>>I have a mom now whose baby wants to "touch" when he is asleep and her doc
and everything she has read has her terrified to even take a nap with him.
She lies awake on her propped up pillows at night with her hand on him,
watching to be sure he doesn't get too close to her.  She is greatly sleep
deprived and is beginning to believe that there is something wrong with her
baby that he won't sleep alone.

Has anyone suggested to her that she set up the crib as a side-car
arrangement with the bed, so baby can be in the crib, with its harder
mattress and bars on three sides, and she can be next to baby, in her own
bed, asleep, but able to reach out and hold his hand, or touch his back, or
whatever?  You can fix the crib to the side of the bed, at the same level.
Some claim this is the best of both worlds, with less worry about baby
getting covered by blankets, etc.
Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology and Nutrition
Texas A&M University