tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post2274056019384433629..comments2023-10-07T22:37:49.244+13:00Comments on The Hand Mirror: Co-sleeping child abuse?katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742280289613450293noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-18495326619346527442011-05-06T23:34:41.981+12:002011-05-06T23:34:41.981+12:00I think it is incredibly patronising to issue blan...I think it is incredibly patronising to issue blanket advice against co-sleeping instead of providing clear information about how to co-sleep safely and trusting parents to make a safe choice.<br /><br />I once heard a speaker say that one of the biggest dangers is often trying not to co-sleep as that can lead to dozing off with baby on an unsafe surface such as a sofa or only bringing baby to bed after mum is so exhausted as to not be easily roused.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-6147601379322248942011-05-06T21:17:30.902+12:002011-05-06T21:17:30.902+12:00apologise re the typing errors, by the way. Child ...apologise re the typing errors, by the way. Child abuse, bah, my foot.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-47397434092708871862011-05-06T21:16:01.987+12:002011-05-06T21:16:01.987+12:00What's absurd is that this is deemed by some c...What's absurd is that this is deemed by some child abuse, while the real, violent and obvious child abuse goes on unabated, with the CYFS doing all they can to shield and protect those responsible.<br /><br />That's the real flipping abouse.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-21764143349776716342011-05-06T20:45:11.289+12:002011-05-06T20:45:11.289+12:00Co-sleeping was common for this Pakeha's babie...Co-sleeping was common for this Pakeha's babies, who miraculously survived the "child abuse." <br /><br />Someone should mention to Mr Wallace that babies have sometimes been found dead in their cots too. Or not - once he knows that he might want the govt to tell us not to let babies sleep at all.Psycho Milthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00779500926576047736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-60703139237736695272011-05-06T20:34:58.762+12:002011-05-06T20:34:58.762+12:00And actually, you can hardly say calling something...And actually, you can hardly say calling something "child abuse" is advice can you? So overblown as to be completely absurd, especially since it's the only way some babies will sleep, and there are absolute problems that result from sleep deprivation.<br />Do you think the coroner would criticise parental sleeping practices if a parent died in an accident resulting from sleep deprivation?Alisonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-51301443642398600892011-05-06T20:29:44.698+12:002011-05-06T20:29:44.698+12:00I was once in a class in which the lecturer asked ...I was once in a class in which the lecturer asked what percentage of the mothers in the class (all of us were women) had co-slept with a baby at some point or other. As an estimate, I think of the 40 or more mothers in the class, at least 90% had. The Rotorua coroner isn't the only one with a bee in his or her bonnet about co-sleeping, but it's just not borne out by the evidence. Simplistic and paternalistic advice, but also just plain wrong, in the absence of risk factors.Alisonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-75994381113158555812011-05-06T20:20:46.966+12:002011-05-06T20:20:46.966+12:00Thanks for these comments. I was so busy thinking...Thanks for these comments. I was so busy thinking about the racist undertones of what he was saying that I missed the obvious point that co-sleeping might be reasonably common across the population for the reasons shared. Overall not a helpful approach!katyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15742280289613450293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-61286997725787916752011-05-06T18:19:19.036+12:002011-05-06T18:19:19.036+12:00My partner and I did quite a lot of research into ...My partner and I did quite a lot of research into Co-sleeping before our baby was born and decided that the benefits outweighed any risks. We looked at risk factors such as obesity, smoking and sleeping deeply and Co-sleeping has worked amazingly well for us. Neither of us could imagine raising a baby in any other way.<br /><br />While we now have a cot attached to the bed our child still spends part of the night in our bed. Our experience with health professionals has been they are unwilling to give an informed risk assessment and instead give simplistic paternalistic advice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-26421699966372196762011-05-06T17:01:12.420+12:002011-05-06T17:01:12.420+12:00I was going to blog about his comment because I fi...I was going to blog about his comment because I find it disturbing. And like anti-abortion comments often do, hails from a man with, by definition, no practical experience of mothering. Both of my children slept beside me at various times. Particularly the second who was one of those babies who could be comforted and quieted instantly by bodily snuggling. She is still an affectionate snuggly child. And while I will never know, I remain convinced that to have deprived her of the ongoing closeness she craved would have changed her development somehow and for the worse. Clearly there are some circumstances and some parents who pose more of a risk but let's be honest about it. The last thing needed is mothers feeling guilty about having their babies sleep (safely) next to them.Lindsay Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04437693272797130833noreply@blogger.com