Title: Secret Investigation Exposes Risky Sleep Guidance from Unregulated "Experts"

A BBC investigation has uncovered that certain individuals claiming to be infant sleep specialists are offering guidance that could endanger infants, potentially leading to severe injury or fatality. Medical experts expressed deep concern after secret recordings captured one consultant advising a reporter to place a newborn on its stomach—a practice known to drastically elevate the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

In contrast, the NHS strongly recommends that parents always lay their baby on their back in a dedicated sleep space, such as a cot, for the first year of life to minimize SIDS risks. They further specify that the sleeping surface must be firm, flat, and covered with a waterproof sheet. Another so-called expert featured in the investigation suggested placing towels in a baby’s cot, a method that the Lullaby Trust, a leading charity for baby safety, warns also heightens the likelihood of SIDS and accidental suffocation.

Healthcare professionals who reviewed the undercover footage described their reaction as feeling "sick" and "horrified." They attribute the proliferation of unsafe advice to the rapid growth of an unregulated infant sleep consulting industry, which has emerged partly due to insufficient postnatal support for new parents. While acknowledging that many professionals offer safe and valuable guidance, experts warn of a "dark side" within this sector.

Social media has amplified the reach of these baby "sleep experts," and members of the investigation team have personally encountered the industry. The BBC has received numerous complaints from parents who paid for consulting services from two prominent figures: Alison Scott-Wright and Lisa Clegg. Both women boast significant Instagram followings, celebrity endorsements, and published books.

Parents have shared disturbing accounts of the advice they received. One new mother described Scott-Wright’s counsel as "really cruel." Another parent, who consulted Clegg regarding two children born several years apart, expressed regret for endangering her "young babies" by following instructions to fill their cots with multiple muslins and loose items.

In response to the allegations, Scott-Wright stated that her support and advice have "helped a multitude of babies, children, parents and families," asserting that she takes "infant safety and the well-being of families extremely seriously." Clegg defended her record, claiming she has "successfully advised thousands of parents" on sleep and routines, and insisted that none of her advice has ever been "dangerous or put babies at risk."

To test these claims, the BBC sent a reporter to book online consultations with both women, posing as the mother of a nine-week-old newborn who was experiencing frequent night wakings. This age falls squarely within the one-to-six-month window when the majority of SIDS cases occur. SIDS, formerly known as cot death, refers to the sudden, unexplained death of a healthy baby under 12 months of age while sleeping. According to the most recent complete data from 2022, there were 197 unexplained deaths of children under one in England and Wales, 16 in Scotland, and two in Northern Ireland.

Currently, there is no regulatory body governing who can label themselves a sleep expert. Furthermore, both Scott-Wright and Clegg operate as self-described "maternity nurses," a hands-on role involving direct care of infants that is also unregulated.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced plans to close this regulatory loophole across the UK by restricting the use of the title "nurse" to only those with appropriate qualifications. This move follows an inquest into the death of Madison Bruce Smith, the four-month-old grandson of football manager Steve Bruce. A coroner determined that the infant died "whilst asleep in his cot having been placed prone in an unsafe sleep position" by an individual identifying as a maternity nurse.

Streeting told the BBC that "dangerous misinformation dressed up as expert advice is putting babies' lives at risk - and it must stop." The Bruce Smith family is now urging for stricter regulations and "mandatory training" for anyone providing paid sleep care for infants.

"No parent should ever

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-05 05:01:18 UTC