So sad, newborn dies when sleeping father rolls onto him

[TDC Nala]

I'm not commenting on anything about what to do with infants, since I don't have children and don't have the slightest idea about them. Defend what you believe to be the correct parenting choices all you want. But to speculate at this point that one or both of these parents was drinking or on drugs, when there is no indication of that in any of the posted news reports, bothers me.

 

[momof2inPA]

Did anyone see the HBO Autopsy special?


How Did Terrie Petrie's Babies Die?

In 2000, an Ontario woman named Terrie Petrie gave birth to a daughter, her second child. Eight days later, the baby was dead, and the cause of death was determined to be SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). A year and a half later, Terrie found out she was pregnant again, this time with twin boys. But three months and one week after the boys were born, they too died mysteriously - both on the same night. With police suspicious and newspapers vilifying her, Terrie wrote Dr. Baden on the Autopsy website, then flew to New York for an interview. Five months, myriad forensic analyses and a polygraph test later, Dr. Baden summoned Terrie back to deliver his opinion as to why the three babies died. As he explains to Terrie, there were four possibilities: 1) genetic abnormality; 2) SIDS; 3) accidental roll-over; and 4) homicide. Dr. Baden's verdict - based on evidence and interviews by both Terrie and her friend Tammy - is "not quite the answer I wanted to hear," confesses a sobbing Terrie.


IMHO, cribs were created for a reason and it wasn't to isolate the baby from the mom. It was to protect them.

Right, accidental roll-over on three children, on two separate occassions. Homicide and genetic abnormality seem the most likely causes. Dr. Baden needs to take some statistics classes, and Terrie and Tammy need to take more polygraphs.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

Number SIDS deaths year 2000: 2,523
Mostly in cribs.
Defined as death with unexplained cause, birth to 1 year.

Number deaths/yr attributed to overlying (co- sleeping): 19 Most are only "suspected."

Given that BY FAR the vast number of babies in the United States sleep either in a crib or a bassinet, there is simply no way to draw that conclusion from those numbers. You would expect a far higher number of infant deaths in cribs, because there is an exponentially higher number of babies sleeping in cribs.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that an infant be places on their back in a protected space. I think that there is this movement amongst some people that view Doctors as evil scientists who are trying to seperate the natural bond of children and parents. I personally just don't believe this to be the case, I think most Doctors recommend what they do based on the health of a baby.

Personally, I drove around in a car without a seatbelt for about 15 years as a child until seatbelt laws were enacted for safety reasons. My sisters and I and most of the children of our generation are alive and healthy, but that doesn't make driving in a car without a seatbelt a good thing.

These are just my views on this subject. I have a cousin whose husband suffocated their 2 month old while sleeping together on the couch. The baby rolled down between him and the couch cushions and he never woke up until the next morning when the Mom came into the room. It destroyed their family and marriage.

My prayers to this family. What a terrible thing.

 

[MomofKatie]

Right, accidental roll-over on three children, on two separate occassions. Homicide and genetic abnormality seem the most likely causes. Dr. Baden needs to take some statistics classes, and Terrie and Tammy need to take more polygraphs.

I saw this HBO documentary- the mother admitted to having a few drinks on the night her twins died. I don't remember if she admitted to any alcohol/drug use with the death of her other child, but Dr. Baden concluded that the twins died as a result of her being impaired by alcohol consumption and rolling over on them.

 

[kbkids]

When DD11 was born she was 8 weeks premature. We didn't get to bring her home until she was 3 months old. Even then she was so tiny. She slept on my chest for several months cause I was nervous about leaving her alone. Plus I needed to have her as near to me as possible since I missed out on her first 3 months of life. That was such a nightmare not being able to bring her home, and having to travel nearly a half an hour out to the hospital every day to see her. Very stressful time in our lifes.

My story is exactly the same, except my DD did come home at 6 weeks. Takes you awhile to let those little ones get too far away from you after soemthing like that.

 

[momof2inPA]

I saw this HBO documentary- the mother admitted to having a few drinks on the night her twins died. I don't remember if she admitted to any alcohol/drug use with the death of her other child, but Dr. Baden concluded that the twins died as a result of her being impaired by alcohol consumption and rolling over on them.

Well, if she was a heavy drinker, that makes it seem more plausible. Was she a huge woman, because I think I've read that very large people shouldn't sleep with their kids, either.

 

[MomofKatie]

She wasn't a heavy drinker- she wasn't even legally drunk that night- just goes to show ANY amount of alcohol impairs judgement. And no, I don't recall her being overweight at all.

 

[poohandwendy]

Just finding it really, really hard to believe that any parent just happened to accidentally smother 3 of her children in her sleep (on 2 separate occasions). Or even to kill 2 babies in one night that way. The odds of that happening have to be off the charts.

Just not believable to me.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

OMG! how tragic!

I almost had this same nightmare happen to me. My DD was about 15 months old, she used to wake up in the middle of the night and have a hard time going back to sleep. I would put her in our bed, because she would go to sleep. One night, I was sleeping, and I leaned into the "pillow" against my back, I started to shift to get more comfortable, when I hit her tiny foot. OMG! It wasn't a pillow, it was my BABY! My kids sleep so deep, that not even the weight of a 200+ lb mom would wake her up. Thank GOD it did not end like this poor family.

