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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

55% of parents unaware of safe sleep for babies??

159 replies

TinfoilHattie · 13/03/2017 07:47

Woman talking about sudden infant death on BBC just said that 55% of parents are unaware of the very basics of safe sleeping for newborns - sleeping on their back, in a clear cot. They also mentioned things like not covering their heads and only sleeping in bed with you if you're not drunk but that's not the 55% thing - just the very basics of sleeping on their backs without loads of clutter around them.

Where are all these people who do not know this? I had my first in 2003 and it was drummed into me, several times. Anne Diamond has been campaigning on putting babies on their back for about 25 years, and very effectively too.

Rubbish statistic, or are parents really so ignorant?

OP posts:
OuchBollocks · 13/03/2017 07:50

I find it hard to believe that statistic, when DS was born last week I was given the safe sleep info when on the ward, again when on the ward, by the discharge nurse, and x2 when the midwives came for home visits.

(DS is having none of it and only wants to sleep on my chest but that's a different story)

OhDearToby · 13/03/2017 07:56

How can you possibly not know this though!? I think their statistics must be flawed somehow.

I understand there will be people who know the guidelines but choose not to follow them but it's drummed into you by every midwife and health visitor you see in the early days.

WinterRose92 · 13/03/2017 07:56

Yeah, that seems a very weird statistic to me. My son was born 12 weeks ago and it was mentioned tons of times throughout my pregnancy and several times once he was born. Like OP said, they do drum it into you.

Original poster
TinfoilHattie · 13/03/2017 07:58

Hard to remember as far back as 2003 but the sleeping thing was definitely mentioned by midwives both during pregnancy and when they visited me at home after I'd had him, at ante-natal classes and I got leaflets in hospital too.

Having said that, people are still buying cot bumpers and cot duvets for newborns. Have seen the "well if the shops sell them they must be safe" logic.

OP posts:
unfortunateevents · 13/03/2017 07:59

Not just me who was amazed by this then. DS1 is 18 and I remember getting this advice at that time! How are so many people missing this information? Surely every antenatal class, midwife and HV mentions it?

Sistafromanuthamista · 13/03/2017 08:00

I think it's more likely that people do know (it is somewhat rammed down your throat when pregnant) but they choose not to follow the guidance.

For example I chose to co sleep. I know the NHS advises against it.

I know highly educated professionals who use cot bumpers, place loads of soft toys in the cot, have cot tidy tied onto the cot, have bunting hanging on the wall above the cot. All potential hazards.

YouMeddlingKids · 13/03/2017 08:03

I'm sceptical, I wonder what the study was? Was it asking any parents, or specifically parents of newborns? I can imagine if a parent of a 25 year old was asked to reel off the safe sleeping guidelines they might not remember them all! Anyway the midwife and health visitor both visited me after I left hospital and checked /discussed sleeping arrangements, thought this was standard.

BounceBounceSplishSplash · 13/03/2017 08:06

I hate the fact that cot bumpers are still so popular.

Original poster
TinfoilHattie · 13/03/2017 08:09

There was no context or background given to the statistic. Can't even remember which organisation the woman was promoting, and I'm not criticising her for getting this basic message of "back to sleep" back out there again. Statistics do show that there has been a sharp decline in SIDS since that became policy and was recommended.

There was also a father on who had sadly lost his son to cot death in 2004, and he said that he and his partner didn't know about safe sleeping practices which was what pricked my ears up because I had a baby in 2003 and 2005 and was most definitely told repeatedly about what was safe and what wasn't.

OP posts:
drinkyourmilk · 13/03/2017 08:17

I'm due next week and both the midwife, health visitor and co-ordinators at the antenatal classes have banged on about safe sleeping. How can people not know?!
I have a side sleeper cot (next2me ) which is currently against the wall. Health visitor was very clear that if I chose to attach it she would need to record me as ignoring advice (I'm 40 ffs- and am capable of making me own mind up, but that's another story). So maybe if I attached the cot I would be recorded as not knowing about safe sleeping?
As a pp pointed out, I think people do know and are told repeatedly - they just choose to do something different.

