Cosleeping Around The World - The Natural Child Project (2024)

FAQs

What countries encourage Cosleeping? ›

Countries such as Sweden, Egypt, and Japan value a child-rearing model of interdependence and hold beliefs that co-sleeping is developmentally beneficial to children.

Most of the present world cultures practice forms of cosleeping and there are very few cultures in the world for which it would ever even be thought acceptable or desirable to have babies sleeping alone. more common in the U.S. than most people believe. Cosleeping is practiced in a variety of ways around the world.

Families in predominantly Asian countries and regions such as Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, or China co-sleep much more frequently than in the United States.

Bed-sharing isn't recommended—under any circ*mstances

The AAP recommends that, until they're six months old, babies should sleep “in the parents' room, close to the parents' bed, but on a separate surface designed for infants,” (i.e. a crib).

This is because, according to Health 24, some believe that parent-infant contact throughout the night helps infants "overcome the deficits that result in SIDS." Sleeping habits vary by culture, even throughout the very diverse continent of Asia.

In Japan, infants and mothers co-sleep as part of common practice since ancient times, and mothers and infants usually sleep in the face-to-face position. As of 2008-2009, at least 70% of infants in Japan reportedly co-sleep with their parents (Shimizu et al. 2014).

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) takes a strong stance against co-sleeping with children under age 1.

A pediatrician said co-sleeping should not happen before 12 months and should stop at prepuberty. Co-sleeping can disrupt sleep for both children and parents.

Prior to the late 1700s cosleeping was the norm in all societies (Davies, 1995). Today in many cultures the practice of cosleeping continues, with babies seen as natural extensions of their mothers for the first one or two years of life, spending both waking and sleeping hours by her side.

Most parents have a natural inclination to sleep protectively near their babies, and data suggest that cosleeping is on the increase. In 2015, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey found that more than half (61 percent) of American babies bedshare at least some of the time.

Does most of the world co-sleep? ›

Though sleeping in separate bedrooms has become the norm in the Western world, that does not mean that co sleeping is bad. In fact, studies (like one famously conducted by anthropologist John Whiting) have found that almost 70% of children living around the world sleep in the company of others.

According to their data, people in the Netherlands are getting the most rest per night, while folks in Singapore and Japan are getting the least.

Co-sleeping (aka bed sharing) is not endorsed by the AAP. This decision is based on research showing that bed sharing with babies results in a higher rate of SIDS. The risk of SIDS is even higher if you smoke, drink alcohol before bedtime, or take medicines that make it harder to wake up.

AAP recommends that parents sleep in the same room – but not in the same bed as a baby, preferably for at least the first six months.

American Academy of Pediatrics warns parents against 'co-sleeping' with infants. The safest place for an infant to sleep is in a crib or bassinet next to their parents' bed.

While the cause of SIDS is unknown, many clinicians and researchers believe that SIDS is associated with problems in the ability of the baby to arouse from sleep, to detect low levels of oxygen, or a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood. When babies sleep face down, they may re-breathe exhaled carbon dioxide.

As outlined in the review, pacifier use during sleep may improve autonomic control of breathing, airway patency, or both. Further, it has been hypothesized that the pacifier could prevent accidental rolling leading to less risk of SIDS.

Oftentimes, babies who succumb to SIDS have had a “minor infection” in the days before death. Infants' immune systems are immature, and breast milk helps to provide necessary antibodies to fight infections such as RSV, which can contribute to inflammation and lead to SIDS. Breastfeeding promotes safer sleep.

Sleeping in the same bed as their parents is very common in young Chinese children, being present in up to 79% of pre-school children and 53% of school-aged children. It is socially acceptable to Chinese parents as a natural part of the child-rearing process.

Co-sleeping on mats on the floor is a cultural norm in Asia, where the family traditionally co-sleeps together in the same room. Mats are brought out at night, then stored during the day so the same room is both a living room and a sleeping room,” Harkness said.

How did cavemen babies sleep? ›

Babies often slept with grandmothers or ayahs, giving mothers the chance to sleep at night and therefore to eliminate the need for 'sleep training'. Kids were commonly hand-fed by members of the extended family, or by hired help, until they naturally began to eat by themselves.

Co-sleeping is not recommended, but a 7-year-old child sleeping with parents is considered normal in many families and cultures. The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) warns against co-sleeping at any age, especially if the infant is younger than four months.

Answer: In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with letting children crawl into bed with their parents. Babies and young children have a legitimate need for closeness during the night, and I recommend letting them sleep with their parents until they reach an age at which they no longer request this.

Dr. Basora-Rovira says, “The recommendation overall is that kids should sleep on their own, on their own surface, in their own room.” If the family makes the choice of co-sleeping, they should practice safe sleep practices and co-sleep consistently.

After 12 months, there is no proven risk of harm. There is no evidence that bed-sharing produces children who are more spoiled or dependent. Proven harm to parents. Several studies have shown that more than half of the children who sleep with their parents resist going to bed and awaken several times during the night.

Cosleeping doesn't cause separation anxiety, but if your child cannot be without you at night without having a breakdown, I think you should work towards some independence at bedtime).

