Baby Died After Mother Fell Asleep While Breastfeeding, Inquest Hears
Mother had consumed five glasses of wine before the incident, Dorset coroner's court was told.
A five-month-old baby girl died after her mother fell asleep while breastfeeding, having consumed five glasses of wine, an inquest has heard. The baby, Nancy, was moved into her mother's bed by Poppy Hamilton at 4 a.m. on August 16 last year because she was struggling to sleep during a heatwave. Ms. Hamilton reportedly fell asleep while breastfeeding her daughter.
Ms. Hamilton woke at 8 a.m. to find her baby unresponsive with a pillow over her face. Paramedics and Nancy's grandfather, a trained medical professional, were called to the home and performed CPR, but the baby was pronounced dead at the scene. The inquest in Bournemouth was told that Ms. Hamilton had drunk five or six glasses of wine the previous day.
A post-mortem examination was conducted but could not determine a definitive cause of death. Dorset coroner Brendan Allen highlighted the increased risks associated with co-sleeping when a parent has consumed alcohol. He stated there was no evidence that unsafe sleep practices directly caused Nancy's death, but emphasized that co-sleeping after alcohol consumption generally increases the risk of harm to a child. Mr. Allen noted that midwives, health visitors, and GPs can provide crucial information on safe sleeping practices for parents.
The inquest heard that Nancy, who had an abnormal heart but was otherwise considered healthy, had difficulty sleeping during the heatwave, with temperatures reaching 30C. She had initially been put in her cot at 7:30 p.m. on August 16 but woke about 45 minutes later. After spending time downstairs, she fell asleep again between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. and was returned to her cot. She woke again at 4 a.m. in a distressed state.
Ms. Hamilton then brought Nancy into the double bed, positioning her next to the cot in Nancy's room and began breastfeeding, using two pillows for support. Nancy's father was in another room caring for their older child, who had also woken during the night. Paramedics described the parents as "distraught" and "in a state of shock."
An associate at South Western Ambulance Service stated the mother reported falling asleep while feeding Nancy and waking to find a pillow on the baby's face. Detective Sergeant Lee Emery told the inquest that a criminal investigation was not deemed appropriate. He described the home environment as loving and noted that while co-sleeping is not ideal from a child protection standpoint, it does occur. He also confirmed Ms. Hamilton's account of consuming alcohol on the weekend.
Samantha Holden, a consultant pediatrician who performed the post-mortem examination, indicated that a sleep-related incident was a possibility, noting the increased risk of infant death when babies co-sleep with parents, especially when alcohol is involved. She mentioned the potential for overlay or overheating but acknowledged the difficulty in proving these causes, stating that sudden unexpected deaths can also occur from medical causes like arrhythmias or seizures.
Mr. Allen concluded the inquest with an open verdict, citing insufficient evidence to reach another conclusion due to the unascertained medical cause of death.