A leading midwife has warned that a celebrity-backed “designer” crib trend could risk babies breaking limbs and even suffocating.
The new trend on social media involves parents decorating their newborns’ cribs with a variety of pillows, stuffed animals and blankets.
Bumpers (lengths of padded fabric designed to wrap around the side of the crib to prevent babies’ feet from getting stuck in the bars) are another popular addition.
Videos advertising crib accessories on TikTok have been viewed millions of times. And the trend has some high-profile advocates, including social media influencer Khloe Kardashian, sister of Kim Kardashian, who has more than 300 million followers.
In 2018, Khloe shared photos on Instagram of her four-month-old daughter True’s crib, which contained a Hermes blanket, a large teddy bear, and a collection of pillows.
But midwife Clare Byam-Cook, who regularly gives new mothers health advice on television and radio, fears that parents who follow this trend could unknowingly put their babies at risk.
“There should be nothing in the crib except a blanket; anything else is unnecessary and could pose a danger to the baby,” she says.
‘Anything that is loose could trap the baby and pose a choking risk, as could anything that has strings that could come loose and be within their reach.
The Lullaby Trust, a charity that offers advice on safer sleep for babies, says parents should keep cots completely clear except for a light sheet, and that unnecessary items increase the risk of accidents and death.
“No doubt the parents mean well, but it’s not a risk worth taking if it puts your child in danger.”
The warning comes after a west London coroner last week issued an urgent statement about the dangers of modern baby carriers, following the death of a baby.
Six-week-old Jimmy Alderman was being breastfed by his mother in a “hands-free” baby carrier while walking around his house when he slipped too far out of the carrier and suffocated.
Coroner Lydia Brown criticized the lack of safety information for parents around baby carriers and called for better standards in the industry. Experts say similar warnings should be issued to prevent parents from filling cribs with potentially dangerous items.
The Lullaby Trust, a charity that provides advice on safer sleep for babies, says parents should keep cots completely clear except for a light sheet, and that unnecessary items increase the risk of accidents and death.
Research suggests that a crowded cot may also increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, also known as SIDS, which kills almost 200 babies in the UK each year.
But this hasn’t stopped a growing number of parents from filling cribs with designer products.
Videos of cribs decorated with pillows and toys have become very popular on TikTok, often being shared tens of thousands of times.
A TikTok post showing a crib decorated with a pink canopy and matching pillows and blankets.
A TikTok from a company that sells accessories, viewed more than 122,000 times, shows a crib with a baby mobile hanging so low that the ropes could brush the baby’s face. The risk, especially in the case of mobile phones purchased online, is that parts become loose, explains Byam-Cook.
‘The same goes for any baby toy. If you buy them online, you have no guarantee that pieces will not come off that the baby could choke on,” he says.
In another video, viewed almost 40,000 times, an American childcare influencer shows her two-month-old baby in a small crib filled with pillows, bumpers and a baby mobile hanging within arm’s reach.
“Moms, if you were planning on buying a crib, make sure you buy this hanging toy too,” she says. ‘It has been a great help to me. They love seeing him at this age.’
And in a third similar video, viewed more than 70,000 times, another influencer equips a crib with bumpers, a pillow and a duvet.
Experts say that one of the most common mistakes parents make is putting pillows in the crib. “You definitely shouldn’t have pillows in the crib as there is a risk of suffocation,” says Ms Byam-Cook.
‘Babies don’t need pillows, nor do small children. It just increases the risk of them turning upside down and not being able to roll over again.’
The same goes for the bumpers. Parents often worry that their baby will get a leg or arm stuck between the bars of their crib, but if they do, they may break free or scream, alerting parents to fix things.
Bumpers, although sold as a way to prevent this, can actually make the problem worse by making it more difficult for a baby to free himself when trapped between the bars and the fabric.
“There is also the risk of the baby slipping between the protector and the mattress and suffocating, as well as the possibility of getting their head tangled.”
on any loose cord that holds it in place and they strangle themselves,” says Ms. Byam-Cook.
He adds that the same applies to weighted blankets, even if they are placed over the crib rail. “You shouldn’t even leave a simple muslin on the side of the baby’s crib, in case the baby becomes entangled and suffocates.”
However, parents should still make sure their baby is warm enough when put to bed.
Ms Byam-Cook explains: ‘On the other hand, some parents are so afraid to use blankets and duvets for fear of the baby suffocating that they put them to sleep without enough layers.
‘The solution may be a bulkier sleep suit, or simply making sure the blanket used is snug under the baby so it can’t slide underneath. It can be a minefield, but if you’re cautious, your baby should be fine.’