The article Jack Newman mentioned on babies suffocated at the breast
is this one (I think):
Byard RW, Burnell RH Apparent life threatening events and infant holding
 practices. Arch Dis Child 1995; 73:502-504.  Roger Byard is part of
the Dept of Paediatrics at Uni of Adelaide, Australia, and has a
great interest in SIDS.
They looked at two 4 week old infants who suffered episodes of apnoea
and cyanosis, both of which were related to being held in such a way
that adult body or clothing obstructed the babies breathing. No
further episodes were recorded once the way of holding the infants
was changed. The authors note that when the episodes were re-enacted
in a hospital setting, both infants became mildly cyanotic and
apnoeic, but neither struggled. or made any attempt to breathe. A third child age 8 weeks is reported on - this baby was
noted to be limp and unresponsive whilst being breastfed. The infant
was being held 'firmly' with her face to the mothers breast whilst
the mother sat on the floor and leaned forward to watch another child
through a window. Autopsy suggested cardiorespiratory arrest
of unknown cause, and the authors suggest that some infants may not
respond normally to accidental occlusion of nose and mouth.
In the case reported by Phillipa, it seems that the baby was already
sick, and thus was at greater risk of cardiorespiratory arrest
anywhere. I agree with others who have suggested that this baby could
have died anywhere, and that the feeding was just coincidental.
Fiona Coombes MBBS IBCLC               [log in to unmask]
Nursing Mothers' Association of Australia Breastfeeding Counsellor
Lactation Consultant, Family Physician
Perth Western Australia