Action 3 News - Omaha, Nebraska News, Weather, and Sports | Parents Refuse to Co-Sleep With Infant
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Omaha, NE - You might think you're bonding when you sleep with your infant, but experts warn it could end with your child dead. That's why one Omaha couple refuses to put their baby in bed with them, no matter what.
You'll never catch Eli Schuchman sleeping with his parents.
"I think we can bond well enough during the day," said Eli's mother Amy.
He sleeps in his crib, by himself. Free from the dangers of co-sleeping.
"I just want to do everything possible to ensure he's safe and well-cared for," she said.
Amy works for the County Attorney and knows all to well the dangers of sleeping with a baby. At least six infant deaths have been connected to co-sleeping in Omaha this year. That's why the Schuchman family refused to stay at a hotel in Lincoln that didn't have a crib for their child. They say the hotel suggested the baby sleep with them or on the floor with pillows.
"Eli's crawling all around and hotel rooms are not baby proof," said Eli's father Seth.
"Luckily we were an hour and a half away from home," added Amy. "I don't know what we would have done had we been farther from home."
Action 3 News contacted Holiday Inn Express, the hotel in Lincoln whose policies ultimately sent the family packing. The general manager said they have three cribs for the 66 rooms, which meets guidelines. The hotel cannot guarantee a crib, especially during the busy summer months.
The family hopes other parents learn from their experience and contact hotels before making reservations to find out their crib policies.
Reported by Chriss Knight, cknight@action3news.com