“There is nothing wrong with cuddling your eight-year-old in bed and, on occasion, sleeping with them for comfort when they're stressed or ill,” says Janet Morrison, a psychological associate from Toronto who assesses children, adolescents and families.

Abstract: Bedsharing in Western cultures is often looked down upon and considered socially inappropriate. In the younger ages, safety fears run rampant, but even when these fears subside, bedsharing remains taboo.

Mother–infant co-sleeping or bed sharing is discouraged by health organisations due to evidence that it is associated with unexplained sudden infant death. On the other hand, there is evidence that it should theoretically be beneficial for infants.

It increases the risk of SIDS and suffocation

Parents or objects (like pillows or blankets) may unknowingly roll onto the baby at night, leading to injury, suffocation, or death. The AAP says co-sleeping is especially dangerous if the baby is younger than 4 months, was born prematurely, or had a low birth weight.

Is co-sleeping normal in Japan? ›

Soine (co-sleeping) is a common practice in Japanse families, with parents sharing sleeping spaces with children until around the age of ten. When explaining what soine means to them, families emphasise the importance of anshinkan.

You should also always make sure your baby is on its back, not their side or front, sleeping in the hammock, and as baby grows and learns how to roll over, they should be transferred to a cot or crib. In Japan, babies aren't sleeping in hammocks, but they aren't in cribs either.

In fact, 62% of parents said they co-sleep so their families get more sleep, while another 62% said they do so because they want to make their kids feel safe and secure. Just over half, 52%, cited bonding with their infants as to why they share a bed.

It is a common habit in the US, because it is/was believed that everyone would get more sleep and sleep better that way, that it will lead to a child who is more independent, and just because it has been customary/traditional for the past few decades.

There was a 65% higher death rate for people who regularly slept less than 5 hours on all nights, compared with people who regularly slept 6 to 7 hours per night. There was a 25% higher death rate for people who averaged 8 hours or more of sleep on all nights.

These decreases range from 40% in Argentina to 86% in France. The highest SIDS rates in 1990 (>2.0/1000 live births) were in Ireland, New Zealand, and Scotland. More recently, the highest SIDS rates (>0.5/1000 live births) are in New Zealand and the United States.

An overview of the data

Americans spend an average of 7 hours and 18 minutes in bed each night. They go to bed at 11:39 p.m., wake up at 7:09 a.m., spend 23.95 minutes snoring, have an average sleep quality of 74.2 percent, and rate their wake-up mood at 57 on a scale of 100.

Research suggests the ideal time to go to sleep is 10 p.m. But you should focus more on having a consistent schedule and routine when it comes to hitting the hay.

According to the Chinese Sleep Research Report 2022, the average sleep time of Chinese decreased from 8.5 hours in 2012 to 7.06 hours in 2021, a reduction of 1.5 hours. Only 35 percent Chinese can get eight hours of sleep.

Countries such as Sweden, Egypt, and Japan value a child-rearing model of interdependence and hold beliefs that co-sleeping is developmentally beneficial to children.

Is it normal for a 4 year old to sleep with parents? ›

It is natural for babies and children to want to sleep with their parents, or very close to them. It is a primal response. Look at young dependent mammals – they all sleep next to their parents/mother.

They found that co-sleeping during the toddler years does not negatively affect development by the age of 5. It's important to note that researchers also found no developmental benefit to children from co-sleeping.

Physical contact, in close cosleeping, helps babies to "breathe more regularly, use energy more efficiently, grow faster, and experience less stress," says McKenna. Babies, too, who are not necessarily breastfed, as in the case of adoption, will also naturally reap the many other benefits of such close contact.

The Magic Sleepsuit is to be used with the ABC's of sleep (Alone, Back and Crib), and following all the AAP recommended guidelines for safe sleep.

For example, co-sleeping during the school-aged years has been associated with problems initiating sleep, less nighttime sleep, more daytime sleepiness, more bedtime resistance, increased nighttime awakenings, and greater levels of sleep anxiety (Blader et al.

“Co-sleeping is the usual practice in preindustrial societies around the world where there are no special beds for babies to sleep safely by themselves. Co-sleeping on mats on the floor is a cultural norm in Asia, where the family traditionally co-sleeps together in the same room.

In Germany, babies go into a Beistellbettt, which literally translates into “bedside bed.” Its a crib with three sides that attaches to Mum's side of the bed, allowing everyone to sleep together but in their own space.

Hoyoung An, MD, who write in Sleep Medicine Research, Korea's tradition of co-sleeping stems from not only its parenting philosophies, which prioritize family care over individual privacy but also its home design and architecture.

According to a survey by Sleep Cycle, an app that tracks sleep hours, the top three sleep-deprived countries are South Korea and Saudi Arabia getting just under 6.5 hours per night on average and the sleepiest country Japan clocking in a few winks above 6.25 hours.

What do supporters of co-sleeping say the benefits are? Advocates say that bed-sharing makes it easier to breastfeed at night and helps babies and parents get more sleep overall. Some say the added snuggle time can help you feel closer to your baby, too.