Charity warns that sleeping pods and baby nests “pose a risk” to newborns and could lead to death

A charity dedicated to reducing the risk of SIDS says parents should be careful where their babies sleep — as an inquest found that a little boy died after being placed in a sleeping pod.

Leonidas Ramsden was just four months old when he was found unconscious at his home in Buckfastleigh, Devon, on April 28 last year.

At a hearing on Thursday, he was told he was “fed and placed in a sleeping pod on top of his parents’ bed before becoming unresponsive several hours later.”

And it has now emerged that the SIDS charity, the Lullaby Trust, has warned against baby products – made popular by mummy bloggers and celebrities – widely available on websites such as Amazon.

In an earlier warning to parents, it said in an open letter: “Items such as pillow sleeping pods, nests, baby hammocks, cot bumpers, pillows, duvets and anything that keeps a baby in place can pose a risk to babies under the bed.” . 12 months.

“There is some evidence that a baby sleeping on anything other than a firm, flat surface or using soft, heavy bedding may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Little Leonidas Ramsden (pictured) was found unconscious at his home in Buckfastleigh, Devon, on April 28 last year when he was just over four months old.

Little Grace Joy Roseman who died after being put to bed in a £300 luxury bed in 2016

“They can lead to overheating or potentially block a baby’s airway if they roll over or their face gets covered by loose bedding.”

Leonidas’ research showed no suspicious circumstances and an autopsy failed to determine the cause of death for him.

It is not yet known what type or brand of sleeping pod he was placed in the night he died.

Four years before his death in 2017, Tesco and Mothercare were among a string of UK retailers who stopped selling the products over safety concerns.

They are still widely available on Amazon.

in 2016, it was reported that a baby girl died in a cot labeled as a “significant danger” to any child old enough to lift their head.

Seven-week-old Grace Roseman tragically died of suffocation in the ‘dangerous’ £199 Bednest bed after getting stuck on the edge when she lifted her head over one of the fold-down sides. have been heard.

The webpage of the luxury Bednest cot, just one of many options for sleeping babies

And in 2021, a mother warned parents against using sleeping pods after finding her baby “gasping for air.”

Chloe Elliott had left her daughter Maisie in her pod for only three minutes when she went downstairs to wash.

When she returned, the nine-week-old was struggling to breathe, “her skin was mottled and purple and she was covered in sweat.”

A spokesperson for The Lullaby Trust previously said: ‘As a SIDS charity, we have watched with concern as products that go against safer sleep advice gain popularity.

How should my baby sleep?

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has previously told parents to follow these guidelines:

  • The best place for a baby to sleep is on a firm, flat surface such as those in a crib;
  • Parents and carers should only use a fitted sheet and never add blankets, pillows, padded crib protectors or other items;
  • Babies should always be placed on their backs to sleep;
  • Babies who fall asleep at an angle or upright should be moved to a safe sleeping environment.

Source: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

“It’s difficult for parents when trying to choose from the overwhelming number of baby products on offer and many people make the reasonable assumption that if an item is sold on the high street or made by a recognized brand, it’s safe for their baby.” ‘

Leonadis’ young mother Akita wrote one heartbreaking call for funds to help pay for a memorial in the wake of her son’s death last year.

She said, “We are devastated and lost, feeling stuck in a reality that shouldn’t exist. We will never feel complete again.

‘I am 21 years old. I made two perfect, beautiful children. My daughter Azaylea and my son Leonidas-Aurelius. We fell in love the moment I met them…

Our son Leonidas-Aurelius was 4 months and 3 days old when he rolled over in the middle of the night while his family slept. He didn’t cry.. he didn’t wake up.. he just slipped off into his sleep with a little sweet smile on his face.

‘The moment me and my partner woke up after a few hours of sleep. We had to face the most reality-baffling and horrifying realization… that Leonidas-Aurelius, the perfect soul, had left the beautiful ship we had made.”

She added: “Leo had the most beautiful low notes in his voice and he loved the sound of it.. he always showed off his beautiful coos, but most of all he loved to roar.

“If you held his hands, he held on and lifted himself up… Always smiling and with his head held high. He was such a beautiful face… 4 months and 3 days showering him with love and kisses were the best moments of my life.’

A full judicial inquiry will be held at a later date.

Amazon has been contacted for comment.

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