Parents who co-sleep with their baby in hopes of better rest may unintentionally disrupt their child's sleep patterns, according to a rigorous study by researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway, published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics.
These evidence-based findings, drawn from a large-scale survey of 55,831 mothers on infant sleep habits, challenge common assumptions held by co-sleeping advocates.
The research indicates that prolonged bed-sharing correlates with more frequent night wakings and reduced total sleep time by 18 months—the opposite of the restful benefits many parents anticipate.
In France, where the co-sleeping debate continues, many pediatric experts recommend against the family bed to minimize risks like falls, crushing, or suffocation.
