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Anti Co-Sleeping Ads in Milwaukee!

Lacye - posted on 11/16/2011 ( 78 moms have responded )

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As reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the campaign, unveiled last Wednesday, includes two posters of a baby lying in a bed next to a large knife. In one, the baby is white; in the other, the baby is black. “YOUR BABY SLEEPING NEXT TO YOU CAN BE JUST AS DANGEROUS,” the copy blares.
The second-leading cause of infant mortality in Milwaukee is SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome, which often results from ”unsafe sleep,” according to the health department’s website. A form of “unsafe sleep” is bed-sharing with parents.
“Is it shocking? Is it provocative?” asked Bevan Baker, the city’s commissioner of health, according to the Journal Sentinel. ”Yes. But what is even more shocking and provocative is that 30 developed and underdeveloped countries have better [infant death] rates than Milwaukee.”
The Journal Sentinel said Milwaukee had an “infant mortality crisis.” Milwaukee’s infant mortality rate in 2009 was 10.4 deaths for every 1,000 live births, according to the city’s health department. As noteworthy as this overall rate is the racial breakdown: For white babies, the rate was 5.4; for blacks, 14.1, the JS said.
The city has set a goal of reducing the infant mortality rate for blacks by 15 percent, and the overall rate by 10 percent by 2017, the JS said.
“Shame on Milwaukee Co-Sleeping Ads” was the title of Danielle625's post on Baby’s First Year, a blog on the parenting website Babble. She co-slept with her three children and said co-sleeping — when “done safely” — was harmless, even beneficial, citing a page on the prominent parenting website Ask Dr. Sears.
A commenter on the post wrote: “As a Milwaukee resident and co-sleeper, I am hardly fazed by these ads. Milwaukee has an extremely high infant mortality rate and an alarming African American infant mortality rate. Unsafe sleeping conditions have been cited as a contributing factor to that rate.”
Raquel Filmanowicz, communications officer for the Milwaukee Health Department, said the city ran similarly provocative ads a year and a half ago, and received an overwhelmingly positive response. All ads follow up on the initial shock they may cause by offering a phone number for parents to call to receive a free Pack ‘N Play, a collapsible crib, she said.
“I’ll take some heat,” Mayor Tom Barrett told ABC News. ”Some ZIP codes in Milwaukee have infant mortality rates higher than Third World countries. That’s unacceptable.”
“If the ads make some people uncomfortable, I guarantee it’s a lot less uncomfortable than having another baby die from co-sleeping,” a cause of death that is “so preventable,” he added.

http://news.yahoo.com/milwaukee-runs-pro...

Personally, I co-slept with my daughter and now she is a happy, healthy 2 year old. I have never really had a problem with co-sleeping, even though personally, I never liked it.I just don't understand how co-sleeping can cause SIDS.

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Jaime - posted on 11/23/2011

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Co-sleeping does NOT cause SIDS! If you look at 90% of SIDS cases it is in homes of smokers or of babies who already had some type of respiratory issue.

I co-slept with my son from the day he came home, because he screamed for 3 hours in his bassinet and would not sleep in it. He is 7 now and I have never had problems - and he is a very well adjusted, caring and loving little boy with no issues.

Angela - posted on 11/21/2011

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Personally, I don`t agree with co-sleeping. When my babies were born, that was the one place that was still just mine and my husbands to spend together. My babies were in a bassinet in the room for a good month and then moved into the crib in their own rooms, and they have never had a problem. I would go and rock them to feed them when they woke up, and then go back to my room. To each their own, I guess. I thought the ads went a little far though...

Liz - posted on 11/21/2011

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It's been suggested by Professor James McKenna who runs the Mother-Baby Sleep Lab at the University of Notre Dame that co-sleeping deaths are associated with NOT breastfeeding.



He's a big advocate of bed-sharing, but not if you don't breastfeed.

Rebecca - posted on 11/21/2011

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It would be interesting to know how many of these moms are breastfeeding. I'm guessing not very many. Personally, if the mom's not breastfeeding, I don't really think there is much benefit to co-sleeping under the particular set of circumstances being addressed here.

