Cradle to grave
Sir: At last we have a real furore about cot deaths, but only after many, many thousands of babies have lost their lives. As usual, it is up to men, the paedia- tricians, doctors and scientists, to solve this modern tragedy.
For in spite of all the medical and scientific research embarked upon, it has not occurred to anyone that there might Just be a simple and commonsense reason behind this horror. Bearing in mind that men's mathematical reasoning is far re- moved from women's natural common sense it is incredible that a large body of mothers — and yes, grandmothers — has not been officially consulted. I am a grandmother and I suppose many !Ike myself are amazed at the newfangled Ideas of infant care adopted these days. What I wish to suggest will no doubt make me the laughing stock of the medical Profession, but it does not bother me, especially if it should happily save even one little life.
I am convinced that many babies die through overheating when covered with thick synthetic fibre covers. I have seen Many zipped in entirely except for the face.
I am sure that what actually happened to me must surely happen to many of them. When I was given one of these soft, fluffy covers, I was delighted and so sure that I would never again be cold in bed. How- ever, I had no idea then what the body's reaction would be to being practically cooked alive. In the middle of the night my b. eart started beating so furiously I thought It would come through the chest wall. Thank God I was lucky to have been able to throw off all the bedclothes and drink cold water or surely I would have died in minutes.
As a result of this alarming experience 1. am now convinced it is imperative for air to.be able to circulate around the body by using layers of wool blankets, preferably _cellular instead of synthetic fibre covering. It is easy to understand why these tragedies ?ccur more frequently in deprived areas, necause the cost of one fibre cover is only about one-sixth of wool blankets. In my time babies were not laid flat on their tummies, so having to twist their necks in order to breathe and having the entire weight of the body pressing down on the little heart. I wonder how many babies needing to turn their heads manage only to get half way and suffocate. Babies were ,a,lways wrapped in a light shawl, to support ;ne arms from getting under the body, and laid sideways. When this position becomes uncomfortable a child need only whimper and all a mother had to do was turn it on the other side. But nobody listens to grannies any more, alas! Perhaps if more people were to do so s.ome modern tragedies would not arise. Mae Waterhouse ; Englewood Road
SW12
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