Ooops I accidentally pressed enter before making my post...
I picked up a gossip kinda magazine last night, nothing to intelectual just something to read before bed. I came across a story about a woman who suffocated her baby after falling asleep. Then on the next page there was an article using scare tactics and all together discusting anti co-sleeping that was completely miss-informed! I was so mad and sad to think of all the naieve women who will be frightened out of sharing this experience. I decided to write this letter...
Incidently I found out while reserching that the people who conduct these studys concluding against co-sleeping are done by crib manufactures
Here is my letter:
Hello,
I am writing to say how saddened and discusted I was by your 'special news report' titled 'Silent Killer'. Firstly the thing that gets me is the title followed by a beautiful picture of a baby sleeping in its mothers arms. To even suggest such a beautiful natural thing is going to kill your baby is beyond sickening.
I am a 23 year old mother of 2 who co-sleeps (Yes it has a name!) with both of my children and have done since birth including in the hospital. It all started when after the birth of my first baby, once he was home, against all my mothering instincts I put him in his cradle to sleep next to my bed. For hours I lay awake listening to his breathing sobbing because it physically hurt to be away from him. By the time he woke my chest and eyes were sore from crying it was the most un natural thing I have ever done. I know I am not the only mother who feels this way. Yet interfering older generations and 'media' make mothers think its best to go against their natural instincts.
Its a fact, in most countries around the world sleeping with your baby is the norm, not the exception. And what is the incidence of SIDS in these countries? During the 1990s, in Japan the rate was only one tenth of the U.S. rate, and in Hong Kong, it was only 3% of the U.S. rate. These are just two examples. Some countries do have a higher rate of SIDS, depending on how SIDS is defined.
Research shows that infants who sleep in a crib are twice as likely to suffer a sleep related fatality (including SIDS) than infants who sleep in bed with their parents. Why wasn't that put in your article?
I really feel for Amanda Visser who lost her baby due to suffocation, I cant imagine the pain she is suffering and my heart pours out to her. There are some points in her story though that need to be pointed out. Firstly she was sleeping on the lounge, secondly she was falling asleep un intentionally late at night out of exhaustion and thirdly her pictures show she is a large women despite the fact she is pregnant again. I feel its misleading for her or anyone to say you shouldn't sleep with your baby because of what happened to her.
The answer is not to tell parents they shouldn't sleep with their baby, but rather to educate them on how to sleep with their infants safely - DR Sears @
http://www.askdrsears.com
I have stoped buying the parenting magazines available in Australia because of the lack of articles from an attachment or instinctive parenting point of view. Its articles like these that made me switch to reading new idea rather in the first place because I wasn't expecting to see something like this in your magazine. I am disheartened by this and I question wether I will ever buy another copy.
Regards
S Olsson
Furious @ anti co-sleeping article
of course crib manufacs. will say this to get mothers scared into crib sleep and cio. I applaud your letter and the time it took to write it and find the words. great job. your babies are lucky to have you!!!!
