Parents and carers in Sefton are being advised not to use baby sleep pillows, which can cause serious harm or death to infants.

Product Safety Alert

Often animal shaped, baby sleep pillows or cushions are sold for babies to sleep on, or with, or to be placed on or with, unsupervised. However, the national Office for Product Safety and Standards has issued a Product Safety Alert about them.

Research has found that they can cause suffocation and overheating, which can lead to serious injury or death in babies under 12 months old. This can happen when an infant is placed on a baby sleep pillow unattended or for sleep and includes when the sleep pillow is put into a cot or crib.

The UK Government has now issued a formal product safety alert concerning baby sleep pillows.

Mouth and nose

Dr Rory McGill, Sefton Council’s Interim Director of Public Health said: “If a baby presses their mouth and nose against the soft and squishy materials these products tend to be made of, it can lead to suffocation. 

“And if a sleeping baby’s head sinks into a pillow’s soft surface, heat can’t escape and they can overheat, which results in a higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

“We want to make sure that parents and carers in Sefton, as well as nurseries, schools and businesses are aware of the potential dangers of baby sleep pillows.

“The dangers are not inevitable, but even one baby harmed is one too many.”

Guidance 

People can find guidance about safe sleep for babies by contacting Sefton Health Visitors on 0151 247 6354.

Information is also available from the Lullaby Trust at www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-information.

Professionals and parents can also find information from the Sefton Safeguarding Children Partnership.

Details of the product safety alert from the Office for Product Safety and Standards can be found at Product Safety Alert: Baby Sleep Pillows (PSA8) - GOV.UK.

The national Office for Product Safety and Standards’ role is to protect people from product-related harm.