Hi all,

This is a great probing question Jeanette asks: "where would your baby
go if you fell deeply asleep?" in regards to co-sleeping safety, etc.

Might I add though, that it concerns me when I hear the "you can lie
next to your baby, but you can't fall sleep," message?

Dr. James McKenna's book Sleeping With Your Baby is wonderful and
talks about safe co-sleeping, the what NEVER to do list, and discusses
his research regarding mother-baby sleep patterns when they sleep in
proximity to each other.

Are some telling mothers not to fall asleep next to baby due to
research I'm unaware of? I realize the AAP's negative stance on
co-sleeping, and I always tell parents about their view in addition to
McKenna's. I talk about his background with them in disagreeing with
their blanket statement to warn against an action rather than
INFORMING women to make safe choices for themselves and their
families. I encourage them to look at both sides and make a safe and
reasonable choice for their family, so that everyone can be as well
rested as possible.

His website has videos that discuss his point of view.
http://www.nd.edu/~jmckenn1/lab/

Warmly,
Alysha Jones
Mom to 18-month old breastfeeding, co-sleeping girlie
Azores, Portugal

P.S. I agree with Jeanette's concern about the newer foam mattress
toppers. I used one during pregnancy, and it was incredibly good
feeling on my body. After Emmalee was born, we moved it to a guest bed
in the house, because it was clear there was no roll room--dangerous!
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Wed, 5 Aug 2009 08:07:27 -0700
> From:    gonneke van veldhuizen <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Side lying and safety
>
> Dear friends,
> I'm very glad Jeanette reminds us of this. I for one, in my enthusiasm of finding the occasional admitting-coseeping mom will easily forget to check this kind of safety issues.
>
> Warmly,
>
> Gonneke, IBCLC, retired LLLL, MOM in southern Netherlands
>
> --- On Wed, 8/5/09, Jeanette Panchula <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> I didn't see discussed in the request for videos and side lying is safety -and as IBCLCs we need to be sure we address it EVERY TIME we talk about side-lying- where will they be? What kind of safety is planned as mom dozes off (as I ALWAYS did when breastfeeding and lying down, the exhausted mom of 2 or 3)?
During home visits, if a mom tells me she plans to sleep with her baby
and/or lie down with him/her (yes, there are still some who are in
denial, and tell me they NEVER will, so I have no excuse to check out
the bedroom), I ask them to take me to WHERE they plan to lie down
with their baby.
I know, we have ALWAYS said "be careful of water beds" - but now this
caution needs to be expanded. At 2 mom's homes I found that the
mattress, a new foam that sinks with the weight of the mom and shapes
itself around the baby, prevented the baby from rolling BACK as they
usually did in my bed, when they were done or wanted to get away from
the breast.
Another time the new "egg crate" style mattress cover (we used to use
it to prevent dicubitus ulcers in the elderly, but now it's being used
by many others) did the same thing - kept the baby's head from being
able to roll even a minute amount AWAY from the breast.
 I usually ask the question "where would your baby go if you fell
deeply asleep?" when they say they are planning on using couches,
recliners, etc.
I want them to think about this whenever lying down with their baby. I
also discuss the presence of blankets, toys, siblings, spouses, etc.

 One place I often recommend, especially to the mom of more than one,
is lying down in the floor of the sibling's bedroom (in my case all 3
kids shared one, so I "napped" there).=A0 No fear of falls, it's easy
to jump and run if necessary with the baby safely unable to fall, and
you can keep an ear (if not an eye) open for what is happening with
the other kids.
I am certainly NOT saying FORBID breastfeeding lying down - but as IBCLCs we
also should be providing leadership in safe co-bedding.=A0=20

> Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, PHN, IBCLC
> California, USA

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