Parents have been urged not to make an all too easy mistake when tucking their child into bed at night, with a health expert warning the error could prove fatal.
When putting your little ones to bed at night, it can be tempting to wrap them up in warm, cosy clothing to keep them snug, particularly during chillier nights, but there are some items that should be avoided at all costs.
The expert in question has cautioned parents not to let their babies wear hoodies or other hooded clothing items while sleeping, and has also warned against bonnets, beanies, hats, and headbands.
In a post shared via Facebook, Australian baby and child first aid services organisation CPR Kids explained that making sure to keep your baby's face and head uncovered while they sleep can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Dr Bec Thornton, Red Nose's National Health Promotion Manager, said: "This is because it reduces the risk of suffocation from head coverings slipping down over your baby's face."
Furthermore, these types of coverings can lead to overheating, given that babies regulate their body temperature through their head and face.
Dr Thornton continued: "Research has linked the risks of SIDS to overheating, and overheating can be caused by room heating, high body temperature, and excessive clothing or bedding.
Sometimes referred to as "cot death", SIDS refers to "the sudden, unexpected, and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby", according to the NHS.
Approximately 200 babies die from SIDS in the UK every single year, with deaths more likely to happen in the first six months of a child's life. It's understood that SIDS usually affects babies who are asleep, however, it can affect babies who are awake, on occasion.
"Placing your baby on their back and keeping their head and face uncovered for sleep has been shown in the research to be protective against overheating and suffocation, and therefore reduces the risk of SIDS," Dr Thornton explained.
Parents can further reduce the risk of bedding accidentally covering their baby's head or face, by ensuring their child's feet are positioned at the bottom of their cot so that they aren't able to wriggle and slip beneath the blankets.
Samaritans: Phone 116 123, 24 hours a day, or email jo@samaritans.org in confidence
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