Natalie Rushton, with her son Dylan who co-sleep together (picture: Natalie Rushton/ SWNS)
A mum from Blackpool has shared how she still co-sleeps with her son, despite him being nine-years-old.
Natalie Rushton, 38, has co-slept with, son Dylan, since he was born and currently has no plans to move him into a separate bed.
She says she did encourage Dylan to sleep in his own room when he started school, but Dylan has continued to opt to share with his mum.
Natalie is discussing her sleeping arrangement after This Morning presenter Josie Gibson recently revealed that she co-sleeps with five-year-old Reggie, and ‘will be until he is 18’.
The popular I’m a Celebrity campmate added: ‘The only man in my life is my Reggie. I want to protect him.’
Natalie, a receptionist from Lytham St Annes, Blackpool, shares the same view. She said: ‘Dylan has always shared a bed with me because it’s always just been us two.
‘He sleeps better when with me which means I get more hours, it’s a win-win really. Dylan is the only man in my life and I love it.
‘Obviously, every parent is different but if this style works for you, you shouldn’t be judged. Some of my family say it’s weird, but I don’t care.
Natalie Rushton’s son Dylan in bed (picture: Natalie Rushton/ SWNS)
Although Natalie does know the arrangement won’t be forever. ‘I’m just cashing in all the cuddles I can now because one day he will turn into a grumpy teenager!’ she said.
Natalie, who has full custody of her son, knows her parenting choice isn’t for everyone but says she ‘doesn’t care because he’s not their son’.
When she had Dylan in June 2014, Natalie was living with her parents in Lytham St Annes, before they moved into their current home, when Dylan turned one.
‘Since we’ve had our little home, Dylan has always had his own room,’ she said.
Natalie Rushton has shared a bed with him since he was born (picture: Natalie Rushton/ SWNS)
‘When he started school, I was worried that he might get picked on by the other children for sharing a bed with his mum, but he hasn’t.
‘I think children don’t really care about these things as much as the adults in my life who seem to have an opinion.
‘The other mums at school have been nothing but supportive, I wouldn’t really care if they weren’t but it’s a nice bonus.’
Sometimes Dylan attempts to sleep in his own bed but will climb in with mum in the middle of the night and Natalie is grateful for how close they are.
She added: ‘What kind of parent wouldn’t want to be close with their child?
Natalie said Dylan is ‘the only man in her life’ (picture: Natalie Rushton/ SWNS)
‘He’s the only child I’ll ever have, and I want to make the very most of these years because kids grow up so fast.
‘I’m not actively looking for a partner, but if I were to have a man in my life, I’d be totally open with the co-sleeping situation.
‘I’m not afraid of what they’d think and they’d have to be okay with it because Dylan is my life.’
Co-sleeping arrangements are actually fairly common.
Rapper Ice-T revealed back in May that he and his wife Coco still share a bed with their seven-year-old daughter, Chanel.
Rosey Davidson, sleep consultant, author of The Just Chill Baby Sleep Book and founder of Just Chill Baby Sleep, told us at the time that co-sleeping can be a very normal part of family life.
‘The term “co-sleeping” means sharing a room with your child, and most likely your bed, which can also be known as “bedsharing.”
‘Most do so between the age of three and 7 years, if we haven’t intervened beforehand.
‘And, if you’re not ready to stop, then there’s no rush.’
A couple in Alabama also recently went viral after revealing they co-sleep with their two daughters – the eldest daughter being 12 and the youngest six.
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‘Some of my family say it’s weird.’