My sister who's a flight attendant forwarded the link to me yesterday re:
the story about the baby dying during the flight. She ask if "this" --
meaning falling asleep BF with baby and infant suffocation - happened often.
 This was my very quick (barely edited) response to her:

No, this doesn't happen often! And countries where breastfeeding mothers
sleep with their babies have some of the lowest rates of SUDI, but they are
on a safe sleep surface -- flat and without a lot of items (fluffy blankets,
pillows, clothing, etc) that can entrap the infant.  This mother was not on
a safe sleeping surface with her baby. She didn't need to be breastfeeding -
this wasn't really about breastfeeding. Any mom or dad could fall asleep
while holding a baby - sleep deprived parents fall asleep so they're likely
to fall asleep with baby. (How many of us treasure those photos with baby
sleeping on Dad's chest -- with Dad also asleep on the sofa  - cute but
unsafe x2 as baby is often on his stomach and the sleeping surface is
unsafe!) How many parents have had a drink or two with the meal on the
flight - or taken some med to help get some sleep -- lots of passengers do
this for a long flight. I bet no one thinks to caution parents about this.
However, one would also expect a baby that had been born at full term to be
able to squirm, kick, etc. and "tell" mom that something is interfering with
baby's airway. What was going on that the baby didn't protest -- too many
covers, clothes, etc.?

For those that occurred at home, a study recently came out that found many
so-called bedsharing episodes actually occurred on a sofa, stuffed chair,
etc. Questions about parental tobacco use (found to be the highest risk
factor), alcohol, medications (even many cold medications have an effect on
how "deep" a parent sleeps), etc. often aren't asked or tested when faced
with grieving parents. (One group of such deaths in OH turned out to be
related to parents giving babies cough syrup to "help" them sleep, although
the med was only for children over 2.)

Then there was the big crib recall a couple of weeks ago
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10046.html. Life is not without
risk and there is no "perfect"...

K


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-- 
Karen Gromada
www.karengromada.com/

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