Charity’s worries over safety of ‘baby boxes’
A COT death charity has raised concerns about the safety of so-called ‘baby boxes’ which are used for newborns to sleep in.
The concept originates from Finland, where new parents are given a cardboard box, which can be used as a bed, filled with baby products and a mattress.
The Scottish Government is preparing to launch a £8.8million a year scheme to give a box to the parents of every new baby.
The tradition has been cited as helping to reduce the rate of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) – known as cot death.
But the Lullaby Trust, which works to reduce SIDS, has said there is no evidence that the boxes help cut infant mortality.
It acknowledged that for some parents – who do not have an enclosed space for their baby to sleep such as a cot or Moses basket – a box may be a better alternative than a newborn sleeping in a ‘hazardous’ condition.
But the charity claimed it is not possible for baby boxes to fully comply with safety standards.
British and EU regulations for nursery furniture only exist for traditional cots, bassinets and cribs, and there is no specific standard for the use of a cardboard box as a sleeping place for an infant.
The Trust also raised questions over the safety of the mattresses in some boxes and has advised parents to check that they meet regulations. Francine Bates, chief executive of The Lullaby Trust, said: ‘We do have concerns about the baby boxes being marketed as products which will reduce infant mortality and SIDS. We are not aware of any evidence, including in Finland, to support this claim.
‘If parents choose to use the box to sleep their baby, we urge them to read and follow our advice, approved by our scientific and paediatric advisers.’
The charity has urged health and social care professionals who distribute the boxes – as well as parents – to ensure they comply with safety regulations.
The Lullaby Trust said it will no longer allow its branded leaflets to be enclosed with baby boxes ‘as this suggests we endorse the product’. In new advice, the charity also states that if a parent does decide to use a box, it should be for ‘daytime naps only’, with a baby sleeping in a cot or a Moses basket next to their bed during the night.
It also reminds parents not to lift or carry the box around the home if a baby is in it. In Scotland, parents of all babies born after August 15 this year will be given the boxes – despite concerns over the cost. Included in them during the pilot scheme was a changing mat, a digital thermometer, a fleece jacket, several babygrows, a reusable nappy and liners, a baby book and an organic sponge. Cot sheets, a mattress and a blanket were also inside the boxes to give babies ‘the best start in life’.
There were 230 sudden infant deaths in the UK in 2014, following a downward trend in the past decade. In 2001, there were 330.
Last night, the Scottish Government insisted its baby boxes met ‘the highest safety standards’.
A spokesman added: ‘It was awarded British Safety Standard accreditation as a crib for domestic use – the first non-commercial baby box in the world to do so.
‘The Scottish baby box will help tackle deprivation, improve health and support parents. We are proud to introduce it in Scotland.’