The death of a child is one that most parents can’t imagine. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is like a monster hiding in the closet; we don’t like to believe it’s there, but we’re afraid that it may be. The worst part of SIDS is the unknown. Researchers are beginning to find some clues that point to risks, but they still don’t know what really causes it. That means any child is at risk.

October is SIDS Awareness Month. SIDS, also called crib death because it happens most often while the baby is sleeping, usually strikes children before two and four …read more

So many stories about transplants really tug at your heart, but ones that include children and babies can be incredibly poignant. When I put out an appeal to speak to people about organ transplants, I was contacted by Ed Weir. He told me his story of their 1-month-old daughter, Rachel. Rachel died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) 22 years ago. Most often when a child dies of SIDS, the child is discovered too late for their organs to be used in transplantation. In this case, Rachel’s death was discovered immediately. And because of that, many other children were saved …read more

Let’s talk about the idea of family bed sharing. Is it a means to forming strong family bonds or a way to ensure that kids will never sleep in their own beds without a struggle?
In our house, the rule of thumb is that once the kids are weaned to a bottle, they are expected to sleep in their own rooms. The parent’s bed is only for the parents. This, in part, is due to the fact that my husband has serious back problems and cannot bear to sleep in compromising positions. We also share the belief that our bed is the place where we …read more