Self-described baby experts have been accused of dispensing unsafe advice to parents, including recommending that newborns be placed to sleep on their stomachs. A new investigation was launched after numerous concerned parents reported receiving hazardous guidance during paid consultations with two celebrity-endorsed 'baby gurus' who boast substantial social media followings.
While the NHS advises new mothers to consult their midwife or health visitor during the early weeks and months of their baby's life, many parents turn to informal support networks and online resources for advice. However, a lack of regulation means that anyone can claim to be a sleep or baby expert, even without formal qualifications or industry backing. Social media amplifies their reach, allowing them to build large audiences and promote their services.
Among those named in the investigation are Alison Scott-Wright, known as the 'Magic Sleep Fairy,' and Lisa Clegg, who goes by 'Blissful Baby Expert' online. Both charge between £200 and £500 for an initial consultation, have celebrity endorsements, and have published books. Combined, they have 136,600 Instagram followers.
The BBC investigation, which used secret filming, showed Scott-Wright advising a reporter posing as a new mother to place a newborn to sleep on its front. This contradicts extensive medical evidence that front sleeping significantly increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The NHS recommends placing babies on their backs to sleep in a separate cot for the first 12 months to reduce SIDS risk.
During the consultation, Scott-Wright called back-sleeping 'one of the biggest travesties of modern-day parenting' and claimed every baby she works with sleeps on its front. Experts described this as the most dangerous statement she made. The Lullaby Trust, a charity focused on preventing infant deaths, urges all parents to follow back-sleeping from day one, noting that the risk of SIDS is particularly high for babies usually placed on their backs but occasionally placed on their fronts or sides.
The government's Back to Sleep campaign, launched in 1991 by The Lullaby Trust and journalist Anne Diamond (who lost her son to SIDS), is credited with a drastic reduction in unexplained infant deaths. Before the campaign, over 1,000 babies died unexpectedly each year in England and Wales; that figure fell by 81% in the first 25 years and has continued to decline.
Scott-Wright, who claimed to have been a midwife but no longer holds a license, said, 'There is no qualification that anyone could have for what I do.' She has appeared on ITV's This Morning and published a book with Penguin Random House, endorsed by celebrity parents including actress Giovanna Fletcher.
The investigation also found that Lisa Clegg recommended placing towels in the infant's cot to make the baby 'feel like she's still squished' in the mother's arms. The Lullaby Trust warns that this can cause overheating and increase SIDS or suffocation risk, as loose items can cover a baby's face and block breathing. The safest environment is a flat, firm mattress with no blankets, pillows, bumpers, or stuffed toys.
Both 'experts' describe themselves as 'maternity nurses.' Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC that the government plans to close this loophole by restricting who can call themselves a nurse. He stated, 'Dangerous misinformation dressed up as expert advice is putting babies' lives at risk - and it must stop.'
Scott-Wright told the BBC she has 'never claimed to be a medical doctor' and her role is complementary to medical advice. She said her advice has 'helped a multitude of babies, children, parents and families' and that she takes infant safety seriously. Clegg responded that she is not aware of any families raising concerns and that parents come to her due to lack of NHS support. She added that she has 'successfully advised thousands of parents' without any dangerous advice.
The investigation follows an inquest into the death of football manager Steve Bruce's four-month-old grandson, who died while asleep in an unsafe position advised by a self-described maternity nurse. The Bruce Smith family is calling for mandatory training and regulation for paid infant sleep care providers.
