I just was on the Dr. Laura Schleschinger site and came across some stuff on the family bed. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,161965,00.html Does anyone know where this study came from? Is there any validity to it? WTF? H
Looks like statistic manipulating baloney. There are myriad studies which prove exactly the opposite. Also, they said "of children who bed shared as their last sleep" a certain percentage were found dead in the parent's bed. Well, DUH, if a child were to die WHILE bed sharing (and I would think in spite of it) they WOULD BE FOUND IN THE PARENT'S BED. They wouldn't get out of the bed and go somewhere else to die. Sheesh. The study also said that breastfed babies are more likely to die of SIDS, which goes against EVERY STUDY every done. They also included, oddly enough "Couch sharing" Yes, babies can suffocate when the baby rolls between the cusions of a couch, but this usually happens when the baby is ALONE on the couch. I would say that sleeping on a plain couch with a baby is probably not the best idea (too cushy and too many places for entrapment) and also this "study" is not making a determination between "entrapment deaths" or "Suffocations Death" and SIDS. They are NOT the same thing. MOST "bed sharing deaths" occur when the baby is ALONE on an adult piece of furniture and becomes entrapped, this is NOT SIDS. Yet this "study" is manipulating statisitics by lumping them all together. Utter bullshit, IMO. Dr. Laura and FOX NEWS. I wouldn't beleive a word. They are saying nothing new in this, just manipulating data, and changing some words around to satisfy detachment parenting supporters. Your baby is SAFER in your bed than in a crib.
What really scares me more than manipulation of statistics is that people who may not have done as much research as we have, vulnerable people will believe this. Whoever says media is full of liberals needs to think again. H
Brian and I were just having a little discussion about bed-sharing and co-sleeping...He's completely afraid that we'll squash a baby if we sleep with it...But I know from experience that sleep patterns change when a baby is brought into the picture, at least for a momma. Does it work for daddies too? Would he stop tossing and turning, and sleep lighter? As far as this study, complete and utter bull-hockey. It's NOT scientific. it's manipulative and badly worded. Crap. What crap.
All I know is that when Virginia was an infant, she HAD to sleep with me. I had a csection, and could not get up and down all down to nurse her. She slept on my chest and when she was hungry, I just popped a boob in her mouth! It is the most practical way to nurse at night IMO. I got SOME sleep, and she got to snuggle with me! During the first few weeks, Tim slept on the couch because he was scared to be in the bed with her while he was sleeping. I don't see how a parent to roll over and suffocate a child unless they were high or drunk. I could sense my girls about to move and wake up and I would also wake up. I knew exactly where they were while I was sleeping, when they slept with me. It's BS. I wouldn't be surprised if the study was funded by crib manufacturers.
Yeah I totally agree. I just have to look at me sleeping habits when I sleep alone compared to when someone's with me in the bed. I know I move a lot less around. And with a baby, this will be much stronger.
We have 5 children and have only done bed-sharing with the 2nd youngest. I think it has benefited her in so many ways. If anything I think it would reduce the risk simply because they are so close to you, you are able to hear breathing patterns and are aware of their positioning. As long as you use common sense in the use of pillows and blankets, they should not be an issue. I think your sleep pattern definitely changes....errr as for the daddy's go, my husband gives me no evidence that daddy's change. He sleeps through it all. So we have a king size bed I sleep in the middle and she sleeps on the outside with a bed guard to keep her from falling off ( I don't think it would happen though, she spends most her time sleeping right on top of me)
I'm sorry it does happen without the parents being high or drunk. There is always risk involved believe it or not. I've heard of it happening.... But anyway SIDS is when a baby under 1 dies and he/she was not sick and on autopsy there are no findings to explain case of death. Usually if a parent rolls on top of a child and you know that is how the child died than that is not SIDS..
I went back to the original source and they did not include entrapment deaths or suffocations deaths in their study..I am not against cosleeping but I don't think we should throw everything out the window without better evidence.
