Extract from a pamphlet produced by the Menzies Centre for Population
Health Research, Uni of Tasmania, in conjunction with two other
University and one Govt. Department:

Adult Waterbeds
If a baby is placed on an adult waterbed, he or she can:
- change position easily;
- sink their head into the mattress; or
- get too hot on heated waterbeds.
The American Acedemy of Pediatrics has endorsed a worning that
waterbeds are unsafe for infants. Ref: Infant Sleep Position and
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in the United States: Joint
Commentary from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Selected
Agencies of the Federal Government. Pediatrics 1994;93:820

I also have a newspaper report of the Menzies Centre joining forces
with the Coroner's Office to issue a warning following a review of
Tasmanian SIDs deaths in 1994.  Of the 14 deaths in Tasmania, 3
occured on waterbeds.  In at least one case, the baby sank face down
and suffocated. They say that, compared to the population based data
about healthy Tasmanian Infants (major ongoing survey), there is an
over-representation of infants sleeping on waterbeds in the SIDs
group.  They also reported that an accidental death occured in the US
where a baby was catapulted off a waterbed.  They say "A US Consumer
Product Safety Commission safety alert includes a warning about the
waterbed threat to babies."

We may not all agree with the above, or we may say it is OK if the baby
is on its back, if it is a certain type of waterbed, if you put more
water in, as long as the mother is present, or that the benefits of
co-sleeping outweigh the risks. However, in the light of these clear,
published warnings, an LC would be taking a risk (possibly not
covered by her indemnity insurance??) if she were to go against
recommended practice and encourage or condone a mother co-sleeping
with her baby on a waterbed. It could potentially have an LC up
before the Coroners Court. (I know of one of these deaths - the
mother had no idea that there was a risk, or that her baby could roll
over.)

Sorry Linda, just because your 7 children survived on a waterbed,
this is epidemiological proof that they are OK.

I have great sympathy for waterbed users. We sleep on a modern 90%
waveless, soft sided waterbed with more water than most people would
use.  I love it. I would hate to have to switch back to a 'real' bed,
but fortunately we are well past the baby stage. One observation -
there is a noticeable difference in the degree to which I sink in,
depending on whether my husband is still in bed or has got up early.
I have tried friends' waterbeds and know that there are big
variations in temperature (most too hot for my liking - we are
comfortably warm with the heat setting well below the 'recommended'
range) and amount of water - but they think they are fine.  It would
be very hard to make a judgement about whether any particular
waterbed was 'safe' for a baby.  I would advise a side-car
arrangement or a different bed.

Ros Escott IBCLC
Tasmania, Australia
Mother of a chronically wakeful co-sleeper. He never slept well on
his own till we bought the waterbed and gave him our old double bed.
Instant solution.  Now I need advice on how to wake him.