Some UK retailers have stopped selling baby sleep positioners following concerns over their safety.
The concerns follow reports from a US health regulator which said they ‘can cause suffocation that can lead to death’ and linking them to as many as 12 fatalities in the US.
The positioners, primarily aimed at infants under six months, are intended to keep a baby in a specific position while sleeping. Mothercare, John Lewis, eBay, Boots and Tesco have stopped sales, but they are still available from other retailers.
Babymoov’s Cosydream was mentioned in consumer articles on the subject and the company issued an official statement, assuring customers that its ‘award-winning, paediatrician-approved products have never been involved in any incident connected with infant fatality.’
“Over a period of 10 years, more than 100,000 Cosydream units have been sold worldwide,” it said. “The design enables baby to sleep safely on their back in accordance with recommendations by the NHS.”
The Lullaby Trust, a cot death charity which advises the NHS, said that that there are hundreds of baby sleep products on the market but that it does not recommend wedges or sleep positioners, regardless of other potential benefits.
The BPA issued a statement highlighting the difference between sleep positioners and baby nests saying that; “The Baby Products Association has a neutral position to the use of sleep positioners and baby nests in the UK. It is our opinion that they can provide a limited protective function and are considered safe when used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.”
