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Nursing to Sleep?

Dr. Merkel,

Our family is now using a family bed and my son seems to really enjoy nursing to sleep. I love it but I am a bit concerned that I will be the only one who can parent him to sleep. Is this a major concern???

Thank You.




Dear Nursing,

Congratulations for providing your son with the health benefits and security of having you next to him during sleep.
 
Despite our society's belief that children will not become independent unless we force them, babies whose early dependency needs are met are more likely to become trusting, emotionally secure, and independent when they are ready.
 
Human infants need constant attention and contact with other human beings because they are unable to look after themselves.  For perhaps millions of years, infants as a matter of course slept next to at least one caregiver, usually the mother, in order to survive. Unlike other mammals, they cannot keep themselves warm, move about, or feed themselves until relatively late in life.
 
As children get older, they don't need the security of their parents' presence as much and they can gradually be weaned from the parent's bed at a time that seems right according to each family's circumstances.

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This article published on August 12, 2009 August 12, 2009 |
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this page contains a single entry by Casey published on August 12, 2009 August 12, 2009.

Hip problems for heavier babies? was the previous entry in this blog.

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