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Date: | Thu, 17 Feb 2011 10:05:48 -0500 |
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Nikki shared an article of infant death while bed-sharing in hospital
(http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/mum-sues-after-newborn-smothered-20110215-1auwo.html).
In this particular case, I find it interesting that there is no
mention of an autopsy to confirm that the cause of death was
suffocation. Perhaps it happened and wasn't reported, but the
supporting details are laid out in the article to point clearly
toward overlying as the assumed culprit. The reality, though, is
that the cause of death could have been any number of issues,
including SIDS, a cardiac defect, a pulmonary defect, a neurological
defect, etc.
I completely agree that a mother who is excessively exhausted is
impaired to the same degree as inebriation, but when sleeping with
their babies mothers instinctively go into the "cuddle curl" position
with their lower arm bent back and supporting the head (usually under
the pillow) and the knees bent and brought upward toward the
baby. This position makes it almost impossible for the mother to
roll toward her baby very far and protects the baby's space from
other occupants of the bed (which wasn't an issue in this
case). Mothers have been excessively exhausted throughout history
and yet until recently it was usually understood that mothers and
babies should sleep together.
When we see cases like this, it is always worth questioning if the
cause of death is truly suffocation or perhaps actually another
culprit. The coincidence that it happened in bed next to the mother
does not make overlying the most likely cause, even with the factor
of sleep deprivation.
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