Dear Abby

[lotusdebi]

[Clarity]

I opened my washington post today and saw that and sighed. Grrrrr. Please, lets see some intelligent letters!

[amy mama]

I actually don't think that is such an alarmist letter-if that is the whole thing. I mean, it can happen if you don't follow some safety rules. Did she follow up with common sense safety precautions to prevent these kinds of tragedies, or was it more "just don't co-sleep"? Cause i didn't really get that from the letter.

[Clarity]

Nothing at all about how to do it safely. Left me with the impression that both she and the writer felt co-sleeping was to blame. If she had included anything about how to find safe cosleeping guidelines I'd feel better, and it would be a lot more useful than just "I hope other parents will heed it".

[Devi]

It happened to my family. Please, don't let it happen to yours."

If a child dies in a crib they call it 'sids' if a child dies in a family bed it's called 'suffocation'. Am I right? Who knows if an assumption was made b/c the child co-slept.

I am going to send dearabby.com the recomendations of Dr. Sears on safe co-sleeping.

[youngnhappymamma]

I agree...it seems like when a baby dies in a crib it's sids and when in an adult bed it's automatically labeled over-lay or suffacation......which is so unfair. Babies can die of sids in an adult bed too. And I'm pretty sure that more babies die in cribs every year than in adult beds......I think I read that recently and will try and find the url for it.

[Mere]

I saw that too! I definitely think Dear ABby needs to hear from us...I couldn't believe she gave such a lame response (or even printed such a letter in the first place).