Parents are being urged to take a look at what is inside their baby’s cot, after safety bodies repeated warnings about items that can make sleep less safe. The reminder comes as many households try to keep bedrooms warm through late winter, with some families adding more soft items to help babies feel cosy.
But safety guidance in the UK is clear that a cot should be kept simple. The NHS warns parents to avoid using cot bumpers, saying they can be a hazard for choking, suffocation and strangulation. Cot bumpers are often sold as a way to stop babies from knocking their heads on the cot sides. The concern is what can happen when a baby wriggles, rolls, or starts to pull up.
The Lullaby Trust says cot bumpers pose a serious risk and notes that accidents have occurred when babies become entangled in the ties or material, or when they pull themselves up on the bumpers. It is not just bumpers. NHS safe sleep advice says the cot should not contain toys or anything that could cover a baby’s mouth or nose or make them too hot, and for this reason it advises against cot bumpers, pillows and loose bedding.
The Child Accident Prevention Trust also warns that babies and young children can be suffocated because they cannot easily move out of danger, and it notes that asphyxia (including choking and strangulation) is the third most common cause of child accident deaths in the UK, with most accidents happening to under-fives.
Child essentials experts at For Your Little One say the safest approach is to treat the cot as a sleep space, not storage, and to stick to the basics every night.
A spokesperson said: “It is easy to buy add-ons that look comforting, but the cot should stay clear. Babies only need a firm, flat mattress, a tight-fitting sheet, and the right sleep clothing for the room. Anything extra can move while a baby sleeps and create risk.”
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The Lullaby Trust backs the same principle, saying the safest cot is a clear one and families should keep the cot free of unnecessary items.
For Your Little One suggests a quick routine many households can manage: Remove cot bumpers, pillows, duvets, loose blankets and soft toys from the cot; check the mattress is firm, flat and fits the cot properly, with a tight-fitting sheet only; keep baby’s head uncovered and avoid hats indoors during sleep; and use a well-fitting baby sleep bag if needed, rather than loose bedding.
They also advise parents to look out for ties, cords or anything that could wrap around a baby. If a product has straps or long ties, it should not be anywhere near a sleeping baby.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
