Secret filming and interviews for a BBC investigation found some self-described infant sleep experts giving parents advice that could put babies at risk of serious harm and death, medical professionals warned.
Undercover reporters booked paid consultations with two widely followed figures, Alison Scott‑Wright (known as the “Magic Sleep Fairy”) and Lisa Clegg (the “Blissful Baby Expert”), posing as the mother of a nine‑week‑old waking frequently at night. Both women have large Instagram followings, celebrity endorsements and books.
NHS guidance — echoed by The Lullaby Trust — is clear: always place babies on their backs to sleep in their own sleep space for the first 12 months, on a firm, flat, waterproof mattress, and keep the cot clear of loose items. Sleeping on the front (prone) and placing loose fabrics in the cot increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (Sids) and accidental suffocation.
In the recorded consultation, Scott‑Wright suggested front sleeping could be “a game‑changer”, saying “every baby I work with sleeps on its front” and that she “never does back sleeping”. She added that she “can’t tell you to do this” while repeatedly promoting the idea. She also suggested potential medical causes for the reporter’s baby’s sleep issues — such as reflux, cow’s milk protein allergy, tongue‑tie and laryngomalacia — despite not seeing the child, and advised removing dairy from the breastfeeding parent’s diet without directing them to medical assessment.
Medical reviewers, including NHS paediatrician Dr Lillie Parker, NHS midwife and IBCLC Olivia Hinge, and infant‑sleep academic Prof Helen Ball, said Scott‑Wright made inaccurate medical claims and that promoting front sleeping is “fundamentally the most dangerous thing” and could lead to cot death. Scott‑Wright suggested using breathing monitors to make front sleeping safer; experts said there is no evidence monitors reduce Sids and they cannot be relied upon to prevent it.
In a separate paid session, Clegg advised placing muslins and rolled towels in a newborn’s cot to mimic the snug feeling of being held, suggesting rolled towels either side of the baby’s waist “under her arms” and positioning fabric to “keep her in position so she can’t roll”. She shared photos showing infants surrounded by loose items, some close to faces. Medical reviewers called the examples unsafe and “shocking”, warning of asphyxiation and overheating risks. The Lullaby Trust cautioned that loose items can easily cover a baby’s face and are hazardous.
Dozens of parents contacted the BBC with concerns. One mother said Scott‑Wright’s advice had been “really cruel” and another regretted placing multiple muslins and loose items in cots after following Clegg’s guidance. A first‑time mother, Emily, paid more than £500 for a video consultation with Scott‑Wright. She says she was told her son had severe reflux, advised to medicate him and to stop breastfeeding in favour of formula, and told to place him on his front to sleep; she did not follow the advice. Emily’s son is now nine months old and “thriving”.
Both Scott‑Wright and Clegg told the BBC they have helped many families. Scott‑Wright said her role is “complementary to — not a replacement for — medical advice” and said she has never claimed to be a medical doctor. Clegg said she is not aware of families raising concerns about unsafe advice and framed NHS guidelines as recommendations parents may choose to follow or not.
Infant‑sleep consulting and the title “maternity nurse” are unregulated in the UK, meaning anyone can call themselves a sleep expert. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said the government plans to restrict use of the term “nurse” unless the person is appropriately qualified, following inquests including into the death of a four‑month‑old who was found to have died “whilst asleep in his cot having been placed prone in an unsafe sleep position” by someone describing themselves as a maternity nurse. The family called for regulation and mandatory training for anyone providing paid sleep care.
Experts and charities say the growing unregulated industry is fuelled by limited postnatal support for new parents. While many practitioners provide safe, valuable help, the lack of formal qualifications and oversight means dangerous misinformation can spread, particularly via social media. The Lullaby Trust’s CEO Jenny Ward said greater regulation would ensure “safe, consistent and evidence‑based practices” and that advice going against guidance should be treated with extreme caution.
The BBC’s undercover footage and the medical experts’ reviews concluded that some of the advice being sold to desperate, vulnerable parents contradicts established safer‑sleep guidance and could put infants at risk. Additional reporting by Natalie Truswell.