The phenomenon of a child exclusively or primarily sleeping while held or in close physical proximity to a caregiver is a common practice in early infancy. This sleep pattern involves the infant being in direct contact with a parent or guardian during the duration of the nap. An example would be a baby consistently falling asleep only when being held and waking promptly upon being placed in a crib.
This approach to soothing and facilitating sleep can offer several advantages, including enhanced bonding between caregiver and infant and potentially promoting longer nap durations for some babies. Historically, close physical contact has been a prevalent method of infant care across various cultures. Caregiver proximity is also thought to provide a sense of security for the infant, which aids sleep quality.
