A mother who believed she had caused her baby's death by co-sleeping on a sofa has spoken of her anguish after a coroner later discovered the infant had suffered brain damage from birth.
Dawn Barclay, from Forfar, fell asleep with her eight-week-old daughter Fern on a couch in 2014. When she woke, Fern had stopped breathing. For nine months, Dawn thought she had killed her daughter, until a coroner's report revealed Fern had pre-existing brain damage that may have caused her death.
The death certificate was changed from 'inconclusive' to 'sudden unexpected death in infancy associated with co-sleeping,' a ruling Dawn still believes is unfair. 'The fear that I had done something to her was one of the first things to go through my mind,' she said.
Co-sleeping is a sensitive subject in the UK, with many parents feeling it is natural. However, official advice warns of increased risks of sudden infant death syndrome (Sids). The Department of Health recommends babies sleep in a cot in the same room as parents for the first six months.
The Victoria Derbyshire programme found that many parents who co-sleep do not tell health visitors for fear of being judged. Experts say this means guidance on minimising risks—such as avoiding sofas, pillows, and duvets—is not being passed on.
Shona Haigh, a mother who co-sleeps with her four-month-old daughter Ava, said she has received no advice on how to do it safely. 'It is completely natural for us to want our babies next to us,' she said.
