures. Check out this article: https://heysleepybaby.com/blog/cosleeping-cultural-norms-around-the-world-and-in-the-us
And noted benefits: https://www.askdrsears.com/topics/health-concerns/sleep-problems/scientific-benefits-co-sleeping/
So, when someone asks me, I tell them about my experience but emphasize: trust your gut and do what is best for your family.
To intuition and love,
xx Nasreen 'Nikki'