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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:
AyeAmarok · 13/03/2017 08:33

Other than the antenatal classes, safe-sleeping wasn't mentioned to me by anyone until DS was born. Then, every one of the community midwives mentioned it, and the health visitor, so I'd be surprised if anyone hadn't had it mentioned.

It might be that it was mentioned once but they don't remember because there is so much to take in when you have just had a baby, and your brain doesn't work properly.

In NHS antenatal classes they told us about feet-to-foot (of cot/basket), no lose covers, no bumpers, no soft toys. I can't remember what they said about co-sleeping, other than never have the baby in with you if someone smokes/drinks/is overweight etc.

KitKat1985 · 13/03/2017 08:33

55% seems high to me given how much midwives / health visitors etc go on about it. I suspect people know the advice but end up ignoring it. The problem is (and both my DDs were like this in the early days) that they both refused to sleep unless on either me or DH. If put in their moses baskets they were awake within 10 minutes, so I ended up co-sleeping with both of them out of sheer desperation.

BreatheDeep · 13/03/2017 08:34

Cross post with loads of people!

Original poster
TinfoilHattie · 13/03/2017 08:34

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?

If it's true that 55% of people don't know that babies should be sleeping on their backs and not with duvets etc then that is the message which needs ramming home as it's the key to it all. Once you've got all babies on their backs then you can move onto other things like cot bumpers and pillows.

OP posts:
LoveMyLittleSuperhero · 13/03/2017 08:35

I'm surprised this has come up today. I was talking to a pregnant friend last night and she was asking me how you stop a baby rolling onto its face when you put it to sleep on its side. Her friend who had a baby a year ago was adamant this was the safe sleep advice!
Two days ago I'd have seen this statistic and gone hah! No way! Now I'm wondering how many other people are having knowledge passed person to person that isn't right.

HughLauriesStubble · 13/03/2017 08:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AyeAmarok · 13/03/2017 08:36

Actually, when DS was born (3 months ago) all 4 of our parents had never heard of the guidelines saying to put a baby to sleep on its back, they were all Hmm and slightly horrified that we weren't putting him on his stomach.

So maybe they did survey the wrong demographic as Breathe says.

steff13 · 13/03/2017 08:39

We never put our babies to sleep with blankets. Just the fitted sheet on that crib mattress. If it was cold, they wore sleepers. My oldest is 18, they've told us back to sleep since I was pregnant with him. In fact, it was printed on the newborn size diapers.

bloodyteenagers · 13/03/2017 08:40

The 55% surely will depend on the age of the parent. Anyone with their youngest aged 25 ish wouldn't know about sleeping because swaddled and on the front was the norm.
My eldest is in his early 20's and swaddling was still recommended then. I remembering arguing with mil and hv as he didn't like it and they kept saying I had to persevere.

It also will depend on gender. Alas, some men still believe that a lot of baby stuff is woman stuff. And of course they are still parents. Don't forget you also have the ones that don't go to anti natal appointments only the scans, or minimal appointments so if was mentioned in the past visit how likely is it going to be mentioned again?

minipie · 13/03/2017 08:41

The problem is (and both my DDs were like this in the early days) that they both refused to sleep unless on either me or DH.

DD was like this too. However I'm sure I read somewhere that the baby sleeping on their tummy is ok if they are actually on you (provided no risk of falling off/slipping under duvet etc). It doesn't carry the same sids risk as sleeping on tummy in their cot.

BakeOffBiscuits · 13/03/2017 08:43

Mine are 23 and 26 and advice when mine were born was for them to sleep on their side or tummyShock, cot bumpers and cosleeping were never talked about and we had never heard of putting baby at the bottom of the cot.

But even I have heard of the new guidelines. Have these people been living under a rock?

29redshoes · 13/03/2017 08:43

I'm sure that statistic is flawed. They should have asked parents of newborns, surely, not "women"?

