That’s not cot death itself – a tragedy that my heart can’t begin to imagine.
However the hype associated with cot death is immense. I remember standing outside my daughter’s room when I put her down for naps, terrified to leave for fear that she would be dead when I returned.
Then I did some research. Of the 60,000 babies that are born in New Zealand every year fewer than 60 die from cot death. Of those 60 the majority have complicating factors – they’re usually weak and sick from other ailments – and loved and mourned all the same.
The numbers were comforting though but hidden from the world. You could read as much as you liked on the subject but neither the “campaigners” nor the media would actually state the facts.
Instead they were happy to have a generation of women scared they’d lose their babies every time they put them down for nap. If you think I’m exaggerating go talk to a woman with a first baby less than a year and ask her.
So today I was pleased to see that in reporting on a new medical “breakthrough” (and haven’t we all seen those before, how long until it’s disproven?) the journos stated the numbers – about 50 babies.
It would be great if it’s true and we no longer have to strap our babies into their cots for fear they’ll roll over or fret at their bedroom door or feel guilty because we bedshare. Not that we should throw some of those cautionary steps out of the window but I was told when my girl started sleeping on her tummy that if she was strong enough to roll over she was strong enough to adjust her head.
The tragedy if the findings are correct is that some babies will be timebombs waiting to go off, diagnosis will cause as much harm as not knowing and a solution will be many years away.
