Reading through the policy, I came to the section that discusses how 20% of
SIDS deaths happen when the infant is in the care of someone other than the
parent (often due to misinformed caregivers about back-to-sleep). The
sections on bedsharing don't give this kind of percentage, but instead refer
to the difference in risk being "significantly" higher. That, in
statistical-speak, doesn't have to mean anything near the 20% mark. And,
there's very little in the policy that addresses formula feeding risks,
other than to say nearly in passing that a formula-fed infant sleeps more
deeply and that perhaps the reason the pacifier "works" is because it mimics
the lighter sleep pattern of the breastfed infant.

So the REAL headline for this policy statement, based on their evidence,
should be that babies should NOT be left with [unknowledgeable] caregivers,
and anything that leads to sleeping too deeply should be avoided. Wouldn't
THAT generate some interesting discussion in the news media!!

(And no, I'm not condemning caregivers or mothers who must use them, just
pointing out that 20% is a pretty serious number that the news media so far
is choosing to ignore!) I suppose as long as the caregivers know to stick
the pacifiers in, everything will be just fine....

(with tongue at least a little in cheek)
Melissa Vickers, IBCLC
Huntingdon, TN

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