New mothers please read.

[fireman17]

I must warn you though this will be hard for most of the new mothers here to read but I need to pass this information on.
On Saturday an engine from my department was dispatched to an address for an infant not breathing, on scene the brothers began resuscitation efforts on the infant and had the infant transported to the local hpspital where efforts continued but unfortunately the infant passed away.
He was only one month old. As you can imagine the brothers were saddened by this event. The investigation found the mother brought the infant in bed to feed and fell back asleep and rolled over on the child she awoke and found the infant unresponsive under her a called 911.
I feel so very sad for this mother knowing she did not mean for any harm to come to her infant.
So, to the new mothers please, please when you bring your child in bed with you to feed take the time to sit up if you can or make sure your spouse is with you in case God forbid somethings happens.

 

[SDFgirl]

I'm sorry to say that my cousin, who is a police officer, responded to a similar call. At 5:00am they get a call to go to a house, and it was the same story. The baby was only 5 weeks old and was suffocated by his mother in bed. Imagine what guilt she will have to live with for the rest of her life.

Thank you for the reminder. I'll keep the mother in my prayers.

 

[Hoodie]

Thank you for that word of caution and for all you do. I do not know how you can do what you do day in and day out. I admire you greatly.

 

[S. C.]

 

[wilderness01]

This also just happened to my coworkers grandchild. Very sad indeed.

 

[nahbois2000]

I have been an EMT for over 15 years and been called on runs like this twice..

It is heartbreaking..

When my DW had our kids, she would sleep in a glider with otterman we bought. It was comfortable for my wife, and allowed her to still breastfeed and sleep with our kids.

It was expensive, but well worth the peace of mind. Now that the kids are older, our dog took over using it

 

[PenguinWaiters]

Thank you for this reminder.

It is tempting in the middle of the night to just bring him to bed to nurse and keep him with me. I think that might work for some people but I know it would not work for me - I'm a deep sleeper and I move around a lot. So, I always put him back in his bed when we are done.

 

[Aisling]

OMG how sad!
I had both of my babies sleep with me for breastfeeding, and thank God we never had anything tragic happen. If I were a new mother, I'd surely think twice about this.

 

[themarquis]

I'm sure somebody else can dig up more info, but cosleeping (done the correct way) is generally quite safe and has been the most common place to sleep for babies historically and to the present day in all areas of the world. There is research that suggests that in fact it reduces SIDS rates (because close proximity to mom breathing helps trigger baby to breathe and close proximity to people who are moving around durng the night help promote a lighter state of sleep that can prevent SIDS)

There are some things that can make it unsafe. For example, sleeping with the baby when under the influence of alcohol, drugs, and even nicotine. Mom (or other people in the bed) who are obese or in ill health -- also a bad idea. Pillows and comforters shouldn't be in the bed near the baby (they can suffocate under them). Also, the bed needs to be set up correctly so the baby can't get "wedged" or trapped (say, against the wall). I think the baby is supposed to be on Mom's side and not in the middle (and not against a wall, obviously).

I have no idea of knowing what specifically happened in these cases, and they are very very tragic. But it is very well demonstrated that sleeping in the same bed with a baby is safe IF it is done correctly.

Tragic situations do happen occasionally, both in cribs and in beds. For example, it is not completely uncommon for babies to get wedged between a crib side and the crib mattress; or suffocate because of comforters or stuffed animals or pillows in a crib (this is why there are also guidelines for safely putting a baby to sleep in a crib).

It doesn't seem like a great idea to scare new moms and imply that it is dangerous for babies to be in the bed with them at all. That's just not true.

 

[tonilea]

I agree co-sleeping can certainly be done safely. Of course, co-sleepers generally have taken precautions... like not having comfortors or lots of large pillows, etc. I am very pro co-sleeping.

But, for people who DON'T co-sleep, I can see how it would be more dangerous. Their beds aren't set up for co-sleeping. They are likely over-tired or they wouldn't have taken the baby to bed with them - lots of other factors that make just saying "it was because they co-slept" a poor call.