 

[aprilgail2]

Given that BY FAR the vast number of babies in the United States sleep either in a crib or a bassinet, there is simply no way to draw that conclusion from those numbers. You would expect a far higher number of infant deaths in cribs, because there is an exponentially higher number of babies sleeping in cribs.

You would be surprised at the number of kids that DONT sleep in cribs....I have had one friend have their child in a crib out of all of my firends that have children..and there is a lot of them!..the rest either slept in their beds or in a co-sleeper....I personally preferred the cosleeper since it atached right to my bed and gave us bot hthe closeness of cosleeping without the danger...

http://www.armsreach.com/

 

[momof2inPA]

She wasn't a heavy drinker- she wasn't even legally drunk that night- just goes to show ANY amount of alcohol impairs judgement. And no, I don't recall her being overweight at all.

Well, then she or someone else smothered her kids.

 

[momof2inPA]

OMG! how tragic!

I almost had this same mightmare happen to me. My DD was about 15 months old, she used to wake up in the middle of the night and have a hard time going back to sleep. I would put her in our bed, because she would go to sleep. One night, I was sleeping, and I leaned into the "pillow" against my back, I started to shift to get more comfortable, when I hit her tiny foot. OMG! It wasn't a pillow, it was my BABY! My kids sleep so deep, that not even the weight of a 200+ lb mom would wake her up. Thank GOD it did not end like this poor family.

That would never have happened to me. I just don't sleep that soundly.

 

[Feralpeg]

The same thing happened to a lady I worked with. She had her baby in bed with her. She fell asleep and smothered the baby. The authorities told her that it happens more than people might think. On paramedic said that in the Kansas City area alone, there are about ten such cases a year. It took a long time for this lady to get her life back together after this. It was very sad.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

That would never have happened to me. I just don't sleep that soundly.

I don't either, that is why I did not have the same outcome. I was in a sleep haze, I was awake, but confused my baby for a pillow. I was able to realize something was there, and for an instant, thought it was a pillow. A "dead to the world" sleeper would not of even realized they were laying on something.

Thank GOD I am a light sleeper.

 

[mommaU4]

You know I was the first person last night to post on this thread and then went to bed shortly after. I came back now to check on it and when I saw how much it had grown my first thought was I wonder if these are all posts from people relaying their sympathies for this poor couple or if it has turned into some big debate.

Unfortunately it appears to be the latter.
These sort of "debates" remind me of a dog trying to catch it's tail. Going around and around in circles and accomplishing nothing. The ones who co-cleep are convinced they are right and the ones who say it's wrong are convinced they are right and never the two shall meet.

I just don't understand. Parenting is so hard. We all struggle with it to some degree. What works wonderfully for you may not work at all for your neighbor or best friend. Why can't we all just support each other and realize that when it comes to an issue like this there is no right or wrong. Only personal choices.

 

[twinmomplus2new]

DD number one slept with me till she was 4 months old. Then was so attuned to what I was doing she wouldn't sleep. Then she went to a crib.

Ds number 2 slept wqith me in the crook of my arm away from Dh's side of the bed till he was 19 months old. Then he slept in the middle of dh and I. till age 3 and a half or so?


Twin ds's preemie 5 pounders, slept one on either side of me, one on the left one on the right, It made Breastfeeding really easy. Just flip and repeat.

I never could sleep if I couldn't see and hear them at night. Again Just my personnel feeling, your mileage may vary.

 

[Chris2597]

My dd and her dh have their new baby sleeping with them....He wont give them a minute's peace if they put him in his bed....They were worried about the possiblity of rolling on the baby so they bought what is called a co-sleeper which protects the baby in the bed.

 

[WonderfulDreamer2]

That would never have happened to me. I just don't sleep that soundly.

Where I come from, we call these "famous last words". Never say never. And I hope that is something you NEVER have to experience.

 

[wvjules]

Not to mention those 2 a.m. feedings were much easier than getting up in the middle of the night.

He slept so much better, as did I. I was starting to get sick from lack of sleep!

I needed to have her as near to me as possible since I missed out on her first 3 months of life.

I slept horrible when they were alone or not next to me.

He wont give them a minute's peace if they put him in his bed.

It made Breastfeeding really easy. Just flip and repeat.

Seeing a theme here?

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Neither my MIL or Ezzo had anything to do with us not cosleeping with DS. I tried the first few nights DS was home from the hospital to sleep with him in our bed at DH's insistence. But I couldn't sleep. I was too afraid I'd roll over and squish him, or he'd fall off the bed or the cat would resent him for taking away one of her 'safe spots' (she sleeps in bed next to DH and I).

As I've said before..I think that it's alright as long as you are using a co-sleep attachment on the side of the bed. That's fine and bloody dandy. But if you are putting the kid in the bed WITH you between you and your partner, then you are putting the child at risk for being rolled over on. Period.

TOV