Strollerderby

So now can they arrest you for "cosleeping under the influence?"  As a cosleeper for more than 4 years I find it very irritating that people would go to such an extreme to make it look irresponsible.  I would like to know exactly how many children die each year from cosleeping with responsible parents.

Okay let me explain it to you.  The writer, who was not very clear, meant that substance abuse when coupled with co-sleeping has caused deaths of infants and children.  Let's not make up something to get all fired up about.  Really, you have to be pretty dense not to understand what the writer was trying to say.  This was a joke post, right?  

I really think you misunderstood that quote.

I'm with Alice and Mtlmama, you just misunderstood. There's no way anyone would say that substance abuse causes co-sleeping. It seems pretty obvious that the quote is referring to cases of co-sleeping in which children were harmed b/c of a parent's substance abuse.

I don't disagree that there is an active campaign against cosleeping out there.  There obviously is, and as a rule public health policy is meant to deal with lowest common denominator types of behavior.  Cosleeping is considered bad because it's difficult to ensure that everyone will do it safely.  It's a heck of a lot easier to say, "put your baby on it's back, in a crib, with no blankets" because even if you are drunk, stoned, obese or whatever, your baby should be relatively safe sleeping in that environment.

The article that is referenced looks more like notes from a community meeting, than an actual article.  They don't elaborate on anything in it.  I am thinking like others who have commented that what they meant by that quote was not the way you took it.  Even pro cosleepers know that substance abuse and cosleeping don't mix.  

Axel-Lute was trying to infer that the piece said co-sleeping is caused by substance abuse.  That is just silly. This is not news.

Ha!  Having been a co-sleeper for over 6 years now, I must say this article (however you read it) got it all wrong:

Co-sleeping leads to substance abuse.

Honestly--have you ever tried to share a bed with a six-year old who will only sleep diagonally and a four-year old who insists on sharing your only pillow, while 8 months pregnant?  That's why they make drugs and alcohol...  

(Since we're all up on the language today, I would like to point out that I am making a joke.  And to avoid the "you're a bad co-sleeper" commentary, I would also like to point out my kids do normally sleep in their own beds.)

Miriam... I don't doubt that there are idiots out there who believe such things, it just didn't strike me as anything to be up in arms about when I read the article you referenced.  IF you can reference another example of public health officials or anyone for that matter writing that substance abuse causes co-sleeping, I MIGHT believe that there is a big conspiracy to blame it all on being wasted.

KM, I am in total agreement that co-sleeping could cause substance abuse!  After having my two year old sleep with his feet in my face night after night, it would be nice to slip something in my drink that would help me sleep better every night!  (luckily, he's in his own bed most of the time now!)  

Ok, being proactive, I actually just sent an email to the writer of the article to see if he could explain what he meant.  I'll let you know what he says if he gets back to me!  

Wow - the person who created the original piece (in the Ft. Myers paper) is a SUCKY writer.