BookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxFilledCheckBoxCircleBumpCheckedFilledMedical

Baby Dies After Mom Brings Her Into Bed to Monitor Cough

It’s a heartbreaking reminder that bed-sharing can turn out deadly.
save article
profile picture of Natalie Escobar
Published August 9, 2017

When baby is sick, you’ll want to do everything you can to keep an eye on their symptoms. But one UK infant’s tragic death reminds parents that bed-sharing shouldn’t be one of the ways.

When 2-month-old Kate-Janet Holmes came down with a cough and rash, her worried mom, Laura-Jane, brought her into bed to monitor her condition, the Hull Daily Mail reported on Wednesday. She had been coughing before she was scheduled for routine vaccinations, after which she broke out in a rash and vomited up her food.

Holmes brought her into bed at 9:30 p.m. the night before, checking constantly to make sure Kate-Janet was okay and then falling asleep with baby at her side. But when she woke up at 4:15 a.m., Holmes found that Kate-Janet was unresponsive and covered by a blanket.

"The blanket was covering her face. I uncovered her and she was laid on her back with her arms up by her side,” she said in a statement for the coroner. “I could see she was far from normal and I realised there was no pulse and that she was not breathing. I tried to resuscitate her but didn’t know what to do.”

Holmes called the paramedics and went to the hospital, where her daughter was pronounced dead an hour later. She and her fiancé, Michael Farrell, say they are devastated over the death of their first daughter together.

“I was always showing her off to everyone because she always looked so beautiful. She was a little character, even at such a young age and she was my little blue-eyed girl,” she told the Daily Mail.

With an official coroner’s report that Kate-Janet died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), it’s yet another wake-up call that baby is vulnerable when sleeping in an adult bed. The American Academy of Pediatrics isn’t against co-sleeping altogether; having baby’s crib or bassinet next to your bed can actually improve baby’s safety and reduce their stress. However, bedsharing can lead to overheating, suffocation or entrapment. Read more about the myths and truths about co-sleeping here.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

save article
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

Best Toddler Bed Rails to Keep Your Kiddo Safe-hero
Best Toddler Bed Rails to Keep Your Kiddo Safe
By Christin Perry
mother holding and cuddling newborn baby
Why Are SUID Incidents on the Rise Among Black Babies?
Medically Reviewed by Loretta Cody, MD
Best Bedside Bassinet Hero
The 8 Best Bedside Bassinets for Newborn Babies
By Martina Garvey
ADVERTISEMENT
Best Non Wifi Baby Monitor-hero
How to Choose the Best Non-WiFi Baby Monitor
By Emma O'Regan-Reidy
Best Crib Mattresses Hero
Finding the Best Crib Mattress for a Peaceful Night’s Sleep
By Martina Garvey
mother putting baby into bare crib for safe sleep
New Report Reveals Nursery Items as Significant Threat to Safe Sleep
By Wyndi Kappes
Viral Video Highlights the Danger of This Popular TikTok Hack
Viral Video Highlights the Danger of This Popular TikTok Hack
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
baby wearing a weighted sleep sack
Weighted Sleep Products Are Unsafe for Babies, AAP Says
By Wyndi Kappes
newborn baby sleeping
These Unsafe Sleep Practices Are Linked to Spike in Infant Deaths
By Wyndi Kappes
black mother holding newborn baby at home
Federal Study Finds Increase in SUID Rates Among Black Babies
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
DockATot deluxe plus banned
Parents Should Stop Using 'Unsafe' DockATot Deluxe+, CPSC Says
By Wyndi Kappes
mother looking over baby sleeping in crib
The CPSC’s Latest Report Reminds Parents That 'Bare Is Best'
By Wyndi Kappes
baby sleeping in safe sleeping environment
Unsafe Sleep Items Pulled From Shelves as CPSC Safety Standard Takes Effect
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
baby in crib smiling
Ditch Baby Hats for Pacifiers to Reduce SIDS Risk, Says AAP in Safe Sleep Update
By Wyndi Kappes
crib in baby boy nursery at home
These Two Baby Sleep Products Are Now Legally Banned
By Wyndi Kappes
Baby sleeping safely in crib.
CPSC Passes New Ruling to Prevent Sales of Unsafe Infant Sleepers
By Nehal Aggarwal
Is Co-sleeping With Baby Safe?
Is Co-sleeping With Baby Safe?
By The Bump Editors
ADVERTISEMENT
How Can I Stop Co-Sleeping With Baby?
How Can I Stop Co-Sleeping With Baby?
By Bonnie Vengrow
Why Co-Sleeping May Be Harmful To Moms
Why Co-Sleeping May Be Harmful To Moms
By Christine Cordova
Study Finds That Co-Sleeping Rates Have Doubled — Does That Mean It’s Safer?
Study Finds That Co-Sleeping Rates Have Doubled — Does That Mean It’s Safer?
By Kylie McConville
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.