Mothering Responds to NY Anti-Cosleeping Campaign

[ChipiChipi]

Hello Cosleepers-

Many of you have already been talking about New York's anti-cosleeping campaign. Mothering is planning an event in New York between June 17 and June 25.

So let's put our heads together! We would like to hear about any events that are already in the works, about anyone who would like to participate and any other ideas that might help counter the negativity and fact-manipulation that this campaign represents.

Let's get organized and make a difference!

[kmeyrick]

I haven't heard about this campaign. Do you have a link to it? I will fight it, of course. I want to, certainly.

I co-slept with my parents when I was a kid, and I think it is a positive thing.

[Juvysen]

It was in our local newspaper being suppported by our Mothers and Babies Perinatal Network. Our local crunchy group (in Broome county) is writing a letter to the Perinatal Network people. People have also commented on the local newspaper website, and hopefully some people will write in letters to the editor (people have commented on wanting to write personal letters to the Perinatal network, too).

Looking forward to hearing more ideas!

[Unreal]

Here's the website:
http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/bab...epsafestalone/

it is so sad--what an uneducated, ignorant campaign.
It makes me so

[Ravin]

I didn't see any obvious links; does that campaign's website link to any documentation/studies/facts to actually back up their claims (specifically, that a baby is safest sleeping alone)?

[dubfam]

They CAN'T be serious!

OMG stuff like this is so irritating. Obviously you shouldn't sleep next to your babe if you are drunk and stoned...How many of those deaths that they are talking about were a result of irresponsible caregivers?

I think you would have to be pretty intoxicated to roll on top of a baby and smother him/her. Sheesh, I guess it's a MIRACLE that we don't all roll right off the edge of our beds every night.:

[My*Scorpio]

If this campaign is being funded by the health department, call them! Tell them as a taxpayer, you think the public money would be better spent to on breastfeeding advocacy.

[elvenpath]

Don't sleep next your baby if you are overweight? Wow, I'm overweight and I cosleep and have been for over a year now. No "smothering with my overweightness" yet!!!

How ignorant can you get?

[PassionateWriter]

subbing.

[captivatedlife]

Interesting....

[MaryTheres]

subbing...

I'd love to participate

[youmb00]

who are these people? I'd love to see their
"expert" study on the topic

[Genesis]

subbing...

[seventy]

subbing right along too.

[Turquesa]

(Cross-posted in Family Bed Forum!)

Is anybody here from Ohio? I know that Ohio has had an anti-cosleeping campaign going on for some time, ("On their back. In the crib"), and you may want to research the counter-efforts going on there.

If you can keep your cool (good luck!), you may view an example of NY's propaganda here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPF_IA8Qbk4

Here's an Ohio-based piece: http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?I...ubCategoryID=0

ETA: New Yorkers, I dare you to call that 311 number "for more information" and give them some information! Just as PP suggested, they're your public servants!

[Night_Nurse]

Originally Posted by dubfam

OMG stuff like this is so irritating. Obviously you shouldn't sleep next to your babe if you are drunk and stoned...How many of those deaths that they are talking about were a result of irresponsible caregivers?

:

[MrsAprilMay]

Originally Posted by Turquesa

(Cross-posted in Family Bed Forum!)

Is anybody here from Ohio? I know that Ohio has had an anti-cosleeping campaign going on for some time, ("On their back. In the crib"), and you may want to research the counter-efforts going on there.
http://mothering.com/discussions/new...ply&p=11263818
MotheringDotCommune Forums - Reply to Topic
If you can keep your cool (good luck!), you may view an example of NY's propaganda here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPF_IA8Qbk4

Here's an Ohio-based piece: http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?I...ubCategoryID=0

ETA: New Yorkers, I dare you to call that 311 number "for more information" and give them some information! Just as PP suggested, they're your public servants!

I'm from Ohio. It's calmed down quite a bit. When it first started, there were billboards, TV commercials and radio ads. When I had my hospital birth in January, we got a neat onsie with the ABC's of safe sleep (Alone, on the Back, in a Crib) along with a refrigerator magnet, and several brochures.

Here's a link to the thread about it.

[Ruthla]

Ugh. How about learning some distinctions between "a little overweight because you just had a baby" and "morbidly obese." It's probably not safe for a 600 lb woman to cosleep with a newborn- but a 200 lb woman is NOT in the same catagory!

So is there anything concrete we can do to help at this point? A petition to sign? Any "I survived sleeping next to my mom" t-shirts I can buy for my older kids?

[Juvysen]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

Ugh. How about learning some distinctions between "a little overweight because you just had a baby" and "morbidly obese." It's probably not safe for a 600 lb woman to cosleep with a newborn- but a 200 lb woman is NOT in the same catagory!

So is there anything concrete we can do to help at this point? A petition to sign? Any "I survived sleeping next to my mom" t-shirts I can buy for my older kids?

It's not hard to have such t-shirts made via cafe press.......

[Treece]

i'm in oklahaoma, and i got this propanga from tyhe sicharge nurse. she was telling me how THREE babies have died while sleeping with their parents. I asked her how many died in cribs??? "THREE died with their parents." This continued for oh 5 minutes. Finally, I just said "I respect your opinion, but my cousin died in his CRIB. I want my child next to me." He slept with me in the hospital. But I guess the rest of the world and our ancesters were/are alll WRONG. How in the h!ll did humanity survive???? Oh yeah, they slept with mama.