UK mothers should be given Finnish-style baby boxes to reduce the SIDS risks associated with unsafe co-sleeping, according to a statement from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).
The cardboard boxes, which come with essential items such as clothes, books and blankets, can be used as beds and are provided for all new babies in Scotland and in some parts of England.
Extending the scheme would provide all babies with a safe space to sleep and particularly benefit those from deprived backgrounds, said the RCM.
The RCM’s research identified a number of risk factors for cot death or sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), such as babies sharing sleeping surfaces with parents who smoke, drink or take drugs, and sleeping on soft or unsafe surfaces, such as a sofa.
However, The Lullaby Trust, a charity that aims to prevent unexpected deaths in infancy, said that while a baby box might be better than co-sleeping in ‘hazardous circumstances’, it was not currently possible for baby boxes to fully comply with safety standards.
“Additionally, there is still no evidence directly linking the use of a baby box with a reduction in infant mortality or sudden infant death syndrome,” said chief executive Francine Bates. “Given current pressures on public health budgets, we question whether the call to introduce the scheme across the country is the best use of resources to reduce infant deaths.”
The RCM has acknowledged that there is limited evidence around baby boxes reducing deaths from SUDI.
