According to the Child Accident Protection Trust A shocking number of dangerous baby products are making their way into family homes throughout the UK.
“ITV Regional News revealed today that many parents are unaware that products they’re buying from online marketplaces could suffocate, strangle or even choke their baby.
Products assessed by a panel of experts from the Child Accident Prevention Trust, Institute of Health Visiting and Lullaby Trust included sleep bags, cot bumpers, baby pillows, baby nests and teething necklaces.
The knitted swaddle sleep bag has now been removed from sale because of the serious risks it poses to babies, including suffocation, overheating and death.”
Watch the video here
Katrina Phillips, Chief Executive of the Child Accident Prevention Trust said:
“It’s hard enough being a new parent. Parents should be able to trust that the things they buy for their baby are safe – whether from sellers on online marketplaces or shops on their high street.
“In our recent survey, three-quarters of parents thought that – if they were buying for their baby from an online marketplace – the product would have been fully tested and certified safe by an authorised independent body before it could be sold online. That’s simply not the case.
“In reality, if an online seller is based overseas, and sells through an online platform, they can evade their safety responsibilities – even for nursery products for your baby.”
The Lullaby Trust has warned that some popular sleeping products for babies do not conform to safer sleep guidelines. Items such as cushioned sleeping pods, nests, baby hammocks, cot bumpers, pillows, duvets and anything that wedges or straps a baby in place can pose a risk to babies under 12 months. Evidence shows that sleeping a baby on anything but a firm, flat surface, or using soft, heavy bedding, can increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). They can lead overheating or potentially obstruct a baby’s airway if they roll or their face becomes covered by loose bedding.
However, many of these products are created by trusted brands and can be found in well-known high street stores. Additionally a number of manufacturers make inaccurate claims about the safety of their products and as there are no safety standards that relate to sudden infant death syndrome it is very difficult for parents to know which products are safe for their baby.
It may be helpful if friends and family want to buy something for your baby to ask for gift vouchers from reputable stores so you can purchase safe products with peace of mind.
Read more from The Lullaby Trust here
Read our blog post about buying safe toys at Christmas
