In Babies and more We like to talk about colecho and its benefits. We know, for example, that practicing colecho decreases the risk of sudden death, that babies cry less and that we all sleep better.
However, a new study states that if babies slept in their own room they could sleep for longer periods.
When we have a newborn at home, one of the things that most change our pace of life is the hours of sleep. Having now so limited and sporadic the moments of rest makes us wonder when our baby will sleep a full night or at least, when he can sleep more than two or three hours in a row.
The study
According to this new research, those extra minutes of sleep would be more likely to occur if the baby slept in a room other than the parents'. The results, which sought the relationship between the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the results in children's sleep, were published in the journal Pediatrics this month.
The researchers analyzed the responses to a survey of 230 new mothers and they found that babies slept for longer periods if they did it in another room separate from that of parents.
At 4 months of age both groups, those who slept with parents and those who slept in another room, reported that the number of hours of sleep was similar, although those in the second group had longer periods of uninterrupted sleep.
At 9 months, babies who slept separately from their parents had up to 40 more hours of rest per night, unlike those who slept in the same room.
At 30 months (2 and a half years) babies who had started sleeping alone since 9 months slept on average 45 minutes longer than those who slept in the same room as their parents at 9 months.
In conclusion, Sharing the room with the baby at 4 and 9 months of age is associated with less sleep in the short and long term.
So which is better?
In this theme of "where the baby sleeps" there are very divided opinions. Some think that for no reason should they sleep in the bed or in the parents' room, while others are completely in favor of the schoolboy or at least sharing the room until the children wish.
Personally I prefer colecho, it gives me more peace of mind and if my daughter wakes up I can easily comfort her or go back to sleep without even getting out of bed or leaving the room.
I must mention that although this study surely shows us that baby's sleep periods are extended for a few minutes, it does not mean that in all cases it is so. I set an example: We have been in school since my daughter was about 3 or 4 months old and from that age she sleeps practically all night.
He currently sleeps between 12 and 14 hours a night (mainly because he does not want to take a nap anymore) and we have found that when we are not lying with her because we reveal ourselves a little while working or watching a movie, he wakes up more times than when we are lying next to she.
Maybe when we are in those first months we are desperate to sleep a few more minutes, but -from my point of view- If we put in a balance the benefits of sharing the room and the 40 minutes that sleep more per night, I think that sleeping together is still better.
What do you think of the results of this study? Do you share a room with your children or do they sleep in separate rooms?
