Parents are being warned about putting their baby down to sleep while wearing potentially deadly items of clothing. According to baby and child first aid services organisation CPR Kids, parents should avoid putting their baby to sleep if the child is wearing a hoodie, bonnet or beanie
They said: “Keeping your baby's head and face uncovered during sleep reduces the risk of sudden and unexpected death, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).” SIDS, which is also known as ‘cot death’, is when a healthy baby dies for an unexplained reason.
The NHS say the condition affects around 200 babies in the UK every year, with the greatest risk in the first six months of a baby’s life and usually when they are asleep.
In a post shared via Facebook, 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.
"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.
