Discussion on Woman's Hour about Co-Sleeping

[Caligula]

It's just about to start on Radio 4. Thought I'd let you know, for them as are interested...

\link{http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/04/2006_22_wed.shtml\Woman's Hour Wednesday}

Thanks for that, will listen to it later on.

Anyone else listen to this? Personally co-sleeping defo not for us, but each to his own. If it works for you as a family, great. I like having family lie ins but personally wouldn't trust myself when asleep - I would be too worried about crushing DS with my huge norks never mind smothering him with the quilt. Plus, I have been known to have vivid dreams that end with me shoving DH in the back with instructions to 'eat the flowers' or whatever.

I do think though the woman guest came across as unnecessarily agressive in her argument. The coroner did say co-sleeping could work if all the safety features (an endless list) applied but he felt that trying to get that across in a simple message would be doomed to fail and cause confusion. She said over 90% of the worlds population co-sleep, for example in Japan, with futons on the floor and limited bedding. He said it was western style beds, bedding, social patterns(drink, sleep etc)that caused the problem. So aren't they kind of arguing the same point from different perspectives? Co-sleeping works but only if you make the effort to change your lifestyle to accommodate it?
Sorry, but for me, I love my DS very much but I also love my victorian bedstead, quilt over my head, three pillows, cuddling with DH, glass of wine etc. Rather worryingly, the coroner said that excessive tiredness, one of the safety contraindicators could be caused by getting reduced sleep the night before. So that would be every parent with a newborn, ill or teething child, poor sleeper then?

As with most parenting advice I am beginning to realise - always contradictory!

Gah, I always make that point about futons and covers and nobody ever takes me up on it - glad to hear an expert say that. (ie glad I am not so stupid as to be worth no reply.)

so, the doctor thought co-sleeping was ok if you do it properly but you can't trust thickie parents to follow multiple instructions, so let's just tell them it's horrifically dangerous?

And the usual throwing-together of "responsible" co-sleeping with sofa-sleeping, drug-induced comas, blotto parents losing kids under the duvet...

fgs!

even in a western-style bed, you can keep the baby away from the pillows and avoid smothering them with the duvet, esp if you are bfing.