Infant Journal
for neonatal and paediatric healthcare professionals

Experts raise safety concerns about cardboard baby boxes

Cardboard baby boxes are being promoted for infant sleep as a safe alternative to more traditional cots, bassinets or Moses baskets, without any evidence in place, warn experts in The BMJ.

In a letter to the journal, Professor Peter Blair at the University of Bristol and colleagues argue that, without supporting evidence: "The cardboard baby box should not be promoted as a safe sleeping space, but as only a temporary substitute if nothing else is available."

They call for high quality studies to better understand how families use the cardboard baby box and its safety implications.

Francine Bates, Chief Executive of The Lullaby Trust, says: "As a charity that works to reduce the number of deaths from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) we have previously raised concerns about misleading claims that the use of a cardboard box reduces infant deaths. There is no evidence that directly links the use of a baby box with a reduction in infant mortality or SIDS.

"We also have reservations about the safety of cardboard baby boxes. We recognise that for some parents, who do not have a cot or Moses basket for their baby, a box may be a better alternative than co-sleeping in high risk circumstances, such as on a sofa. However, we believe the concerns we raised remain valid. It is still not possible for baby boxes to fully comply with British safety standards because no specific standard currently exists for the use of a cardboard box as a sleeping place for an infant. This is why we are pleased that the British Standards Institution has begun developing a new standard for baby boxes and are involving us in this process."


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The Lullaby Trust