AAP Revises SIDS Prevention Recommendations

AAP Revises SIDS Prevention Recommendations

Okay, someone explain the logic of this to me.

The AAP admits they still don't know what causes SIDS. They have theories, ideas and suggestions, but no hard facts as of yet.

The US has a high rate of SIDS when compared to several other countries, and I am only referring to the "westernized" countries, so they are similar to us in enough ways to make the comparisons reasonable. I can't compare us to say the KUNG! Nomadic tribes, but it's safe to say that we are similar enough to compare to say Japan right?

Many of the other countries with lower SIDS rates practice their cultural norms of sleep sharing and ecological breastfeeding*.

And yet, the AAP is encouraging us to put our children farther from us (well, at least now they are staying the same room) and to give them something artificial to suck on at night to help them "rouse" from deep sleep? Umm, hello? I was created with the perfect things for my baby to suck on, providing not only comfort, and the ability to help "rouse" from deep sleep, but also the BEST nutrition available, not to mention all the super cool health benefits for me!!

I just don't get it! I know that virtues sleep sharing and ecological breastfeeding will probably never be extolled by the AAP, for fear of pissing off their major funders for all there great and useful studies, the formula companies! But at least give a little credit where credit is due please??

NURSING IS A FACTOR IN THE PREVENTION OF SIDS, period. Live it, love it, nurse your babies!

* Ecological Breastfeeding is a type of nursing the respects and follows the natural order, i.e., a mother nurses her baby on demand without relying on bottles, pacifiers, or fixed schedule.