Sherri - posted on 11/21/2011

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Laurelai you are only so passionate because you are so for co-sleeping. No one is knocking you for co-sleeping or even telling you not to as long as you are doing it responsibly. However, the sad truth is most people don't and it is the cause of many needless deaths so as usual it is easier to say don't do it then try and teach every parent what is safe and what isn't. Also there is nothing wrong with not doing it either so you can be personally offended but it isn't going to do any harm telling people not to either. A child will thrive just as well if they co-sleep or don't and one isn't any more beneficial over the other.

Liz - posted on 11/21/2011

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Moms aren't going to stop co sleeping out of drunken exhaustion or drug induced comas they're brains are altered and they're not going to be thinking of baby's best interest. So the only way to save these babies is to get the moms off the drugs and alcohol.

That's easier said than done.

I also don't think people with substance abuse problems are totally incapable of making good decisions. They can and do make small changes for the better.

Mary - posted on 11/21/2011

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"Does that not prove that almost half the deaths occur in a crib though?"

No, that inference cannot be made, since it is not specified. Could some of those have been in a crib? Of course...but they also could have been in a car seat, swing, bouncer, or any other variety of locations.

As to the assertion that "they don't even run tests to see the cause of death"...really? The state of Wisconsin doesn't do autopsies on unexplained or suspicious deaths? Most of the articles that I have perused specifically related to infant deaths in Milwaukee do make mention of autopsy reports, maternal/parental "interviews", and death scene investigations. What else do you think they should do?

I also don't think that your city has "given up" on promoting maternal health. This add campaign is merely ONE of the responses to the alarming infant mortality rate in this city. It does not mean that other problems are being brushed under the carpet, merely that this one, because of it's controversial nature, is currently garnering a lot of buzz. You have to admit...it's working. Even if you vehemently disagree with the ad, it DOES have the media and people all over talking about it, as evidenced right here in this forum. And not all of the talk is anti-co-sleeping; a lot of it is discussion about the mainstays of safe co-sleeping.

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/21/2011

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Yeah I guess it does read badly. I'll edit it. :)

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/21/2011

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It's like they've givin up trying to help moms be healthy for their babies. So if mom is doing A and that makes B unsafe they're trying to make her stop doing B but really it's A that's the problem. It's just dumb logic.

Moms aren't going to stop co sleeping out of drunken exhaustion or drug induced comas they're brains are altered and they're not going to be thinking of baby's best interest. So the only way to save these babies is to get the moms off the drugs and alcohol. Besides if they save a baby's life but its mom is still a cocaine addict we haven't really solved the problem.

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/21/2011

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Does that not prove that almost half the deaths occur in a crib though?
So co sleeping is 1.7% more dangerous then putting baby to sleep in a crib.
And as I said before, when a baby dies in an adult bed they don't even run tests to see cause of death, they label it death due to co sleeping. That baby could have died no matter where it was, crib' pack n play, or adult bed.
I just do not believe that co sleeping is the cause of these deaths and I do not believe that demonizing co sleeping is going to do any good.

Mary - posted on 11/21/2011

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Lauralei, you are really missing the point. As long as a percentage of these parents are drinking, smoking, or abusing drugs, than yes, co-sleeping is dangerous, and can be life threatening to a baby. And, as Cathy pointed out, this ad campaign is directly in response to a specific, existing problem: 10.4 deaths in every 1,000 live births.

From the city of Milwaukee's website, 20% of these death's were a combination of SIDS, SUDI, or accidental suffocation. "Between 2006 and 2009 there were 89 infant deaths related to SIDS, SUDI, or accidental suffocation. Of these 46 (51.7%) infants were sleeping in an adult bed at the time of their death."

http://city.milwaukee.gov/InfantMortalit...

So yes, this does indicate that there is a problem with bed sharing. I understand that you feel passionately about the benefits of co-sleeping within your own family. I am not, as I have repeatedly said, against it; I did it myself with my own child. However, there is just no getting around the fact that this is factor in the abnormally high death rate of infants in this city. If the visual dramatics of this add can cause even one mother to stop and think (or even better, ask questions) about safe sleep practices, than I can only see it as a good thing.

Cathy - posted on 11/21/2011

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From the link...”Some ZIP codes in Milwaukee have infant mortality rates higher than Third World countries."

