Co-Sleeping vs. Crib-Sleeping – Which is Better for a Baby?

Right now, there’s a fairly large debate raging over whether or not co-sleeping or crib-sleeping is better. Just in case you’re unfamiliar with the terms, co-sleeping essentially means letting your baby sleep beside you in your bed, whereas crib-sleeping means leaving your baby to sleep on their own in a crib.

Unfortunately, when it comes to ‘which is better’, there really is no easy answer.

For a long time, co-sleeping was not recommended for a variety of reasons and crib-sleeping was much preferred instead. In part it was a question of safety: Having your baby sleep beside you in bed may not be the safest arrangement, particularly when they are very young. Also, there is the perception that babies who sleep in their parents bed end up being ‘coddled’ and ‘spoiled’, and expect to be able to continue to do so even when they should be learning to sleep by themselves.

On the other hand nowadays proponents of co-sleeping point out that it gives babies the feeling that they are in a secure and safe environment, making it easier to put them to sleep. During the first few months in particular, this can help both babies and their parents because the parents will be able to get a lot more rest too. On top of that, if a co-sleeping, baby wakes up in the middle of the night, it is much easier for the parent to put them back to sleep. 

Of course, proponents of crib-sleeping point out that it promotes independence and gets the baby used to sleeping alone a lot sooner. Also, some supporters of crib-sleeping also feel that self-soothing is important, and babies should be learning how to put themselves back to sleep as soon as possible.

Essentially the question isn’t so much ‘which is better’ – because both options have their pros and cons. Instead, it is a question of which is the right option for you and your baby. If you find that you’re having trouble with a crib-sleeping arrangement, it is certainly okay to try out co-sleeping instead – just be sure that you’re safe about it. Check out moms.com or other websites for mothers and you’ll find ample advice on how to do so.

All said and done, making sure both your baby and yourself are getting enough rest is the priority, and you should choose your options accordingly.