How does Co-sleeping work?

[Ijustdontgetitatall]

I don’t understand how co-sleeping works. We have two DC who’ve always sleept in their own beds (aside from an occasional nightmare, illness, etc) but have friends whose DC are in bed with them every night until age 4, 5, 6. I’ve never wanted to ask this for fear of seeming judgmental.

Obviously no intimacy is happening at night between the parents whilst DC are there, so presumably during daytime whilst the children are away. Obviously that can be messy so do you then change the sheets immediately after? Or only have sex other places than the bed? I find it sort of odd and it also feels odd to have a shag in what’s become essentially a family sleeping place.

I can only speak on my experience… but we have a spare bedroom so that sort of keeps that separate.

works for us, 8,3 and 1 year old who have all coslept over the years and it honestly might be my favourite bit of parenting. I feel so incredibly honoured to be their safe space at night and will miss it when it’s over.

a spare bedroom would certainly help. I do love when my DC come for a snuggle. But we don’t have the space unfortunately for an extra room. And neither do any of the friends I know who Cosleep, so I wonder how they divide the private intimate parts from their family life. I reckon I could just ask them but don’t want to pry