Attached at the Hip

The Baby and the Bathwater

This evening on Facebook, I came across a post that caught my attention.  It was a picture of a baby.  I have a thing for cute, sleeping babies, so I looked closer... And, to my horror, I discovered that the image was of a baby sleeping in a bed with - get this - a butcher knife. The title across the top of the image reads, "Your baby sleeping with you can be just as dangerous."  These shocking, ghastly images are put out by the City of Milkwaukee Health Department, part of a campaign from the Mayor's office to reduce the abominably high rates of infant mortality in their city.

It turns out that Milwaukee has had an unusual number of infant deaths that occurred while the child was bed-sharing.  Or so it would seem.  The City Health Department claims that 89 infants died in an "unsafe sleep environment" (which is not exclusive to bed-sharing) from 2006-2009.  (In the US in 2000, only 60 deaths are reported to have occurred in an adult bed, whether or not it was related to being in the bed.)  Even the Milwaukee Health Department acknowledges that there are multiple factors involved in these tragic deaths.  In fact, it doesn't appear that being in bed with a parent or caregiver is actually the most common factor!

Still, they have decided to vociferously work to undermine bed-sharing.  For the first time in my life, I was compelled to write to those in charge of making this abhorrent ad campaign.  Following is the letter I emailed to the Mayor of Milwaukee, Tom Barrett.  I encourage you to also write to the Mayor's office and the Department of Health and encourage them to withdraw these provocative, misleading ads.

Mayor Barrett,

I have recently been made aware of an upcoming publicity campaign directed by your office with the purported goal of reducing infant mortality.  The ghastly image of a child sleeping with a butcher's knife is certain to evoke emotion - but unfounded fear of bed-sharing with an infant will not, in fact, affect your city's infant mortality rates.

While you have had some notable deaths in your area related to bed-sharing, you have neglected to see the underlying and root cause of the problem.  It is not sharing the bed that is harmful; it is doing so when impaired (i.e., drunk) and, moreover, doing so when not breastfeeding.  

Dr. James McKenna of Notre Dame has done extensive research on mother-baby sleep patterns.  His summary of risk factors for infant death in bed-sharing are as follows:

"In sum, overwhelmingly, bedsharing deaths are associated with at least one independent risk factor associated with an infant dying. These include an infant being placed prone (on its stomach) and placed in an adult bed without supervision, or no breastfeeding, or other children in the bed, or infants being placed in an adult bed on top of a pillow, or who bedshare even though their mothers smoked during the pregnancy therein compromising potentially the infants ability to arouse (to terminate too little oxygen, or to terminate an apnea). 

Drug use and alcohol have historically been associated with poor outcomes for bedsharing babies so if drugs and/or alcohol are present, please don’t bedshare."

(Source:  http://cosleeping.nd.edu/frequently-asked-questions)

Bed-sharing with a sober, clean, non-smoking, breastfeeding mother in a suitable environment is not only safe but actually safer for the baby, as the mother is immediately available to any distress, illness, or need.  It is a normal, healthy human behavior that should not be discouraged by any government office.

(Sources:  http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/sleep-problems/sids-latest-research-how-sleeping-your-baby-safe

and http://cosleeping.nd.edu/ - video)

How much better would it be for your office to undertake education and support for your at-risk population to initiate and continue breastfeeding?  The benefits of breastfeeding are multifold and bed-sharing while breastfeeding is rarely harmful; indeed, the opposite.  Your bed-sharing concerns could be reduced or eliminated by educating mothers and supporting them in providing the most perfect, healthful feeding for their babies.  The rates of breastfeeding in African American mothers is significantly lower than other demographics.  The poorer and younger the mother, the less likely she is to breastfeed, as well.  Addressing these issues will have long-term benefits to your city and the generations to come.

(Source:  http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_more.html

and http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db05.htm)

Would it not also make sense to address the issues of drug and alcohol abuse, which present significant dangers to mothers, their children, and society?  There are, in fact, numerous factors that have led to the abysmal infant mortality rates in your city.  Addressing these issues is admirable and needed, but the attack on a normal, nutritive, safe practice is abhorrent.

Let's not "throw the baby out with the bathwater," shall we?

Sincerely,

H. B.

I dare say that providing accurate, research-based information on creating a safe sleeping environment would be far better, in the long run, for all of the children of Milwaukee.

