The City of Milwaukee seems to say so in a new public service campaign:

Caryn Rivadeneira is ticked:

Unlike those who will give me dirty looks or ask me about my parenting when my hot-blooded boy goes sans coat, when the government gives dirty looks via shock-value posters like this, we have to wonder: Are they trying to make babies safe, or are they trying to criminalize co-sleeping? Because these posters sure seem to say that parents who co-sleep endanger their kids. And I’m pretty sure child endangerment is illegal in Milwaukee.

If the city had wanted to protect babies, a poster with information would’ve sufficed. It seems they could’ve listed the “rules” of safe co-sleeping, and still offered the website for further information and the free Pack-N-Play to parents who can’t afford a crib.

I realize that some will say that “shock value” pays off if it saves just one baby’s life. But when the government (or any of us) is trying to help parents to make wise choices, shame and shock make lousy tactics.

We co-slept with all three of our children, because they nursed through the night. Never had a problem with it — but then, we were aware of the potential risks, and took precautions. In the Milwaukee case, I would love to know what the other factors were in the deaths of local babies who died in co-sleeping. Were their mothers on medication, or impaired by drink or drugs? Rather than demonize co-sleeping — because honestly, is there anything more natural than a baby sleeping through the night next to her mother? — wouldn’t it be wiser to focus on bad co-sleeping habits, and educate against those?

This reminds me of the propaganda my mother’s generation got against breastfeeding.