UK retailers have stopped selling baby sleep positioners after death fears

Tesco, Mothercare and other UK retailers have stopped selling baby sleep positioners following concerns over their safety.

The move comes after the baby pillows, also known as “nests” or “anti-roll” products were linked to at least 12 deaths of newborns in the US.

The positioners, aimed at infants under six months, are intended to keep a baby in a specific position while sleeping, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US are warning that this may lead to babies sleeping in a position which could cut off their oxygen.

In a statement the FDA explained that the items have caused some babies to suffocate after rolling from their sides to their stomachs.

It said the two most common types of sleep positioners feature raised supports or pillows (called “bolsters”) that are attached to each side of a mat, or a wedge to raise a baby’s head.

The FDA first issued a safety warning seven years ago, saying “in light of the suffocation risk and the lack of evidence of any benefits, we are warning consumers to stop using these products”.

But it seems parents are still confused over the safest way to put their babies down to sleep. A recent survey commissioned by charity The Lullaby Trust found that over 55% of parents are unsure of the basic steps they can take to lower the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

The survey of 500 parents with children aged 0-2 years, found that while most are aware of SIDS there is confusion around one of the most fundamental steps to reduce the risk of SIDS: sleeping a baby on its back for every sleep.

The survey shows 38% of parents are unsure whether they can sleep a baby on their front and 55% are unsure whether to sleep a baby on their side.

Evidence shows that babies who are slept on their back for every sleep are 6 times less likely to die from SIDS than those who sleep on their front or side.

With regard to sleep positioners, The Lullaby Trust says they don’t generally recommend for or against any individual brand of product. “The research that backs up our safer sleep advice has found that the safest environment for a baby to sleep is a separate sleeping place (such as a cot) that has a firm, flat surface with a waterproof cover, and that the sleeping surface is in good condition and undamaged,” the site reads.

It recommends that babies sleep in cots “kept as clear as possible”, with no pillows or duvets, no cot bumpers, no soft toys, no loose bedding and no products – such as wedges or straps – that keep a baby in one position.

The warning about baby sleep positioners comes just a few months after the same charity raised doubts about the benefits of Finnish-style baby boxes, which newborns can sleep in.

The baby boxes, which originated in Finland, have often been cited as a contributing factor to the country’s extremely low infant mortality rates (two deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to 32 per 1,000 globally).

The cardboard box, filled with baby products and a mattress, can itself be used as a bed, and is being given to new parents by some NHS trusts.

But the charity is concerned that the boxes are being promoted as a product, which could help reduce the risk of SIDS, of which they said there is no evidence.

You can find out more about SIDS, and the risks and prevention methods, on the NHS’ website.

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