If this is the case and bed-sharing is a factor then I don't think you can class the ad as demonizing co-sleeping. It stating a fact. "Your baby sleeping with you CAN be just as dangerous". If you are not educated on safe co-sleeping practices then you are potentially putting your baby into a deadly situation.

Johnny - posted on 11/20/2011

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Mary, my reading on inner-city American culture would indicate that it has a great deal in common with our inner-city Canadian culture, especially the issues faced by our inner-city Aboriginal families. Generations of broken homes, children removed to residential schools growing up not knowing their own family, alcoholism, drug addiction, cycles of abuse & poverty, extreme racism, absent fathers, illiteracy, high drop-out rates, mistrust of social services, sex trade work, and a high level of child apprehension and incarceration. Yes, I would say the Vietnamese community is very different with a separate set of difficulties. I may be wrong but, I do think that my other example is quite significantly comparable.

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/20/2011

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People in downtown Milwaukee are very 'family' oriented. Sort of gang style family but yeah they're all very tight with their families. Often extended families living together grandma watches the kids etc. I'd bet family beds are quite common. And the vast majority of family beds never cause deaths.



If they want to get the death rate down they need to get moms to quit using drugs and drinking and smoking. THESE are the deadly issues.

Janice - posted on 11/20/2011

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Mary

So maybe these ads should only be inside the clinics, so that while these women are waiting they can "get the message" instead of demonizing all those who co-sleep.

Mary - posted on 11/20/2011

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Johnny, the population I am referring to is vastly different from the Aboriginal or Vietnamese cultures I believe you are referencing, where bed sharing is an ingrained family practice. In fact, "family" is a pretty loose or almost unknown concept for a lot of them.

Mary - posted on 11/20/2011

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Actually, Janice, the odds are, yes. Even if the add itself doesn't prompt them to follow up themselves by making that call, it's the type of thing that, when asked by either the social worker, nurse, or other care provider about what they have for the baby (or where she and the baby are going home to), it does often prompt them to say something along the lines of "I saw this poster in the clinic (or wherever) about that free crib thing", and the call can be made right then and there.



And no, Lauralei, I don't live in Milwaukee...but I'm pretty confident that it's inner city population isn't all that radically different from that of Baltimore's, or D.C.'s.

Johnny - posted on 11/20/2011

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Mary, having worked extensively with a similar population of "marginalized" struggling mothers in our Aboriginal community, women struggling with substance abuse issues, violence-related problems and extreme poverty, I would have to somewhat disagree with you. I do think that they are looking for the basics, housing, food, diapers, formula, and help, but I honestly don't think that this campaign is actually going to make a dent in infant smothering deaths in this cohort (please note I use the term smothering deaths, these are not SIDS deaths. SIDS is unexplained, smothering deaths are explicable).

I have to agree with Kylie, the women struggling to manage basic care for their child are fairly unlikely to take a bus to some place to pick up a pack n' play, let alone even place the call for it in the first place. It's just not going to hit their radar. Unless the hospital makes the arrangements, has someone come to the home and set it up, I just don't see it happening. The women I worked with received services like that to help them do the right thing, and even then most of them slept with their babies because that was how they were raised. Some nurse, doctor or social worker telling them it's going to kill their baby just isn't credible for them. They need to start with where these people are, and work with them from there. Not make exaggerated statements about the risks that these women are frankly smart enough to know aren't really true.

Perhaps things are extremely different in Milwaukee, and maybe it would work there. But here, amongst single mothers who grew up sleeping in their mom's beds, or their auntie's beds with all their brothers or cousins, whose siblings have had their kids in their beds, exaggerated claims of risk just lose credibility. In order to connect with this population, you have to respect that they have their own experiences that might give them different information than is reflected in the research. We are talking about people who understand and value the anecdotal, not the statistical risks. If I was to tell a new mom from our Vietnamese community or our Aboriginal community that sleeping with her baby was just as dangerous as laying her baby down with knives, she'd laugh in my face. I wouldn't even get the opportunity to convince her to use a pack and play PROPERLY or co-sleep SAFELY.

