Attempting to regulate infant sleep and parent proximity will not be the first try in history. It seems to tie in nicely with the move to birth in hospitals and milk replacements. I did some research for a paper and found that European research towards the end of the 1800's had suggested that overlaying (maternal suffocation of infant during co-sleep) was the principal cause of infant deaths ( whether intentional or not) . The "ignorance and carelessness of mothers" therefore, needed to be regulated (Savitt, 2003). There was a push for laws to be passed prohibiting mothers from sleeping with their infants, as well as prosecution of parents whose children died in the parent's bed. 
History being repeated, what a surprise!  An interesting read and my reference: 




Savitt, T. L. (2003). The social and medical history of crib death. Ethics and Health Care, 6(1).





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Mirine R. Dye, CCE,CD,CLE
Mothers in Paradise, New Mother Support and Education
Florida Keys  

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