Co-sleeping fathers’ perceptions of sleep quality with intentional and unintentional co-sleeping

Objective: Nearly 45% of Australian families intentionally or unintentionally co-sleep, including bedshare. Parents’ intentionality to co-sleep can influence their perceptions of sleep quality, family functioning and overall satisfaction. Yet very little is known about fathers’ perspectives and experiences of co-sleeping with their children. This mixed-method study aimed to explore paternal co-sleeping intention and its association with perceived sleep quality. Method: Fathers with children who co-slept completed an online survey about their sleep arrangements and intentionality from the Sleep Practices Questionnaire, and their sleep quality from the Sleep Quality Scale. Open-ended responses about intentionality were analysed thematically. Results: One hundred and forty-one fathers were included in the analysis. Quantitative analysis found that fathers’ whose children were sleeping where definitely intended had significantly better perceived sleep quality than fathers whose children were sleeping in an unintended location. A thematic analysis provided insight into the reasons for this relationship. Conclusions: This study offers insight into fathers’ experiences of co-sleeping including bedsharing, and responsive night-time infant care practices. Paternal night-time involvement in infant care can influence father-infant bonding, maternal and paternal mental health and overall family functioning. The results and their implications for professionals working with fathers during the perinatal period are discussed.