Unlike the purported children who sleep in adult beds, this "study" just
will not DIE.

I think as professionals, when asked by parents about this issue we need to
clarify that this particular study is very flawed. Children die from lack of
supervision, not from the actual act of sleeping in an adult bed. I do not
recommend to parents that they do or don't sleep in a bed with their
babies - I just tell them there are a number of schools of thought on this
and encourage them to read the current literature and then make the decision
that works best for them.

I spoke to the woman (Sued Nakamura) who performed this compilation of
slanted and flawed information soon after it was first published - I had her
on the phone for over 20 minutes in fact. I pointed out how flawed this
study was and why. She point blank said they will stand by it no matter
what. I told her also that whether or not they received any reparation from
the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Assc or not was not at issue - it was
the appearance of reparation. She kept emphatically denying they had gotten
anything from the JPMA. She failed to define statistical terms for me. She
could not see the difference between anecdotal information gleaned from
death certificates and statistical information which is compiled using
accepted, reproducible and verifiable methodology.

All we can do as far as the media is concerned is point them to verifiable
and reliable sources of information (Like Dr. McKenna) and continue to point
out how studies like this are swallowed whole by the media everyday with
very little thought about the consequences!

BTW - I have used this study to show a couple of high school science classes
what happens when researchers use unethical, unproven, and unprofessional
methodologies. Even these high school kids "get it" - why can't Sued
Nakamura and her superiors?

How does this relate to breastfeeding? As well as co sleeping affecting the
course of breastfeeding, this "study" underscores that we cannot rely on
anecdotal information lest we end up like the folks at the CPSC - no longer
taken seriously in any professional community.

Michelle Meeks, RN

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