There is a discussion over at Motherlode today about a new CDC study on a fourfold increase in infant deaths due to strangulation and suffocation. One obvious conclusion is that the rise correlates to the rise in the family bed, a form of co-sleeping. But the majority of the commentors are clearly affronted by the suggestion.
Which doesn't exactly surprise me. Co-sleepers are as zealous and dedicated to their beliefs as breastfeeders (and are usually the same people), offering personal testimonials to "prove" that co-sleeping is okay. What bothers me is the disdain they show for the fourfold increase--explaining it away as "social darwinism" (for waterbeds), criminal activity (like drugs), and a statistical sleight of hand not significant when compared to other dangers--as if the victims' parents deserved what happened and didn't matter anyway.
Regardless of the exact nature of the strangulation/suffocation incidents--waterbeds, drugs and alcohol, etc--we as a culture should be very, very concerned about any infant death rate that is increasing. Something is not right. I'm not saying the family bed is wrong (though, for the record, we never slept with the twins--they slept in a crib together in our room for a few months and then moved to another room, mainly because we didn't sleep well with them in the bed, I'm a heavy sleeper, and a heavy person, the cat slept with us already, and in the end, it just didn't feel safe to us), but something is and the family bed is one of the possibilities that has to be examined. Sure, automobiles are dangerous, bathtubs are dangerous, hell, even peanut butter is dangerous and so we enforce rules and norms (such as "never leave a child alone in a bathtub") to make those as safe as possible (though, really, the FDA should have more power and less obligation to the food industry). Your kid didn't die in your bed? Great, I am truly happy. But for those parents whose children did, we need to look at reasons why and try to help make sure it happens as infrequently as possible. Even if one of the suspects is your sacred cow.
I vividly remember having our granddaughter in our bed because she decided to get in with us some time during the night. She kicked about so much I gave up and went on to the floor.
ReplyDeleteSurely the real point about not having a child in with you is that inadvertantly the adult can smother the child with excess bedding or even the body. My understanding is that esqimos all share the same bed which is certainly dangerous and no chance of sleeping on the floor.