A BBC investigation using secret filming and interviews found that some widely followed, self-styled infant sleep consultants gave parents recommendations that medical experts say could put babies at risk of serious harm or death.
Undercover reporters paid for consultations with two prominent figures, Alison Scott‑Wright (who markets herself as the “Magic Sleep Fairy”) and Lisa Clegg (the “Blissful Baby Expert”), posing as the mother of a nine‑week‑old who was waking frequently at night. Both practitioners have large Instagram followings, celebrity endorsements and published books.
NHS guidance, supported by The Lullaby Trust, is clear: for the first 12 months babies should always be placed on their backs to sleep, in their own sleep space on a firm, flat, waterproof mattress, with the cot kept free of loose bedding and soft items. Sleeping prone (on the front) or placing loose fabric and cushions in the cot increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and accidental suffocation.
In the recording of the consultation, Scott‑Wright described front sleeping as a potential “game‑changer,” saying that the babies she works with sleep on their fronts and that she did not use back sleeping, while repeatedly framing the suggestion as something she could not formally tell parents to do. She also speculated about medical causes such as reflux, cow’s‑milk protein allergy, tongue‑tie and laryngomalacia despite not having examined the child, and advised the breastfeeding parent to remove dairy from their diet without directing them to seek medical assessment.
Separately, Clegg recommended that parents place muslins and rolled towels in a newborn’s cot to recreate a snug, held feeling, suggesting towels either side of the baby’s waist and arranging fabric to “keep her in position so she can’t roll.” Photographs shown to the BBC included infants surrounded by loose items, some close to their faces.
Paediatricians, midwives and infant‑sleep researchers who reviewed the footage criticised the advice. NHS paediatrician Dr Lillie Parker, NHS midwife and IBCLC Olivia Hinge, and infant‑sleep academic Prof Helen Ball said the medical claims were inaccurate and warned that promoting front sleeping is extremely dangerous and could lead to cot death. They also stressed that breathing monitors do not reliably prevent SIDS and cannot be relied upon to make unsafe sleep positions safe.
Medical reviewers described the examples of cots containing rolled towels and loose fabrics as unsafe and “shocking,” citing risks of suffocation and overheating. The Lullaby Trust reiterated that loose items can easily cover a baby’s face and are hazardous.
Dozens of parents contacted the BBC with concerns after the consultation recordings were aired. One mother said she found Scott‑Wright’s guidance “really cruel.” Another parent reported regret after following Clegg’s advice and placing multiple muslins and other items in her baby’s cot. A first‑time mother identified as Emily said she paid more than £500 for a video consultation with Scott‑Wright, who told her her son had severe reflux, advised medication and switching from breastfeeding to formula, and suggested prone sleep; Emily said she did not follow that guidance and her son is now nine months old and thriving.
Both practitioners told the BBC they have helped many families. Scott‑Wright said her role is complementary to, not a replacement for, medical advice and that she has never claimed to be a medical doctor. Clegg said she was not aware of families raising concerns about unsafe advice and suggested parents may choose whether to follow NHS guidelines.
Infant‑sleep consulting and the title “maternity nurse” are unregulated in the UK, so anyone can describe themselves as a sleep expert. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said the government intends to restrict use of the term “nurse” unless the person is appropriately qualified, following inquests including one into the death of a four‑month‑old who was found to have died while placed prone in an unsafe sleep position by someone describing themselves as a maternity nurse. Families involved in that inquest have called for regulation and mandatory training for people providing paid sleep care.
Experts and charities say the growth of an unregulated industry is driven in part by limited postnatal support. While many practitioners offer safe and valuable help, the absence of formal qualifications and oversight allows potentially dangerous misinformation to spread, especially via social media. Jenny Ward, CEO of The Lullaby Trust, said greater regulation would help ensure safe, consistent and evidence‑based practices and that advice contradicting established guidance should be treated with extreme caution.
The BBC’s undercover footage, together with reviews from medical experts, concluded that some advice being sold to vulnerable parents conflicts with established safer‑sleep guidance and could put infants at risk.