If this is the most that can be done, if no more services can actually be offered to help these women, then I frankly don't see the point of this campaign at all. I doubt it is going to save babies, in fact, I think that without follow-up, scare tactics like this can easily do more harm.

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/20/2011

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Mary do you live in Wisconsin? Theres a ton of media pushing for safe sleeping practices for babies here. Tons of graphics that don't demonize bed sharing.
We don't need these disturbing pictures painting bed sharing with the wrong brush.
Personally I don't see these ads saving a single life. It's just not a good tactic

Janice - posted on 11/20/2011

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Mary I definitely understand what you are saying. However, if these mothers are so unable to focus there attention on learning how to co-sleep safely are they really going to pay attention to the ad enough to get the pack and play?

Mary - posted on 11/20/2011

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Kylie, no offense, but the fact that you think that a lot of these moms have something to install a car seat IN sort of gives away that you probably haven't had much, if any, real interaction with the specific population I am referring to. Again, I want to stress that I am in no way demeaning them...I just know firsthand that a lot of this lofty talk about education about safe co-sleeping comes from a bit of naivete about some very harsh realities.

Sherri - posted on 11/20/2011

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Heck Kylie I am a very educated mom and I include blankets in my kids cribs from the day they are born. Especially with winter babies I feel they need to be covered and warm. I always do.

Mary - posted on 11/20/2011

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Oh and to clarify....stating that someone is illiterate is not the same as saying they are "dumb". It simply means that they are unable to read.

As well, this add campaign does not preclude individual instruction, support, or info for any mom who expresses the desire or interest to learn about how to safely co-sleep. This campaign is an attempt to respond to their very alarming infant mortality rates in an eye-catching manner that will reach the largest number of parents possible. A billboard or poster in the clinic which lists all of the "rules" to safe co-sleeping just isn't going to do that. Trying to individually educate each expectant or new mother sounds lovely....but let's be honest - the at-risk population this is aimed at is the impoverished clinic population, some of whom do have substance abuse issues. When they are faithfully compliant with prenatal care (and believe me, a fair number of them are not), it is typically in a clinic-type setting, where time, staffing and resources are stretched to the limit. Individualized, comprehensive instruction is a luxury that I'm fairly confident that the inner city of Milwaukee cannot afford. Until they can, I think something like this is a reasonable attempt to try and save some lives.

Kylie - posted on 11/20/2011

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Using that logic Mary, what make you think they will be receptive to the instructions to assemble the pack and play correctly and keep it free of pillows, stuffed toys and blankets to avoid suffocation? There are saftey guidelines for both methods. What about safety tips for bathing and installing a car seat, would that not be important to them either?

Mary - posted on 11/20/2011

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Lauralei, I never said, nor implied, that they were "too dumb". I do know from years of experience that many in this target population do not have the desire to learn about this. You can provide all of the information you want to someone, but if they are not receptive to it, it's pretty much pointless. Again, my opinion is based upon actually interacting with the target population, and having an understanding of what it is they want, and need. I am not selling them short. I am not implying that they are stupid, or incapable of learning. I am saying that for some of them, their priorities are focused on day-to-day survival, and when they are in that clinic or hospital, what they want from doctors, nurses, social workers, etc,. is more about how to get food for themselves or the baby, diapers or clothes, a roof over their head, or transportation to and from. Listening to a spiel about safe co-sleeping just doesn't register on their priorities.

I also want to add that this add campaign doesn't just tell them what not to do without providing a safe alternative...it also provides a number to call to obtain a free pack 'n play.

Rachael - posted on 11/20/2011

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i think that ad campaign is a little extreme,comparing co-sleeping to murder, but it seems to have achieved it's goal of getting people talking and paying attention to one of the contributing factors to SIDS

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/20/2011

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Milwaukee moms may not be the smartest moms but I true.y believe most of them still make conscious choices to try to do right by their babies. I think they are capable of learning and they do want to keep their babies safe. Otherwise they would have aborted them or given them for adoption.
Assuming their all too dumb to learn is kinda mean.
I get your point Mary, I do, but still, I disagree.
I live here, just outside of Mke and my church is in Mke. So I see these people, they can learn.