 

[pyrxtc]

It is not co-sleeping that caused these innocent deaths. And please don't scare new mothers into not doing it!! people all over the world do it every day and the US is the only place it is looked at as wrong or bad. It is not just 3rd world countries that do it.

New moms who are reading this, co-sleeping can be done and work well. If that is what you want to do then do it. I did it with all 3 of my children and the only problems I had was getting them out of the bed when they were old enough.

If you pay attention to how it is done and are safe with it, then you can be happy wiht your decision. A lot of these accidents that blame co-sleeping usually happen when the parents don't normally co-sleep but brought the baby to bed just to nurse or just for that night. They did not prepare and were not used to it. It is not wrong and don't let anyone tell you it is.

Accidents can happen anywhere and anytime, that's why they are called accidents.

 

[java]

Very sad story. I am so sad for those families.
We have 4 children- all of whom co-slept with us for the first year. I am a very light sleeper and mastered the arm block with the babies. This was a tragic accident and I feel for that family.

 

[fireman17]

I must apologize here, my intent was not to scare any new mothers by any means. I wanted just to make them all aware about what may happen while feeding their babies. In this case the mother had a pillow with the infant resting on it and when she fell asleep she rolled on her child.
We have four children one being an infant and my wife has fed all of them while in bed but not once did she use a pillow next to her.
As some of you have pointed out yes, this is in fact an accident but if I can just pass on to the new mothers to use care while feeding your infant and prevent this tragic accident from happening again I feel I still have done my job and hopefully saved anothe infant.
Again, my intent was not meant to scare anyone.

 

[tonilea]

I must apologize here, my intent was not to scare any new mothers by any means. I wanted just to make them all aware about what may happen while feeding their babies. In this case the mother had a pillow with the infant resting on it and when she fell asleep she rolled on her child.
We have four children one being an infant and my wife has fed all of them while in bed but not once did she use a pillow next to her.
As some of you have pointed out yes, this is in fact an accident but if I can just pass on to the new mothers to use care while feeding your infant and prevent this tragic accident from happening again I feel I still have done my job and hopefully saved anothe infant.
Again, my intent was not meant to scare anyone.

I know you only posted because you care. If it makes one person think twice about how they are co-sleeping, it is a good thing.

 

[Fishbone†]

The OP never said anything against co-sleeping. He was warning against moms bringing their babies back to bed to feed with them without taking some precautions (ie, sitting up). A good reminder for those that don't co-sleep.

As a expectant mother, I for one would like to thank the OP for reminding me to take care when I'm tired and tempted to take the baby in bed with me, as I have no plans to co-sleep (my own choice), and would not have the proper setup to safely have the baby in bed with me if I were to fall asleep.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

Thank you for this reminder.

It is tempting in the middle of the night to just bring him to bed to nurse and keep him with me. I think that might work for some people but I know it would not work for me - I'm a deep sleeper and I move around a lot. So, I always put him back in his bed when we are done.

I co-sleep on occassion, and did it everynight while I nursed... but I have heard of this...and it of course keeps a new mom on her toes...

And, just when you get comfortable, and think you've mastered it.. you can be like those millions of moms like me, who fall asleep and the baby rolls off the bed!!!
I'm torn on the whole issue...

I'm sure somebody else can dig up more info, but cosleeping (done the correct way) is generally quite safe and has been the most common place to sleep for babies historically and to the present day in all areas of the world. There is research that suggests that in fact it reduces SIDS rates (because close proximity to mom breathing helps trigger baby to breathe and close proximity to people who are moving around durng the night help promote a lighter state of sleep that can prevent SIDS)

There are some things that can make it unsafe. For example, sleeping with the baby when under the influence of alcohol, drugs, and even nicotine. Mom (or other people in the bed) who are obese or in ill health -- also a bad idea. Pillows and comforters shouldn't be in the bed near the baby (they can suffocate under them). Also, the bed needs to be set up correctly so the baby can't get "wedged" or trapped (say, against the wall). I think the baby is supposed to be on Mom's side and not in the middle (and not against a wall, obviously).

