Heartbroken mother and father ship stark warning as their new child dies in frequent child merchandise
A mother and father faced their worst nightmare as their newborn baby suffocated at just seven weeks old while being inside a common baby contraption used to make ‘life easier’
A pair of parents have released a stark warning to other families after their newborn baby died in a common contraption.
James Alderman, referred to as Jimmy, was being fed while his parents were using a breastfeeding sling which led to the fatal moment. According to the father, his baby was being breastfed within a carrier worn by the baby’s mother, Ellie. Little did she know, while she was walking around the house, Jimmy had moved while in the sling into an unsafe position too far down. