I wrote a blog post this morning about SIDS and the recommendations for how to safely put a baby to sleep. Unfortunately, I was told to take the post down. I say unfortunately because this blog is my only solace. The only place where I can "freely" express myself. So, since putting the post back up could result in some kind of action against us, I will instead just put part of it back up.
The prevailing theory of why certain children die of SIDS has to do with the amount of oxygen in their breathing space and whether they are able to move their face out of the way to get the air needed to keep breathing. The leading researchers in the country believe that some children may have a brain stem abnormality that sets off a series of events that end in a child's death. It happens very quickly and in most cases, the baby is otherwise healthy. It is unexpected, sudden and certainly so tragic. The American Pediatrics Association therefore recommends that babies are put to sleep on their backs with nothing else in the crib. They should not be in there with blankets, stuffed animals, pillows/boppies or anything else. Just a fitted mattress sheet and the baby. Now, I have said this before but there are children who have died even under the most safe sleeping conditions. Babies die in slings, strollers, car seats, and while being breastfed. Plenty of babies also live even when they are put down under improper sleep conditions. The issue is how much oxygen is in their breathing space. The recommendations are made to ensure the best chance for ample oxygen.
So, the thrust of my previous post was to tell you that if you have a baby, are going to have a baby, take care of someone's baby, or are giving advice to someone about their baby - follow the guidelines. The leading experts may still not understand what causes SIDS but they know a hell of a lot more than you do. YOU DON'T KNOW BETTER! Follow the rules. You have nothing to lose....except your baby's life. I wouldn't wish this hell even on my worst enemy. Just follow the rules. You will never regret following them but you may regret not following them.
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Okay, I don't follow all the guidelines because I don't agree with them. Some are common sense and good advice (don't smoke around the baby) and some I just don't flat out agree with. And I have read lots of studies that show how the stats have been skewed and would be virtually meaningless in any other scientific study but for some reason are still used in SIDS Prevention campaigns.
With that being said...
How dare someone say you can't print them on your blog? While I might not agree, and I take those guidelines with a grain of salt, I totally respect your right to print them. Heck, you can find them on the walls of doctors' offices, health departments, and totally random places. A quick Google search will literally show thousands of websites that post them. So what makes your blog different?
Good grief. I'd forget that and do it anyway.
Obviously this replacement post is vague. It's not the whole story but I should leave it at that so that I don't give anyone a good reason to kick a grieving mother while she is down.
Girl, they could start a support group filled with the people who have wanted me to take my whole blog down. At one point my husband told everyone, "If it keeps my wife from killing herself I don't care what the hell she writes or who the hell she directs it at."
Sorry people want to be ridiculous.
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