Milwaukee's Infant Mortality

“YOUR BABY SLEEPING NEXT TO YOU CAN BE JUST AS DANGEROUS,” blurred by Milwaukee The Journal Sentinel..and yet minutes before city officials unveiled this campaign this Wednesday, the medical examiner's office announced that a 7-week-old baby was found dead on the South side because she/he was co-sleeping with his or her mother. The infant was reported to be the ninth Milwaukee baby to die this year from an unsafe sleep environment.

But my points to consider inthis hyped stereotyping, provoking and separation anxiety are these;

1. Golly, please tell me when they did this it was not taking the risk using a real knife and it was just the FAKE magic of Photoshop!

2. When I lived in Europe, Canada and the States , oh and with some Elite Pinoys residing in the Exclusive Villages equipped with their "First-World-individualistic-thinking, I tell you, man, these parents can afford to build a Guest Room, Powder Room, TV Room, Music Room, Game Room, Workout Room, Closet, Lanai, extended Garage Area, Half court sized Basketball Area, Workshop room, Potter's Wheel room, Jukebox Room etc etc. So, a Nursery or a Baby's Room is just another part of the HOUSE. That, for me, is affluently and fully respecting one's individual space.

But I belong to my Third World, middle class parenting and with a 12, 7, 5 and 2 year old boy,and not victims;

1. I tolerated them sleeping with me because I breastfeed them until I wean them at 2 y.o.

2. My children, together, with me, in our bed from time to time. Jam-packed!

3. When they turned 7 years old, I awarded them with the keys to their own rooms!

I believe all It takes is preparation, an open mind and proper time management to have no paranoia for so called "unsafe sleep" or "sudden infant death syndrome" (SIDS) causing infant mortality.

Mayor Tom Barrett told ABC News. ”Some ZIP codes in Milwaukee have infant mortality rates higher than Third World countries. That’s unacceptable.” “If the ads make some people uncomfortable, I guarantee it’s a lot less uncomfortable than having another baby die from co-sleeping,” a cause of death that is “so preventable,” he added.

I say, yeah,this advertising campaign WORKED!

BUT...

STOP the insanity! JUST BE LOVING!

BE AWARE that I am a SAFE and LOVING PARENT!

All it takes is MODERATE SPACE RESPECT!

It still is safe when you are conscious to be SAFE. But when you feel unconscious and so sleepy, have a proxy or an onlooker. Ask to be of help and be helped!-that 's how most aspects in life works too,right?!