Johnny - posted on 11/20/2011

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My concern is that they (public service announcements) do not generally result in the desired effect. They do not change behavior, they generally drive people to hide it, lie about it and the entire thing goes further underground.

I suspect mothers of all socio-economic brackets will probably continue to co-sleep with their children. Some because of a conscious parenting choice, some due to exhaustion, and some because they have no where else to put the baby or that is the way they've always known. So instead of providing them with some methods to increase the safety of the situation, you have just made them sneak around. I don't think this is going to cut down on smothering deaths at all, I suspect the opposite may happen.

There are safer methods for co-sleeping that can be done by people regardless of money, and can be taught regardless of literacy and education level. All over the world illiterate people with no where else to put their children co-sleep on a nightly basis. Safe methods of doing so are shared in a culturally relative basis. There is no reason aside from ideology that this can not be done in North America as well.

The thinking behind this campaign is the same as the "say no to drugs" campaigns, and we can see just how effective those have been.

Liz - posted on 11/20/2011

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Public service announcements are meant to shock to some degree. I still remember the anti-drug one from my youth:

This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. [Eggs in a frying pan]

They're all sort of stupid and sensationalist, but if they reach their intended audience then... whatever.

If a mother who abuses drugs can remember to put her baby in the pack-n-play because she saw this ad a hundred times, then good.

Celeste - posted on 11/20/2011

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I'm another cosleeping/bedsharing *safely* advocate. I coslept and bedshared with all of my kids, including a set of twins. Honestly, I didn't like it but I did it out of necessity. Made nursing much easier for me.



I totally get what Mary's saying, about how that area isn't educated on how to safely cosleep. But what I don't like is that it's targeting cosleeping and not the bigger picture. How to remedy the biggest picture? I don't know. But, if they refuse to learn how to cosleep correctly, then it's a bad idea to do it.

Mary - posted on 11/20/2011

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I'll be the odd man out here and say I actually support this ad campaign - and I did co-sleep with my child (until, much to my disappointment, it became apparent that she didn't like it).

Admittedly, I have a much different perspective on this, having worked in Labor & Delivery for years. I understand who their target audience is, and I more than "get" why this type of dramatic visual image is actually needed for the specific population it is intended for.

This ad campaign is not against "safe" co-sleeping. It does not say that co-sleeping is bad; it says "Your baby sleeping next to you CAN be just as dangerous". For those of us who have done the research, this statement is absolutely the incontrovertible truth.

Many of you have responded on here in defense of co-sleeping by stating that when you are prepared, educated, and follow the guidelines, co-sleeping can be a wonderfully safe boding experience for all involved...and this is absolutely true.

The point that you are missing is that many women who have babies are not as invested in being educated about child-rearing and motherhood. I'm really not being negative or cynical when I say that trying to teach them about safe co-sleeping is ineffective - I'm being realistic.

This ad campaign is aimed at a population that, in many cases, are either illiterate, or read at a (lower) grade school level. Often times, their is no steady partner, or even any type of stable family support system. All they know about parenting a newborn is what their equally uneducated friends have told them. They are not on the internet looking this stuff up...they don't have computers - they are fucking lucky if they even have heat or electricity in the winter. Often times, they are going "home" to a place where they are sharing a mattress with a sibling, or their two other toddlers. If they even have a crib, it is some old, decrepit hand-me-down that is less than stable - and chances are good that the only parental-type figure in their life is a grandparent who will advocate putting the baby in a dresser drawer. She's not really recommending that because she thinks it is "safe", but because it really is all they have to offer. Those of you who talk about special positioning aids and safety equipment....sorry, but the concept of that for many of these mothers is outright laughable...if they had that kind of money, it would go towards food or utilities, or diapers.

Some of you have suggested that it is a simple as educating these moms about safe co-sleeping practices...and I submit that your understanding of the realities of the lives of this targeted population is woefully lacking.

Jenn - posted on 11/18/2011

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I coslept with both of my children. Obviously, co-sleeping requires some common sense. We bought a bed sharing sleep mat with foam edges on each side . No pillows around her, no blankets. I could nurse my babies on demand and not be completely exhausted each morning. I never drank alcohol or took anything stronger than an Advil while sleeping with my babies. The girls actually co-slept up until this past summer! It worked for our family but certainly doesn't for every family.

