A MUM has issued a warning to parents after her baby was ‘strangled to death’ by part of his cot.
Lisa Gee, now 36, lost her son Preston in 2013 when he was just nine months old.
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The “bubbly baby” was found in bed with the fabric from a cot bumper wrapped around his neck.
The bumpers, which are tied on the inside of cots, are supposed to stop infants injuring their heads or limbs.
It had been tied to the cot in three places – but one of the knots had come undone.
Preston’s Dad, Cuchulain Brian, now 33, was the one to discover his son at their home in Leicestershire.
He said at the time: “When I went into the nursery and saw Preston lying there, lifeless with the material from the cot bumper round his neck, my heart just dropped.”
Lisa, who had purchased the device on eBay, added: “When he told me our precious son was dead, I screamed and ran to call
the ambulance.
“Preston was the happiest, bubbliest little baby that you could ever meet.”
An inquest could not determine the cause of Preston’s death, but his parents blame the cot bumper which had been bought online as part of a bedding set.
In Britain, there is no formal advice on whether they should be used or not.
The Lullaby Trust, the safer sleep baby charity, does not recommend using them at all as they are not necessary.
The mum is now warning other parents not to buy cot bumpers after a recent ITV investigation revealed parents are still purchasing the items online.
“[People] are buying something and assuming that it’s safe because it’s sold, but they could be unknowingly putting their baby in danger every single day and it’s worrying, and it’s scary, and it’s not fair, and it’s not right,” Lisa told the broadcaster.
A survey of health visitors found 88 per cent had come across parents using unsafe baby products they had bought from online shops.
And nearly all (97 per cent) said they were concerned about the availability of these products in the UK.
The news organisation bought baby products from unnamed third-party sellers on three major online marketplaces and showed them to experts.
This included cot bumpers, sleep nests, sleep positioners, swaddle blankets, dummy clips and teething necklaces.
The products have not been tested in a laboratory, but after an initial assessment, experts said they were unsuitable and potentially unsafe.
Katrina Phillips OBE, chief executive of Child Accident Prevention Trust, described them as “potential tragedies waiting to happen” and said she was “really worried”.
“Parents tell us that they think things that they’re buying online from online marketplaces have been independently tested and certified safe, and that isn’t necessarily the case if you’re buying from an overseas seller on an online marketplace,” she explained.
Since the investigation, some of the online marketplaces have removed the items from their websites.
How to make sure your baby’s bed is safe
There is advice issued by the Lullaby Trust of what bedding is suitable for newborns.
They have stated on their website that cot bumpers are not safe.
The Lullaby Trust organisation website says: “Our advice on choosing sleeping products for your baby.
“There is evidence to suggest that babies are at higher risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) if they have their heads covered.
“Some items added to a cot may increase the risk of head-covering. Unnecessary items in a baby’s cot can also increase the risk of accidents.
“While evidence on individual items is not widely available, it makes sense to be as cautious as possible.”
They recommend babies sleep in cots or Moses baskets that are kept as clear as possible and specifically advise:
- No pillows or duvets
- No cot bumpers
- No soft toys
- No loose bedding
- No products (such as wedges or straps) that will keep your baby in one sleeping position
The NHS echoes the Lullaby Trust’s advice, with the health service saying small babies are not strong enough to move bedding away from their faces, which poses the danger of suffocation.
The NHS say: “Do not use pillows or duvets with babies under the age of one, as they can suffocate if their face gets smothered. They won’t be able to push the duvet away.
“Babies should always sleep on their back with their feet at the foot of their cot.
“Tuck the blanket across their chest and under their arms and keep the cot free from bumpers, pillows and soft toys.”
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