A new book from an Iowa State professor questions co-sleeping’s bad rap.
While co-sleeping is frowned upon in the US, it is perfectly normal in other cultures. It’s more acceptable in Scandinavian, Asian, and South American countries, where rates of SIDS are far lower than in the US. The decision to co-sleep is sometimes related to economics, because there are not enough rooms or beds in the home.
Stewart asked both mothers and fathers how co-sleeping affected relationships and intimacy. Most parents said co-sleeping did interfere at times with physical intimacy, but it was not a major issue. As for emotional intimacy, co-sleeping allows busy parents to spend quality time as a family. This was especially true for dads who tend to spend more time away from home.
“Parents are putting their children ahead of their own relationship, at least in the short-term,” she says. “There is a downside to that, but most of the parents viewed it as temporary.
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