I have to put in my two cents worth! I am currently co-sleeping with my 2 month old son, as I did with my first two children. I love it. It makes breastfeeding easier and the bonding is wonderful. I would not give this up and I feel that in my bed, it is completely safe. I think that it would be unsafe for someone who drinks or does drugs, or who is a heavy sleeper. I have not had trouble getting them out of my bed as they get a little older. I recommend it any interested and responsible mother. Deb Conlon C-FNP ----- Original Message ----- From: <> To: <>; <> Sent: Monday, October 04, 1999 4:57 AM Subject: Re: Cosleeping safety guidelines > In a message dated 10/3/1999 9:41:44 PM Central Daylight Time, > writes: > > << I know of a recent local death due to co-sleeping, > and I am sure others on the list know of cases. Why "dilute" > an excellent adjunct to child rearing (breast feeding) with a > potentially fatal and unnecessary practice? >> > > At the risk of having my cypberhands smacked, and my math skills laughed at, > let me point out a couple of things. Based on the Washington Post article, > in 8 years, 515 babies died in adult beds -- and the article delineated how > they died. That's 64 babies per year from ANY cause -- suffocation, wedging, > strangulation, etc etc etc. 15 babies/year died from "overlaying." That > means 49 babies died from being in the adult bed. We don't know if, in fact, > those 49 babies were co-sleeping, if there was an adult or sibling or anyone > else in the bed with them. They might have been left on grandma's bed while > everyone else was eating dinner, for all we know. Ok, the CPSC has admitted > that 50 babies per year die from being in faulty cribs. Interestingly > enough, though 1 more baby/year dies from being in a faulty crib, they don't > tell us to stop putting babies in cribs -- they tell us to make the cribs > safer. 49 babies die from adult bed "accidents" and they tell us it is > unsafe for a baby to sleep in an adult bed. > > Before you poohpooh that, the other fact that wasn't widely broadcast is that > 2705 babies per year die of SIDS -- alone, in a crib. Only 15 babies a year > die from "overlaying" (which, in point of fact, could be infanticide, or a > drunk/drug taking parent -- yes, there were only two REPORTED incidences of > the adult being drunk or under the influence of drugs, but that was the adult > REPORTING it.) or SIDS. > > Now, I'm not trying to claim that co-sleeping prevents SIDS, but when 2705 > babies (of approximately 4,000,000 born each year) die alone in their cribs > vs. 15 of the reported 2,000,000 that spend part or all of each night in > their parents' bed -- well, frankly, I think I'd rather have my baby with me > and take those odds.... > > I'm very sad over any baby that dies for any reason, but when a faulty and > incomplete "study" terrifies parents of falling asleep with their babies > while breastfeeding, THAT'S criminal. > > Jan > group. > >