'Co-sleeping' with baby can be deadly

[JerryNumbers]

The Associated Press
'Co-sleeping' with baby can be deadly

Austin - More than 160 Texas infants die each year while sleeping in bed with family members, state statistics show, and officials are starting a campaign to warn parents of the danger.

Taken from Texarkana Gazette, Monday 16, 2009

Sometime back we had a topic on this, when reading this just now in the Texarkana Gazette I could not help but think of it. I don't mean to repeat that topic, but this could be food for thought for those who let their infants sleep in bed with them. 160 per year only in the state of Texas, t me that is an alarming number of infants losing their life due to this.

[Psalms18_28]

I knew the danger of it, in fact doctors and websites would warn you about this sort of thing. Which why they promote a bed just for co-sleeping and such.

People who take drugs (prescription or illegal) or drink alcohol are more likely roll on their babies.

But for me, I am a light sleeper and because I can't sleep with my hearing aids on, I had to have our son next to me. back in those days, monitors for the deaf was almost $200 (and Some monitor would wake you up for no reasons) ! He was a high need baby and there was nothing I could settle him down. I am sure some of you parents couldn't go without a pacifier to calm your baby either so that's somewhat like that but he would cry and cry every night and I wasn't getting any sleep.

[Psalms18_28]

here is one item for co-sleeping: http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=6218&parentCategoryId=85182&categoryId=85214

[PreacherBen]

This kind of goes along with the saying:

"Nothing is foolproof when you have an adequately equipped fool!"

Perhaps we should make a law! Yes, legislation, that's what we need.

This is hooey! I have eight children, one on the way.

ALL EIGHT, have slept with me and Mama.

If you're some drunk, drug addict, dumby, ofe, or moron, you prOBably should not let your baby sleep with you, one might roll over on the poor little thing.

Otherwise, baby has been sleeping with Mom and Dad since antiquity.

[trc123]

We sleep with our two small dogs between us. They provide a lot of warmth in the winter!

[JerryNumbers]

This kind of goes along with the saying:

"Nothing is foolproof when you have an adequately equipped fool!"

Perhaps we should make a law! Yes, legislation, that's what we need.

This is hooey! I have eight children, one on the way.

ALL EIGHT, have slept with me and Mama.

If you're some drunk, drug addict, dumby, ofe, or moron, you prOBably should not let your baby sleep with you, one might roll over on the poor little thing.

Otherwise, baby has been sleeping with Mom and Dad since antiquity.

So your openly declaring those 160 Texans that each year lose a baby this way, drunks, drug addicts, dumby, ofe, or moron.

And just because you have not had this happen does not mean the family that has had this happen are what you call them.

That is not being very Christ like unless you have absolute proof of this and can provide it.

[no name joe]

Both of my daughters have co-slept with us. If done properly, it is very safe, and actually reduces the risk of SIDS. PrOBlems arise when done improperly and when a parent is a smoker.

[Anon]

Sometimes you kinda have to...I often co-slept with my babies because they nursed alot at night and had reflux....to have their head elevated on my arm to nurse and then nap while I got a couple hours sleep was a big help. Or sometimes I'd drape them over my stomach (on their stomach) so they would be comfy and I could lightly sleep an hour or two. A mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do. LOL. Easy for a man to say to keep them in a crib...eh?

[Psalms18_28]

So your openly declaring those 160 Texans that each year lose a baby this way, drunks, drug addicts, dumby, ofe, or moron.

And just because you have not had this happen does not mean the family that has had this happen are what you call them.

That is not being very Christ like unless you have absolute proof of this and can provide it.

yes, I agree with Jerry. It's not nice to call anyone morons unless you know their story. They could be just like you and me: Average people who thought it was safe. I also agree with Ben, they should not be making any laws against this. Instead, they should educate parents that it isn't always safe.

[heartstrings]

I couldn't tell you how many times I've gotten up in the middle of the night to check the crib or bed to see if my babies were still breathing. Now I am a grandpa and my 'baby' is a teenager, but I still check in on them from time to time. I used to let my youngest sleep with us until one night when I almost hurt him. That was the end of that. I couldn't bear accidentally hurting/killing one of my children. It could happen to anybody; better to be safe than sorry.

[JerryNumbers]

I couldn't tell you how many times I've gotten up in the middle of the night to check the crib or bed to see if my babies were still breathing. Now I am a grandpa and my 'baby' is a teenager, but I still check in on them from time to time. I used to let my youngest sleep with us until one night when I almost hurt him. That was the end of that. I couldn't bear accidentally hurting/killing one of my children. It could happen to anybody; better to be safe than sorry.

Heartstrings, That is so true, why risk being sorry, why not be sure to stay safe. Something like that can happen to good parents as well as bad parents. Seems some have the idea something like this only happens to bad parents.

Now if someone had no choice, that would be a completely different story.

[bzmomo7]

Though this is not in Texas, I think this abstract may provide some information. http://journals.lww.com/amjforensicmedicine/Abstract/2009/12000/OBservations_on_Increased_Accidental_Asphyxia.2.aspx It seems as though co-sleeping deaths are on the rise everywhere, so something must have changed in the last few years. I would be surprised, however, if it was caused by a drastic increase in the amount of people who choose to "co-sleep".