Janice - posted on 11/18/2011

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Dont have time to read all the previous posts but I have to say- Suffication death IS NOT SIDS! Yes, if you do not co-sleep safely it can increase the chance of suffication death but co-sleeping can be done safely! I never planned to co-sleep but my daughter had colic and we would just fall asleep together after 5-6 hours of crying and the situation stuck. At first I felt bad and was so worried. Then I learned what not to do and what to do and became a great experience. When my daughter stopped sleeping well in our bed at 9 months my husband was sad because he enjoyed the bonding so much!
SIDS is when a baby stops breathing in there sleep for no reason. If babies are dying from suffication from poor bed sharing practices the community should educate families on how to do it safely.

Becky - posted on 11/17/2011

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I wasn't planning on cosleeping with my first because my husband was really against it. But he wouldn't sleep more than 20 minutes in his crib or pack-n-play, so after a few nights of that, dh gave in and said, Just bring him to bed! Unfortunately, for the first couple months, it still didn't mean that much extra sleep because he was so tiny and we had so much trouble latching that I could only bf him sitting up in a chair, so I still had to get up to feed him. But at least I wasn't up every 20 minutes! And once we finally figured out how to bf lying down, it was great! Dh is a fairly heavy sleeper, but I'm a very light sleeper and would just sleep with my arm around the baby so if dh started to role towards him, I'd feel him. We only coslept nightly until about 4 months and then moved him to his crib to start out the night, but he'd still end up in our bed by 4 or 5 am. Same with the second. Actually, he slept in a bassinette beside the bed, but when he woke to feed, I'd fall asleep, so he'd spend the rest of the night in our bed. They still end up in our bed sometimes. I love snuggling with my boys. :)

The one time I really don't want to cosleep with them is when they're sick! I'm paranoid about getting puked on! Plus, I'm very sensitive to noise when I'm trying to go to sleep, so if they're stuffy or coughing or snoring, it'll keep me awake. I'll sleep in their room with them though if they're really miserable.

Stifler's - posted on 11/17/2011

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I would have needed a nurse maid if I had twins. One baby at a time was hectic enough.

Stifler's - posted on 11/17/2011

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I never coslept. Because I didn't know how. Also our kids from the start thought being near mum and dad was a fun game and didn't want to sleep.

Sherri - posted on 11/17/2011

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You get an award for breastfeeding twins. I have to say if I had twins wouldn't even have attempted it. They would have been bottle fed.

Rebecca - posted on 11/17/2011

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BF twins isn't quite the same as BF a singleton, so there is no easy nursing-them-in-bed-and-falling-asleep, unfortunately. Feeding them means mom has to sit up (and then fall asleep while sitting up)! It certainly would have been easier to do it laying down!
We had both twins in a portable crib next to our bed until about 3 months with each set, but after that point they were rolling over on each other and needed to go into their own cribs. I still sleep in their bedroom with them many nights because I sleep better that way. I would say for both sets of twins there is one twin who would have been a good candidate for co-sleeping and a poor candidate. Grant was rolling over at 6 weeks, crawling at 5 months, and walking by 8 months. He is an active sleeper and there is no way he would have stayed in the bed if we had tried to co-sleep with him. His little brother Griffin is the same. Plus, the Griffster likes to kick, kick, kick at night -- it helps him fall asleep and stay asleep. No way I can sleep with that much movement going on! Gavin, on the other hand, still ends up in our bed most nights. He barely moves when he's asleep. Geneva seems to be the same.

Plus, my husband is a very heavy sleeper and I just wouldn't feel comfortable having a baby in the bed with him. I could definitely see him rolling over on a baby. So it definitely wouldn't have been something that would have worked for our family.

Sherri - posted on 11/17/2011

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The problem is way to many people do it wrong and yes it leads to many senseless deaths.

I personally even though I breastfed I refused to ever bedshare. However, that is simply what I am most comfortable with and what worked for all my kids and family.

