Child experts warn mothers against covering their baby's pram with a blanket to shield them from the sun, insisting it could prove fatal to infants
It is a common sight; many mothers and fathers will drape a thin blanket or scarf over their baby's pram or pushchair, in a bid to shade them from the heat.
However research has shown that the practise could be putting babies in danger.
Svante Norgren, paediatrician at the Astrid Lindgren children's hospital in Stockholm, told the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper: "It gets extremely hot down in the pram, something like a thermos.
"There is also bad circulation of the air and it is hard to see the baby with a cover over the pram.
"It would quickly become uncomfortable and potentially dangerous for the child."
Check out: How to get a good night's sleep with a newborn baby
How to get a good night's sleep with a newborn baby - SLIDER
1 of 5Keep your baby close
For the first six months of their life, it is highly recommended that you keep your baby in the same room as you. Invest in a bedside crib, ideally with a mesh panel so your baby can see you. Specifically designed to allow you and your baby to sleep next to each other, these cribs are particularly useful if you are nursing, allowing you to feed without having to leave the comfort of your bed.
2 of 5Power eat
With more than half (65%) of mums with young children having their sleep disturbed on a regular basis, it is often tempting to have a 'midnight snack'. However, too much refined sugar – found in processed foods or sweets – can in fact prevent you from sleeping well. Instead, try to pick foods containing high levels of sleep-inducing chemicals; serotonin, tryptophan, and melatonin such as bananas, almonds and cherries, to help you drift off to a more relaxed sleep.
3 of 5Introduce a bedtime routine early on
With almost half of UK mums stating that a lack of sleep means they are frequently irritable and short-tempered, it can be helpful to introduce a loose bedtime routine. If you do this from an early stage it can help small babies to differentiate the difference between day and night. To accomplish this, buy black-out blinds for their bedrooms, keep lights throughout the house off or dimly lit, speak in low and quiet tones, and keep the same bedtime routine for your baby every day.
4 of 5Say no to caffeine
We get it; the lure of caffeine is strong when you have small children. But however tempting it may be, indulging in your favourite coffee to help you stay alert during the day can have a negative impact on your sleep. Avoid drinking caffeine after mid-day and switch to drinks such as chamomile tea, or join your little one with a glass of milk - which is rich in sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan.
5 of 5Remember – sleepless nights won’t last forever
It may feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel, especially when you are regularly woken up several times a night. During these tough months, focus on self-care, introducing a relaxing bedtime routine for yourself such as: a hot bubble bath, relaxing music and a good book. As well as this, confide in family and friends, as well as expressing any worries via parenting forums and websites. The main thing to remember is that you are not alone, so seek support when you need it.
The paper conducted an experiment to see just how hot it could get inside a pram or pushchair when covered, leaving it out in the sun between 11:30am and 1pm on a warm day.
Without a blanket or scarf covering the pram, the temperature reached 22C.
However, when a thin cover was placed over for the next 30 minutes, the heat rose dramatically to 34C.
After an hour, the temperature sat at a sweltering 37C.
The risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is dramatically increased when a young baby is exposed to intense heat - which means that, while many parents believe they are sheltering their children from the sun, they could actually be placing their offspring in more danger.
Svante explained: "If a child gets too hot then the child may think that it is back in the womb, which is why breathing may stop."
The best bet for parents is to abandon the practice of using towels or thin blankets as a cover and instead place the pram in the shade, he added.
What do you think of this parenting advice? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter or Facebook.
WATCH: How To Recreate Cheryl's Sleek Low Pony Hairstyle
READ MORE