Co-Sleeping = Monkey Pox 2010

Call it what you will, “co-sleeping” (as the local major media would say) or “drunken baby squashing” (as the conservative radio hosts call it).  Regardless, babies dying from sleeping with their parents is the story that local media is currently trying to push above all others.  Recently, a fourth baby in the Milwaukee area died while sleeping in the same bed as an adult.  Essentially, these parents either lack a sufficient crib or simply fail to use it.  The parent either rolls over onto the child or the baby simply suffocates on the pillows, blankets or other parts of the bed.  In one case, the parents admitted to consuming alcohol before taking their baby to bed.  In years past, this situation would have been lumped in as another SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) case.  Yet, in the early part of 2010, we have made a distinct effort to make a separate issue of these incidents.

The real concern is what results from all this hysteria.  As this story continues to pick up steam, one can just feel some sort of regulation coming.  In our society, it pains us to believe that people could have such poor parenting skills that lives could be in jeopardy.  Whenever we face a social epidemic like this one, the gut reaction is to throw a lot of money at the problem.  While a great argument could be made for making this a crime, the parents will likely be portrayed as victims.  Tax dollars will almost certainly be used to create more websites, more pamphlets and more training videos.  We may not be far from a world where hospital or police/fire officials will need to come home with you from the hospital to inspect your living conditions.  Essentially, having a child will be a process similar to getting your driver license.  Yet, despite our spending, the problem will continue.  The sad reality is that these people are not mentally ready to care for another life.  Countless references already exist to help new parents avoid potential disaster.  The city and county of Milwaukee have several resources available to get a free crib.  Even the means of finding these resources, a computer with internet access, is freely available at a public library.  With all of this at our disposal, can we really call these people victims?  Why not be honest and admit that these parents negligently cared for their offspring. Research proves that sleeping in an adult bed with your newborn is dangerous.  So rather than spending millions to attempt to educate these inept parents, let’s instead spend thousands and open up a jail cell for them.