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/17/2011

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Yes it wasn't cool. Especially since I struggled every night with wanting to cosleeping and him crying to be put down. Lots of stress every night and lots of fighting with my poor scared husband and my previous knowledge that my family tended to co sleep.
In the end I feel Eric was jipped as was I. We lost the opportunity to bed share and we can't get that back! And I spent way too long exhausted due to forcing myself to stay awake every feed for a year. I know he would have benefitted from sleeping with me and I would have too. But that's Milwaukee and that's one big reason I had a home birth.

I just think these ads are stupid.
They should be ads promoting breastfeeding, or warning about drunk moms or something.
Smoking in pregnancy or smoking around kids. These things are actually dangerous.
If no mom was smoking or drinking while cosleeping we would see far fewer deaths. The culprit is the alcohol and smoking usually when you look into the deaths here in mke.

September - posted on 11/17/2011

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Since I breastfed our son slept on my chest the entire time we were in the hospital with no mention of it from our nurse at all, she let us make that choice and never passed judgment. The bed was too small to toss and turn in and I hardly slept a wink anyhow since our son was glued to the boob! When it came to the information she provided in regards to co-sleeping she provided both the pros and cons and again left it for us to decide. If only every nurse were like her… I knew before I even gave birth we would not be co-sleeping, but the information was still good to have. That sucks that some hospital's pump such fear into you, that's not cool.

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/17/2011

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My hospital in downtown Milwaukee ehem. Was not supportive of cosleeping . Go figure right! They made sure to warn us how many babies die and that one just died three days before Eric's birth due to cosleeping.
We were quite scared.

Minnie - posted on 11/17/2011

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Despite all of the other stupid things I was told at the hospital when I had Evelyn I'm truly thankful that the nurses promoted bedsharing for us, in the hospital and at home. It seriously never crossed my mind when I was pregnant.

September - posted on 11/17/2011

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I totally agree Laurelai. I lucked out and had a WONDERFUL nurse when I gave birth to our son and she provided a bunch of very helpful educational sessions for me and my husband about all different sorts of things including bed sharing. We actually go visit her every year on our son's birthday, we just love her! I do agree that bed sharing works for some and not for others, and blanket statements don't provide helpful information that can assist in making an informed decision.

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/17/2011

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Well then that was a good call :)
Here the key really just has to be education.
List of safety rules if you are going to bed share.
And list of dangers to bed sharing.
Then moms can see if bed sharing is a safe option for them.
Blanket statements just don't work and unfortunately Milwaukee is going above and beyond blanket statements by these ads.

September - posted on 11/17/2011

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Laurelai I tossed and turned the entire time I was pregnant, even when I was super huge. I've always been a wild sleeper so I just choose not to co-sleep. Don't get me wrong there were times when he slept with us but never as an infant. I was just too nervous to do so.

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/17/2011

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September I worried about that too as I always was a wild sleeper. Tossing around all night. But I realized that as I got heavily pregnant I was conscious of my belly and positioning. I never woke accidentally on my stomach or back because when I changed positions in the night I woke enough to consciously choose a safe position for my big belly.
So I knew that I was 'prepped' to bed share with my baby as I was already used to sleeping only on my sides.
One night I was catering to my big belly, next night I was catering to my baby.
It was quite easy to adjust.

Jenni - posted on 11/17/2011

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I loved co-sleeping with my infants. Especially, being a breastfeeding mom. In my sleep I could go by their body language when they were hungry. I'd wake slightly, pop the boob in their mouth and drift off again. We all got amazing sleep. I just couldn't fathom not sleeping next to them once they were born. They just spent 9 months in my warm body... it seems so natural for them to remain close to that source and comfort. I am a light sleeper and sense I was getting a good night's rest every night... not waking every 2-3 hours to warm bottles or sit up and nurse... I didn't sleep too deep (from exhaustion).

The first 6 months I spent co sleeping them was so beneficial to all of us. They got a good night's sleep, I got a good night's sleep. They had me for comfort. Sleep helped me heal emotionally and physically from the ordeal of pregnancy and birth. They could nurse whenever they felt like it. Bliss!

And like I said in my previous post, it was something I swore off when I was pregnant with my son but once he was born that all changed. It just felt like what I was suppose to do.

I had a rail, a stiff mattress, they always slept on my side of the bed (not in the middle of my husband and I) and you truly do sense them. They stir slightly, and so do you.

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