In the beginning was crying, then joy, then milk feeding and then the sleepless nights. This is the typical scenario of any family; what makes the difference – though – is the way you look at things and – in particular – at sleep. Even though, in recent times, Dr. Estivill’s book (Dr. Estivill is the author of a 'coercive' method to teach the children the art of sleeping alone, followed - a few years later – by a test that somehow adjusts it), made lots of victims, granting nights of crying to the children and extremely irritable nerves to the parents, many parents the world over opt for the so-called co-sleeping. Co-sleeping means sleeping together and indicates the choice of having your children sleep in the big bed, with their parents. However, let us go back to the core issue, i.e. to the parents’ sleepless nights. Well, one of the reasons why this is an issue, is to be sought for in the expectations: many new parents do not know that it is physiological for a child to wake up several times during the night. Not only, it is a useful function because it protects from any apneas and allows facing the stimulations of hunger. Those who decide to have a child must therefore take into account that their nights will then be 'different' than the ones they are used to spend. You must then take into consideration what falling asleep means: an act that involves the loss of consciousness, therefore, the moment is delicate, very delicate. This is why it is important that the children must be felt welcomed and protected, and that they are not abandoned to themselves with the vain illusion that this allows acquiring the appropriate sleep-wake rhythm. Sleeping in the same room (co-sleeping is not limited to sleeping in the same bed) means reassuring your children, thus enabling them to become securer in the future: the more the child is allowed being close to his/her mother when he/she requests it, the more he/she will then be able to stay alone. When mother and child sleep together, their cycle tend to synchronize (which is also an advantage for the mothers in the breast feeding stages, since mother and child shall tend to sleep at the same stages). The same applies to the breathing rhythm. Also as related to the sense of smell, sleeping in a room (or under the blankets) with the smells of mother and father is a gratifying experience for the child. It is obvious that the children – mainly the newborns – are very delicate beings, and this is why you need to pay great attention, e.g. avoiding sleeping with them if you had drunk alcohol or smoked soon before sleeping. Children should not be left to sleep with adults who are not their parents. Furthermore, be careful not to wear laces or jewels whose chain is too long. Also the mattress is important, not only to ensure an appropriate support to the bone structure of the children, but also to allow for the appropriate breathing and to keep the optimum temperature. What is important to know – irrespectively you opt for co-sleeping or not, is that the typical sentence 'otherwise then he/she will get into the habit' is the fruit of ignorance, ignorance that depicts children as small tyrants instead of beings who have specific needs. You also must know that sleeping with your children is a very rich involving emotional experience. Sweet dreams!