Iambubbles86 · 13/03/2017 08:18

Stupid question. When they say nothing in the vote does that include a knitted blanket? My brains not awake ATM. I used those growbags for my 2 but I'm knitting blankets for my friends who are currently pregnant. Should I advise them to use a growbag instead?

BounceBounceSplishSplash · 13/03/2017 08:20

bubbles I don't think grobags are recommended for new borns. Babies have to be a certain weight for them. I can't remember what weight but normally when they are around 3 months old I think.

Original poster
TinfoilHattie · 13/03/2017 08:21

I used cotton blankets for both of mine, never had a growbag. As long as the knitted blanket is wide enough to be tucked in then that's not a problem. The problem is loose bedding which can be moved around by a wriggling baby, it covers its head or face and baby overheats.

OP posts:
Penguin27 · 13/03/2017 08:23

I'm not a parent so I don't know much about the recommended ways to keep your baby safe when they're asleep... But I imagine it's just common sense?? Wonder why the growbags aren't safe for newborns though, they seem to be a good option.

BounceBounceSplishSplash · 13/03/2017 08:25

Penguin think it's to do with their heads not being big enough and they could potentially wiggle down into them when fastened when they are tiny newborns.

Sunnysky2016 · 13/03/2017 08:25

We were also advised about 15 years ago to place them at the bottom off the cot so they could not wiggle under blankets. Is this now not the done thing?

PotteringAlong · 13/03/2017 08:25

grobags are fine after 8lb ish (the weight is on the label). My babies are chunky monkeys so have been in them from a few weeks old - it depends how big your baby is!

drinkyourmilk · 13/03/2017 08:26

I've some newborn suitable grobags. Called a grosnug

MyschoolMyrules · 13/03/2017 08:26

Really, honestly, who puts a newborn to sleep without a blanket on? I was told very clearly that we can use cellular blanket, tucked it. And where is foot to foot (put the baby with its feet close at the end of the cot to stop them from crawling under the covers). I have never put my children to bed without a blanket, unless it was a hot summers day/night. Yet their clip on TV shows a baby without any blankets at all. And what about cot bumpers ? Why doesn't their clip on TV say not to use any toys, pillows, or cot bumper in the cot?

I am more confused than I was..

coffeetasteslikeshit · 13/03/2017 08:27

I thought the same when I saw the news this morning, who on earth doesn't know this? So I Googled it and the only 55% stat I could find was that 55% of parents in the US don't know about safe sleeping practices.

Oysterbabe · 13/03/2017 08:27

Are they including dad's in that? Sadly there are still a lot of men who think baby sleeping is for the women to worry about and they don't have it drummed into them like mum's do.

OuchBollocks · 13/03/2017 08:27

The grobag start weight is about 8lb 8oz, DS is probably there now at 11 days, but blankets easier IMO until they consolidate their sleep/wake periods a little.

drinkyourmilk I have a co sleeper cot attached to the bed, the midwives seemed happy enough that DS has his own sleeping space.

piglet81 · 13/03/2017 08:28

Sunnysky - yes, 'feet to foot' is correct.

BreatheDeep · 13/03/2017 08:32

Growbags have a minimum weight so that their head can't slip inside. For most of them it's 8 or 9lbs or so. If you have a big baby you can use them for newborns and definitely before 3 months. Having said that, I always use cellular blankets for the first few weeks.

I can't imagine 55% aren't aware. Perhaps they asked a lot of older people in the survey, ones that had babies before the guidelines changed. Even so, my mum is fully aware of the back to sleep campaign so I still think it'd be unlikely that 55% don't know.

Maybe they asked a lot of childless men?!?

SuperBeagle · 13/03/2017 08:33

I know someone who's had three children in the past 6 years and her newest (2 months old) sleeps on her stomach, in her bed, with covers over her. It makes me clench.

But she's the type that'll never accept advice, even when said advice could be the difference between life and death for her child.