I am sure this will get the anti co-sleeping people in a rage...

Re: I am sure this will get the anti co-sleeping people in a rage...

• Emerald27 member

  January 2014 edited January 2014

  This is terribly sad, and demonstrates why it is so important never to cosleep on a sofa.
  
  This is why it would be far more beneficial to put information out there about safe cosleeping practices instead of just scaring parents by telling them they will harm their babies by cosleeping. Most parents will cosleep somewhat with their babies out of necessity, and it's better if they know how to do it safely.
  
  I would not be surprised to hear that this mama slept with her baby on the sofa because he wouldn't sleep without being held and she was afraid to sleep with him in her bed.

  
  

  
  

  

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• ReeceFamily member

  January 2014

  Very tragic, and probably could have been avoided as PP said (with education on safe practices).

  
  

  I'm still waiting for the media to cover deaths caused by infants sleeping down the hall all alone where the parents couldn't hear their breathing.  Because we know it happens.

  

  
  

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• TiffanyBerry member

  January 2014

  Emerald27 said:

  This is terribly sad, and demonstrates why it is so important never to cosleep on a sofa. This is why it would be far more beneficial to put information out there about safe cosleeping practices instead of just scaring parents by telling them they will harm their babies by cosleeping. Most parents will cosleep somewhat with their babies out of necessity, and it's better if they know how to do it safely. 

  This.  THIS.  100X over THIS!

  
  

  Teach people the right way to do something they are going to do.

  It's worse than abstinence-only sex ed.

  
  

  

  

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• =Lee=B member

  January 2014

  Doesn't matter what type of parenting/sleep ways you will have later on...those first 6 weeks were BRUTAL.  I think a large majority of new, sleep deprived parents have fallen asleep with their babies on them.

  What a horrible outcome.  Perhaps hospitals need to be using this as part of their teachings before parents take a baby home.  Simply discussing how even families that don't intend to bedshare may end up sleeping with the baby and these here is a list of important safety steps needed.

  Anything, but as all the above have said we need to teach new parents the safe way of doing it.  I can't imagine what that family is going through.  I look at our couch here and can totally see it happening on our big, puffy couch. 

   

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• opheliainwaders member

  January 2014

  =Lee=B said:

  Doesn't matter what type of parenting/sleep ways you will have later on...those first 6 weeks were BRUTAL.  I think a large majority of new, sleep deprived parents have fallen asleep with their babies on them.

  What a horrible outcome.  Perhaps hospitals need to be using this as part of their teachings before parents take a baby home.  Simply discussing how even families that don't intend to bedshare may end up sleeping with the baby and these here is a list of important safety steps needed.

  Anything, but as all the above have said we need to teach new parents the safe way of doing it.  I can't imagine what that family is going through.  I look at our couch here and can totally see it happening on our big, puffy couch. 

  This was actually the approach my pedi took - she asked where we planned to have DD sleep, and when we said, "a bassinet," she gave us a handout on safe co-sleeping anyway. At the time, I didn't think much of it, but it was HUGELY helpful, and really a good thing for us to know, since there were DEFINITELY times that we fell asleep without even realizing it.
  

  

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• Meery82 member

  January 2014

  So sad. My mother knows a woman who daughter rolled over onto her baby and baby died. Apparently she was very overweight and they think that a lot to do with it. I couldn't ever have co-slept. The first week after my son was born, I was so sleep deprived, I was starting to get delirious. I would lay in bed with him, breastfeed him, and hold him while he slept, but I could never fall asleep. I was just too aware of him and these types of stories were always in the back of my mind. So I did the next best thing: he slept in a rock n play, then a pack n play, next to my bed for his first 6 1/2 months. I was aware of his every move, but at least I was able to fall asleep! Once I went back to work, DH and I tried switching beds (I had been in our guest room) and DS and I both slept worse when we were apart. So I went back in with DS and it all worked out.

  

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• L0L0 member

  January 2014

  What a nightmare. I try to have my 2 week old sleep in his bassinet, but it's impossible not to fall asleep while BFing in bed. Plus he falls asleep and stays asleep in our bed, but about 75% wakes up and works himself into a big fit when we move him to his bassinet. I feel so unsettled about cosleeping. And the new baby is my second kid!

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• MelodyRN member

  February 2014

  I used to set an alarm on my phone during and before the late night feeds for like 30-40 minutes so that if I had fallen asleep in a place I didn't plan to, I'd have an opportunity to wake up and move the baby. 

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