Co-sleeping

If there’s one postpartum relationship topic that’s addressed in the media with some regularity, it’s sex: Are you getting any? Do you both want it?

There’s no doubt about it: Whatever our sexual orientation, sex is important to relationship satisfaction.

But the more I talk to new parents, and the more I learn about the impact of newborns on relationships, the more convinced I become that, in focusing on sex, we’ve downplayed a far more important postpartum priority: Sleep.

Your picture-perfect view of new parenthood probably involves mom and dad staring lovingly over a crib as the baby sleeps. However, you, especially as a dad, may want to evaluate sleeping options and here's why:

1. The baby-in-crib alone is a relatively recent and distinctly American practice. If you think about it, before multi-room dwellings and back to caveman days, families used to sleep together for warmth and safety. Most of the rest of the world "co-sleeps" and finds it completely natural to do so.

Is it okay to let the baby share your bed with you? There is no single correct answer to this situation. It is up to you, as a parent, to decide after knowing its pros and cons:

Advantages of co-sleeping

* Sleeping with your baby can foster a closer bond between you and your child.
* It gives you more time to spend with your baby. This is especially important for working couples.
* According to some studies, breastfeeding is higher amongst babies who share their parents’ bed
* Babies who sleep with their parents are believed to enjoy better sleep.