Once again we are facing a strong anti sleep sharing push by the local health department.  There have been several deaths recently and the department is taking a hard line against any suggestion that what is needed is education about  SAFE co sleeping.  They have taken a very paternalistic "it's too confusing" approach.  I got fed up and sent the following letter which they printed in it's entirety (with the addition of a date) even though it was over their 200 word maximum!

Look at sleep facts 

Let's see if I have this right. If a baby dies in its own bed, it's an unpreventable SIDS death, but if it dies sleeping with another person, it's a death due to "co-sleeping" and as such is preventable? We hear how babies die while sleeping with an adult, but we don't hear about those who die sleeping by themselves. 

The Milwaukee Health Department is exhibiting a knee-jerk reaction and ignoring the facts. In each of the last three reported cases, one or more of these factors was at play: the adult was sleeping with the baby on a couch, had been drinking, was not the baby's parent or had put the baby to sleep on a pillow. None of these actions are in accord with safe sleep sharing guidelines. However, the authorities don't want to issue the guidelines for fear they are "too confusing." Instead, they are condemning all co-bedding, in spite of the fact that research does not support an across-the-board ban. 

In the April 21 article "2-month-old baby dies while sharing bed," one source said parents are going to sleep with their babies regardless of the push against the practice. Wouldn't it make more sense to help parents learn how to safely sleep with their infant if they choose rather than making them feel guilty if they are following their instincts? 

Incidentally, co-sleeping is the baby sleeping in proximity to the parent, but not necessarily in the same bed while co-bedding means sharing the same (safe) sleeping surface. 

Any death of an infant is tragic, but let's not throw out common sense and research in responding to these deaths. 

Winnie Mading 

The latest infuriating thing is that with one this week (where mother had had several drinks beforehand) , one TV station reported (and this is an exact quote) "Another co-sleeping related death of an infant...cause of death has not yet been determined"  and another went so far as to say, "co-sleeping leads to another death...autopsy results to determine cause are pending"!
So if the cause has yet to be determined, how can they say it's related to co-sleeping?????

I would write about that stupidity, but they won't print letters less that 2 months apart.  Thanks for letting me vent.

Winnie

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