We purchased a king-size, simple, no baffles, blatter-type water bed
in 1978.  We had 5 children and within 2.5 years we had 2 more.  All
 of these kids slept with us at times, sometimes only a few.  The
newest baby slept next to me, the toddler at the foot (so he could
feel my feel stroking him (gently), the next oldest slept in a
sleeping bag next to my side of the bed, and anyone else slept around
the room.  Perhaps, we were just dumb and lucky butwe simply did not
ever worry about a baby suffocating.  Of course, the baby was not left
alone on the bed at any time (they were attached to my body) and we
kept the sheet snuggly (as possible) tucked, using a top sheet and
sometimes quilt.  Is this an ad campaign by the regular mattress
companies?  Sure, babies can die in beds, all kind of beds, cribs,
car seats, bassinets, playpens, swings, cradles,  regular beds, etc.
I work as a secretery/bereavement specialist for a local mortuary and
am well aware that all ages of people die.  As Marsden Wagner stated
as the UMA conference this spring, Babies Die Sometimes.  Regardless
of the high tech medical equipment and brains, sometimes babies (and
people) die.  I'm not dicounting the feelings of a parent whose baby
died in a waterbed and feels the bed was responsible. Unfortunately,
often there is no "Why" as to the death of a baby (or big person)and
 we long for any answer to help us understand the loss.
What process does a medical examiner use to mark the difference in SIDs
suffocation and suffocation in a water bed.  I'm willing to learn here.
The MEs I've had opporturnity to speak with indicate that it is more of
a disqualification of all other reasons in diagnosing SIDS.

As for "using the baby as a pillow" and "throwing it off the bed" I,
like Kathy A.,wonder about any industrial strength chemicals being
involved.  Or perhaps a psycho-social issue.
Either I don't sleep well or I tend to drop into oblivion but even in my
groggiest state I'm aware of the baby.  Currently, we are getting to
sleep with our grandbaby once in a great while when she's not sleeping
with her wonderful, completely breastfeeding, takes the baby to work
with her mom.

Our only concern about our waterbed was to be gentle when moving about
as not to bounce someone off the bed.  We also kept the crib bumped up
againt the edge of the bed on my side with the crib side removed so that
if a baby needed space/safety they could easily be scooted into the
crib.  Since my body was next to the opening I felt they were safe.
Sorry, old lady pontificating again.  LLLove Linda Russell Dunn