co-sleeping

[Pinky McKay]

Prof Andrew Fleming was in a great story on Today Tonight in Melbourne tonight. He is the co author of a large study into SIDs reported in the BMJ  1999 , 319: 1457 -1462 In this study it was shown that the risk of SIDS was halved if the baby slept in the same room as the parents -as did an earlier  New Zealand study. Prof Fleming said on Tv tonight that this was whether baby slept in the same bed as mum or not . There is much research into safe sleeping environments in this study.   I also had quite a bit of email corrrespondence with James mcKenna during writing parenting By Heart -great info on his website.   William Sears claims that the mother sleeping close to he baby acts like a pacemaker to the babe.   -I have more "ammo"  on co-sleeping in my new book "100 Ways to Calm the Crying" (for release 3rd July) I would question the two SIDS cases - were the parents (either parent) smokers? under the influence of alcohol or ANY medication that limited their awareness of the baby? On soft mattresses/ sofas? Using doonas (overheating - babes head needs to be uncovered) Was the baby breastfed or not? Had the baby been given any medication -there is a link between phenergan and SIDS- many SIDS babies have been found to have colds -phenergan apparently affects swallowing and breathing reflexes.    It is the sleeping environment, not simply co-sleeping or not that poses a risk to babies.   ALso - how many SIDS cases were there at the same time in cots -ie if your baby died sleeping in a cot would it then be recommended that 2 babies died of SIDS in cots so we must all co-sleep? I dont think so -While it is sad that any baby dies, the natural way is always open to blame -if a baby died who was born at home we would be told this was dangerous and no refs would be made to babies who die in hospital   By the way, did you know that the rumour about "overlaying" came about a few hundred years ago when very poor women in Europe confessed to their priests that they had deliberately "over;laid" their bubs as they couldnt afford more children, so the Catholic church decreed that sleeping with babes was dangerous.    Snuggle those bubs with their mums and advise them to read a supportive book.   Pinky.  www.pinky-mychild.com