Findings on Fever

Fever is one of the childhood ailments that most terrorizes parents.  What is it?  Why is it there?  How high is too high?  When is it really bad?  In my years of parenting my three boys, my own view of fevers has changed significantly.  Rather than viewing it as an intruder into my child's well-being, I now see fever as a God-given tool for fighting off infections, and a vital part of their immune system.  Our general approach now is to let a fever run its course, while encouraging rest and plenty of fluids.  Amazingly, I realized that our older boys have had very few illnesses recently, compared to when we would reduce fevers at their onset.

However, last week, my 8-month-old came down with a fever.  As he had the week before, he had a moderately high fever during the night, and by the next morning he had a new tooth emerge; but the fever didn't stop.  It progressed to over 103° by the afternoon, though the baby remained good-natured.

Mood as an indicator of illness.  

One of my favorite pediatric authors, Dr. Sears, says in his The Baby Book that the best indicator of how sick a baby is is his behavior.  A happy, content baby with a fever of 103° is not as concerning as a limp, lethargic baby with a fever of 101°.  So, we were not too concerned when Judah played happily on the floor with his brothers despite a moderately high fever.

We had to re-evaluate our stance on fevers as his fever climbed higher, and more natural measures failed to affect it.  A consultation with our pediatrician confirmed our own observations: he was strong and in good spirits when the fever was brought down, and tests came up with no definitive cause.  We expanded our approach as we had not had to before, and administered over-the-counter fever-reducers to allow him to sleep and keep him relatively comfortable.  Coupled with cool baths and cool packs, we got through the next two days with a baby glued to us, but not otherwise worse for wear.  While his fever would spike up to over 104° and even 105°, I was comforted by my midwife's assurance that studies have shown no brain damage caused even in cases of high fever and febrile seizures.

Fevers are not, by themselves, dangerous.

After the fever had gone, I Googled for any hint of what illness could have caused such a high fever as he had, with no other obvious symptoms or cause.  Among the results was a pediatrician's site with their Information about Fever.  It corroborated my midwife's report: "Fevers do not cause brain damage. Only body temperatures over 108 can cause brain damage. Fevers only go this high due to high environmental temperatures (ex. Being confined in a closed car)."

I was very pleased to have concrete information about fevers and their danger.  According to the site above and others I've read, a fever will not naturally go above 106°, at which point there is still no danger of brain damage.  And, in children, a fever is not even considered "high" until over 103.5°, meaning the 101-102° fevers that initially catch a parent's attention are in the "common fever" category, and not as high as a child might feel hot.  

Fever is not the enemy - in fact, it's part of our bodies' design to help fight infection.  Fever can be a warning of an acute infection, and even a marker of serious infections.  But it's not the fever that's a concern, rather other symptoms including a child's behavior.  Clearly, we should be evaluating the entire picture, not simply the child's temperature, when determining how serious an illness is.  The fever can be a very helpful part in fighting off a mild infection, and can be seen as an ally rather than an intruder - even at temperatures far above normal.

Beginning

This site has been a long-time in the making.  More than three years ago, when my second son was an infant, I began to have a yearning for a local store that could supply some of my natural parenting needs.  I wanted to be able to touch and see cloth diapers, slings, and natural toys all in one place, near my home.  As I would drive past a certain location, I'd feel a tug, as if to say that store belonged there.  I finally realized I didn't want someone to build a store; I wanted it to be me.  I've always had entrepreneurial tendencies (not a bad thing, really), and began looking into the reality of opening a natural parenting store.

Of course, things like retail stores take more than passion and desire.  And, among other things, I've lacked the financial wherewithal to get a brick-and-mortar store off the ground, even after finding the perfect location (not the one I'd driven past, but one that fit exactly with my images of what the store should look like).  My boys still ask me when I'll open my store, and I don't know what will come of that dream.

But, my dream to share my passions and my knowledge is much more easily fulfilled.  Here, at the domain I once purchased in hopes of using for my store, I am now beginning a blog to share what I would have shared there: my convictions, my experiences, my findings.  And, hopefully, it will be useful to someone - perhaps, even, you!

Thank you for visiting Attached at the Hip, and for being part of my slightly-altered dream.