I had a baby nearly a year ago and safe sleeping was drummed into me at practically every appointment, both before and after the birth. You couldn't have missed it unless you literally went to no appointments and gave birth at home.

welshweasel · 13/03/2017 08:43

I'm sure it's more that they choose to ignore rather than never told in the first place. Of my group of 8 nct friends, at least 2 had cot bumpers and one side slept. We were definitely all taught about the guidelines.

NerrSnerr · 13/03/2017 08:44

When my daughter was born 2 years ago some other parents didn't appear to go by the guidelines at all, although unsure what they were told. I seemed to know a lot of people who were in a hurry to tick off all the milestones so the baby sleeping in their own room and stuff was something to be proud of for some bizarre reason (as was weaning, being in the seat part of pushchair and other odd stuff).

The lullaby trust is brilliant for information and resources on safer sleep. I have baby number 2 on the way and safer sleep is something that I get very anxious about.

29redshoes · 13/03/2017 08:45

I should really learn to read, I thought the OP said they'd asked women not parents! Oh well. It should be parents of newborns as the advice has changed over the years.

Original poster
TinfoilHattie · 13/03/2017 08:46

My parents and inlaws knew about the "back to sleep" thing before I had my first, mainly because of the campaigning by Anne Diamond. Certainly in the UK that was a "thing" from the early 1990s. Even though it didn't affect them directly because they didn't have babies at the time, they were still aware that advice had changed.

It does seem that the person interviewed has plucked a figure out of thin air, and neither of the presenters challenged her on it.

OP posts:
unfortunateevents · 13/03/2017 08:46

Just looked this up, apparently the research was carried out by the Lullaby Trust and it was a poll of 200 parents of children under 2! So it is the appropriate demographic and now I find it even more shocking that apparently 4 out of 10 of the survey group were unsure whether babies should sleep on their tummies - or thought it was fine for them to do so. More than half thought it was safe for babies on sleep on their side - or were unsure about it. I have taken that summary from a new article in the Telegraph though so am going to look on the charity's website to see if they have a more in depth explanation as it's very easy for findings to be misinterpreted or summarised sloppily in a brief article or news item.

SnipSnipMrBurgess · 13/03/2017 08:47

And is this true for new horns only or older kids? I've a 2 year old in a cot (not old enough for bed) and the second I put her down she rolls to her side and sleeps that way. And usually at some point in the night she rolls on her stomach.

Heirhelp · 13/03/2017 08:49

My DD is 10 months and I cosleep which as I don't breast feed is against NHS guidelines.

There is some excellent research by ISIS at Durham University about safe cosleeping.

Sandsnake · 13/03/2017 08:49

It must be flawed, as it's drummed into you. That said, I think a lot of people lack personal responsibility and their first reaction when informed they're doing something wrong is 'but nobody told me' - whether that's true or not.

NerrSnerr · 13/03/2017 08:50

Snip once the child can roll they can sleep how they like, it's for young babies who cannot roll themselves or who will roll over and not be able to get back again.

Sandsnake · 13/03/2017 08:50

That sounded a bit smug, which I have no right to be as I broke safe sleeping guidelines by co-sleeping for about four months (I was aware of them though).

steff13 · 13/03/2017 08:51

And is this true for new horns only or older kids?

I think as long as the kid is able to roll over on their own, it's ok to let them sleep however. We always put ours down on their backs, but they'd end up any which way.

PixieMiss · 13/03/2017 08:52

I had my DS almost a year ago and I literally could not have been given more information on safe sleeping.

Bit Hmm at the comment that under 25s may not remember them all. I guess over 25s will not have any problems then!?

NoviceGardener101 · 13/03/2017 08:53

Aware of them or choose not to follow them?

I personally think the huge fall in SIDS was people not smoking around their babies/in the bedrooms. Not so much putting them on the front. Which is also why SIDS is still higher amongst low income smokers (bit rusty but these were the stats last time I looked)

We followed safe co-sleeping guidelines. But did put the babies down on their sides/front.