I have no idea of knowing what specifically happened in these cases, and they are very very tragic. But it is very well demonstrated that sleeping in the same bed with a baby is safe IF it is done correctly.

Tragic situations do happen occasionally, both in cribs and in beds. For example, it is not completely uncommon for babies to get wedged between a crib side and the crib mattress; or suffocate because of comforters or stuffed animals or pillows in a crib (this is why there are also guidelines for safely putting a baby to sleep in a crib).

It doesn't seem like a great idea to scare new moms and imply that it is dangerous for babies to be in the bed with them at all. That's just not true.

I just think the OP was posting to make people aware of how common it is. In an issue of Parenting magazine I have posted on my fridge... The suffocation in bed while sleeping was one of only FOUR most common ways an infant dies...

 

[bumbershoot]

When my DW had our kids, she would sleep in a glider with otterman we bought. It was comfortable for my wife, and allowed her to still breastfeed and sleep with our kids.

It was expensive, but well worth the peace of mind. Now that the kids are older, our dog took over using it

That's actually much less safe than having a family bed. Now it might have been OK for you guys b/c you were intentionally doing it, her body got attuned to it, but usually people who fall asleep in chairs and couches with their babies aren't meaning to do it. It's when you are doing something out of the ordinary that you can get so out of it that bad things can happen.

In this case the mother had a pillow with the infant resting on it and when she fell asleep she rolled on her child.

There's something else going on. This women fell asleep so deeply that she rolled UP and ONTO the baby who was on top of the pillow, and did not wake up?

This woman had something else going on. It's abnormal to be able to roll UP onto something and not notice it.

A good reminder for those that don't co-sleep.

Definitely true. If you don't have an on-purpose family bed, don't sleep with your babies. You're not used to it, you're not as attuned as someone with a baby breathing next to them (you would not believe how the tiniest little noise or, more importantly, LACK of noise can wake you up!!!!!), and your inner senses aren't used to having someone *right there*.



But we are with the majority of the world, instead of us silly Americans and those silly countries who emulate our mainstream, and we are ALL about having a family bed!!!!!

 

[themarquis]

I must apologize here, my intent was not to scare any new mothers by any means. I wanted just to make them all aware about what may happen while feeding their babies. In this case the mother had a pillow with the infant resting on it and when she fell asleep she rolled on her child.
We have four children one being an infant and my wife has fed all of them while in bed but not once did she use a pillow next to her.
As some of you have pointed out yes, this is in fact an accident but if I can just pass on to the new mothers to use care while feeding your infant and prevent this tragic accident from happening again I feel I still have done my job and hopefully saved anothe infant.
Again, my intent was not meant to scare anyone.

That's cool. I think I just saw what you said and what the replies said as potentially scaring new moms into thinking it is dangerous to have the baby in the bed. But it's good that wasn't the intent.

I agree totally that care needs to be taken when very young babies are in any sleeping environment, especially when we might have a mom who might be exhausted and just happened to lay down for a second with her baby. She won't have taken all the regular precautions about bedding and positioning.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

The OP never said anything against co-sleeping. He was warning against moms bringing their babies back to bed to feed with them without taking some precautions (ie, sitting up). A good reminder for those that don't co-sleep.

Exactly.

There's something else going on. This women fell asleep so deeply that she rolled UP and ONTO the baby who was on top of the pillow, and did not wake up?

This woman had something else going on. It's abnormal to be able to roll UP onto something and not notice it.

I don't think she rolled UP and ONTO the baby. How big do you think the baby was? No one said she was straddling the baby, centered underneath her. You can't picture rolling "onto" a baby to a lesser degree, not being aware of it, and the child suffocating? Heck, I've slept on top of a nice hard remote without noticing until morning.

instead of us silly Americans

Well, exccuuussse me. I guess I'm one of those "silly Americans" whose children slept in their own beds. Amazingly enough, they've survived emotionally to be independent, self-assured adults (or almost adult). I fully support people's choice to co-sleep...no, let me correct that...I can't even begin to imagine caring whether other people sleep with their kids or not, or judging them. I'm not that self-righteous.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I'm against co-sleeping for this very reason.