Cot death fear as 90 per cent say they sleep with their baby
Fear of SIDS as 90 percent say they sleep with their baby as experts call for more safety advice
- Only four in ten said they had received advice on how to reduce the risk of SIDS
- Co-sleeping increases the risk of SIDS by up to 50 times
Experts are calling for more safety advice after research shows how common it is for parents to sleep in the same bed as their babies.
Nine in 10 parents surveyed said they have slept next to their baby – known as co-sleeping – but only four in 10 said they have been advised by a health professional on how to reduce the risk of SIDS, also known as SIDS (Sides).
The study found that more than 40 percent of parents admitted to falling asleep with their baby in a potentially dangerous way, such as on a sofa or in an armchair, which can increase the risk of SIDS by up to 50 times.
The results of the poll of 3,402 new parents for the charity Lullaby Trust, which raises awareness of Sids, came as academics said more needs to be done to spread knowledge about safe sleeping practices.
Only four in ten parents said they received advice from a health professional on how to reduce the risk of SIDS. File image
A report from experts, including academics from the University of Oxford, called for open conversations between parents and professionals – looking in particular at how to convey advice to underserved communities, where SIDs deaths are higher.
The Lullaby Trust says if parents co-sleep they should keep pillows and adult bedding away from baby, plus any items that could cover their head or cause them to overheat.
Babies should sleep on their backs and other children or pets should not be put in the bed.
About 200 babies die suddenly and unexpectedly every year, according to the NHS. About half of babies who die of SIDS are co-sleeping at the time of death.