mums are being urged to consider bedside sleeping
Today, many people across the UK are celebrating National Sleep in Day by spending an extra hour tucked up in bed. Award-winning baby crib innovator, Bednest, is encouraging new mothers and mums-to-be to mark the day by considering bedside sleeping as an option which could help them get more Sleep.
Bednest has released data from customer research which shows that 91 per cent of parents who used a bedside crib said they slept better as a result. The same number reported that bedside sleeping helped their baby sleep better, while 86 per cent said it helped with breastfeeding.
Families practicing bedside sleeping use a specially designed bedside crib which is securely attached to the side of the parents’ bed at the same level as the parents’ mattress. The bedside crib creates a safe sleep space for the baby that the parents can access directly, meaning they can feed, comfort and bond with the baby without having to get out of bed themselves.
Sleep is priceless, so the Bednest was an investment for all of our family. It doubles as a travel cot, which really helps when you’re trying to establish a routine but still want to go away
This gives them all the advantages of sleeping with the baby in bed with them without actually sharing a bed and having to worry about the perceived risks associated with co-sleeping.
Professor Helen Ball, of Durham University’s Parent-Infant Sleep Lab, said: “Our research has found that when babies sleep next to their mothers in a bed-side crib, with no barrier in between them, they are able to easily attract their mother’s attention without crying.
“Mothers are aware of their baby’s arousals and feeding cues more quickly than when they sleep in a separate cot, even in the same room. This makes night-time breastfeeding easier for the mother, while minimising sleep disruption,” she said.
The news comes following a survey conducted by parenting community, Netmums, which revealed not getting enough sleep to be a serious issue for UK parents.
Findings revealed that almost half of parents’ quizzed said they had suffered from sleep deprivation, 31 per cent were exhausted due to a lack of sleep, while one in 50 parents is so desperate for sleep they have hired a sleep specialist – at a cost of up to £1,000 a week, and that a quarter of all UK children wake before 6.30am every day – meaning their parents never get adequate rest, let alone a lie in.
Bednest recently joined forces with the UK’s largest charity for parents, NCT, to launch the NCT Bednest bedside crib, which has been enthusiastically welcomed by mums.
Ericka Waller, 30, of Brighton, who is mum to her baby, Bliss, said: “I had to go back to work after six months so I needed to make sure I had enough rest. Having the baby so close meant that my husband did not get woken up in the night – two sleep-deprived parents is never a good thing!
“My baby was close to me at all times, but as she was not actually in my bed I could roll around freely without worrying I was going to squash her. When she was unsettled I could rest my hand on her to soothe her without having to lean awkwardly over. I could breastfeed while she was in the Bednest and if I did pick her up for a cuddle; it was also easy to slip her back in without waking her,” she said.
Raman Glazier, 33, of Ealing in London, used the bedside crib for son, Willem and said: “We tried for four weeks to get Willem to sleep in a Moses basket but he was a different baby when we introduced the Bednest. I truly believe that it has really helped him become a good sleeper and as a consequence we are very happy parents.
“Sleep is priceless, so the Bednest was an investment for all of our family. It doubles as a travel cot, which really helps when you’re trying to establish a routine but still want to go away. We’ve taken it on holiday and bedtimes have been a smooth transition because of that,” she said.
The resulting NCT Bednest – the only bedside crib to carry the charity’s brand – is also attracting a celebrity following, with actress Tamzin Outhwaite becoming a fan after using it for her second daughter who was born this summer. Tamzin said: “I love the Bednest very much. Marnie sleeps so well in it. I love being able to have it so close to me without it being dangerous, as well as being able to see her even when the side is up!”
Tell us what you think about bedside sleeping and if you have tried it with your baby. Comment below or tweet us @FemaleFirst_UK
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