To offer my perspective, as a new father who cosleeps... Our family has had no problems whatsoever. DS spent the first few nights in a bassinet adjacent to the bed. But within a couple of days, he was napping and then sleeping longer stretches in the bed with my wife or both of us. It just seemed like a perfectly safe and natural thing to do...and so it has stayed. I'm sure there are many infant deaths both in and out of the family bed. The difference is: it takes a little more awareness to cosleep. You have to know yourself and your spouse, and quickly get to know your baby. It takes a little more forethought to logistics, and accomodations for simple things like getting up to use the restroom. But it's not hard! And it's not dangerous. In my opinion, that article seemed like a lot of played-out nonsense. To show my bias, I wouldn't trust anything from FOXnews... So I will simply make these assertions. The facts from our family bed: - DS sleeps deeper and longer with us, as opposed to the bassinet. - DW and I are aware of his presence, and are responsive to the sounds or movements that he makes. That means more sleep for everyone, because we aren't getting up to check on him all night. - There are no blankets or soft cushions near him. - It is far easier for him (and for dw) to breastfeed. - Physical proximity = Emotional security. He can feel our warmth, and smell our scent. He know's he's safe. - We are spending time together as a family, even if we are all unconscious. It is part of the bonding experience. It's just not a big deal to us. Cosleeping was the obvious way to do things in our home. That was easy enough to figure out, when we tried putting him down in another room. He didn't tolerate it very long before he let us know that he didn't like it. And then there was an immediate difference when came in with us. Short of exercising a philosophy, cosleeping is how this family functions best!
I have never had a problem with cosleeping. My son has been sleeping on my chest ever since he was born. I beleive that having Aiden on my chest is so much easier for him to go to sleep cuz he wont feel abandoned or unwanted. My scent and warmth are very calming to him and he goes right to sleep. I had woken up in the middle of the night to feed him and while i was feeding him I had fallen asleep. He was still cradled in myarms all snuggled up and sleeping. So whatever the media says is just a bunch of bull crap.
Well co-sleeping is a wonderful idea, but not for me. I am just not that comfortable with it. Unless maybe if I had one of those co-sleeping bassinets. But I don't, I have a bassinet that is pushed up aginst my side of the bed. I tried co-sleeping with my son, it worked fine till it was time for him to eat. I have large breast and have to hold them back some so he can breath. When he first came home I tried just popping him on when he got hungry. But then I would fall asleep, and my hand would relax and I would wake up to him yanking his head back and crying cause my breast tissure was keeping him from breathing. So now I have this whole pillow arangement on my couch. Kind of a cross between the side laying postion and the football hold. So when he wakes up to eat we go to the couch in the living room. But I think co-sleeping is a wonderful idea if it's right for you.
I guess I just don't trust myself, ya know? I do toss and turn at night. I've woken up in some interesting positions at times. While it might be possible for dads to cosleep with their kids, there are some that just have a hard time sleeping peacefully. I'd just hate to find out the hard way that I'm the latter of the two.
I'm totally into cosleeping, for all the reasons you guys have mentioned. Just that my family are being so dumbasses and buying into those stupid studies. Ah well, just have to prove them wrong. Oh and for the record, Dr Laura isn't even a real doctor. She has a PHD in physical education, and anyone with a PHD can legitmatly have the title doctor. Even if they are simply a PE teacher, not a medical expert. So clearly I'm not buying it either.
I do not have kids yet, however my fiance and I have experienced co-sleeping and will be using it when we have kids. Here is our story. From July 2003-May 2004 I worked as a nanny for some friends of ours, taking care of their infant daughter. This is their only child, and they are a very young couple. They would drop Haley off with us every morning around 6 AM. The minute she got here Zach and I would put her in bed between us. Sometimes our cats would join us, making it a true family moment. We noticed-and so did her parents-that our co-sleeping with her improved many things and even helped her along when she was teething. I personally think that the benefits of co-sleeping far outweigh the so-called risks.
