Cathy B says:
>How can it suddenly be, now in the latter portion of
>this century in industrialized nations, that sleeping with our babies
>represents a grave threat to their survival? I don't think so...
>
Trouble is, when presenting the normality of co-sleeping, and its benefits,
we need to be aware that parents are simply not a bit bothered about the
history of co-sleeping as not being a grave threat to the survival of the
species...they can probably be convinced of that.

However, they are worried about what they perceive might be a very slight
threat to their own individual baby born here and now to them. They can see
it isn't a grave threat to anyone - but they don't want *any* threat.

That's why we need clever and reassuring ways of refuting the spurious
'evidence' of the inherent harm of co-sleeping....in fact, as one post has
said clearly, there is just no evidence that co-sleeping is in any way
whatsoever *inherently harmful*...it's the circumstances in which
co-sleeping takes place that could manufacture a risk ( as we've seen
discussed, alcoholic or drug induced stupor, deliberate abuse,  poor
attention to safe bedding etc etc) .

But - arrgh! - it's cultural expectations isn't it? No one would ever make
a mum feel guilty if her baby had a cot death *in the cot*....but if death
happened while the baby was in bed with mum, it would not be very long
before the speculation began that this was something to do with the death.

In the UK cot deaths usually have to go to the coroner (in the US too? The
coroner is a court wherein all deaths not immediately diagnosed as natural
are examined) ; I can't remember any case where co-sleeping was named as a
relevant circumstance, however.

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html