EARLY-CHILDHOOD CO-SLEEPING - PARENT-CHILD AND PARENT-INFANT NIGHTTIME INTERACTIONS

This study investigated parent-child interactions during sleep onset a nd nighttime arousals in a rural sample of preschool children. The rol e of co-sleeping in relation to sleep habits and night waking was exam ined using parental self-report of both current and retrospective slee p patterns. The results showed that Solitary Sleepers engaged in more complex bedtime routines, and had more longstanding and stronger attac hment to security objects and sleep aids, than did Co-sleepers. Infanc y precursors to co-sleeping in early childhood were a history of breas tfeeding, night feedings in the parent's bed, and returning to sleep i n the parent's bed.