All babies wake up throughout the night. Sometimes it’s simple hunger, while at other times your child may want comfort. When your baby starts to sleep through the night will depend on a lot of factors, including your child’s personality.
However, it has been proven that, on average, children who share a bed with their parents take a year longer than their counterparts to choose to sleep on their own and sleep through the night on their own. That having been said, it’s also been shown that children who sleep with their parents stay awake for shorter periods and fall asleep easier than those who sleep alone.
Sleep sharing won’t affect your child’s ability to sleep on his or her own, or to self soothe when the time comes. There are psychological, cognitive and social benefits to sleep sharing for your child, but it may mean that your child leaves the family bed a little later than other children. Ultimately, it’s a personal choice.
