Co-sleepingparents and children sharing a bedcan be a fraught topic for parents. Some experts recommend parents never bring children into bed with them, while other experts extol the benefits of parents and children sharing a sleep space. Given the importance of sleep to our well-being, the topic can generate such strong feelings and controversy that parents can be afraid to share their experiences.Co-Sleeping takes readers inside the reality of co-sleeping for a diverse range of families in America, with varying family structures, races, incomes, and education levels, and with children from infants to teens. Drawing on original research and extensive interviews with real parentsboth fathers and mothersauthor Susan Stewart goes beyond the fads and vehement arguments for or against co-sleeping to look at what actually happens, and the impact of co-sleeping on familiesfor better or worse.

Susan D. Stewart is professor of sociology at Iowa State University. She is the author ofBrave New Stepfamilies and coauthor ofMarriages, Families, and Relationships. Her research focuses on gender, family, demography, and child and adult well-being. She has published in leading peer-reviewed journals such asJournal of Marriage and Family, Pediatrics, andDemography, and her research has been funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and more.

Co-Sleeping in the United States: Why Are We So Different?Co-Sleeping Logistics: Who, When, Where, and How Families SleepParents' Perspectives on Co-SleepingCo-Sleeping, Relationships, and IntimacyOpenness, Secrecy, and Reactions from OthersThe Future of Co-Sleeping in the United States