Better for the whole family

Shared sleep can further prevent child abuse by helping all family members to obtain the rest they need, especially if the child is breast feeding. The child does not have to suffer needlessly by crying loudly to bring its mother, and the mother can nurse half-asleep. The entire family awakes refreshed, with no lingering resentment toward the baby for having disturbed their sleep the night before. An exhausted parent is far more likely to abuse a child than a well-rested mother or father who has enjoyed the presence of a happily resting child through the night.

Crying is a signal provided by nature that is meant to disturb the parents so that the baby's needs will be met. But prolonged crying is stressful to all the family members. The sooner the baby's needs are met, the more rest the baby and the entire family can have, and the more energy they will have for the next day. A mother sleeping next to her baby can use the instinctive response a new mother has to her baby's first whimper. This prevents the need for the hard crying that is so stressful to the baby and to all other members of the family.

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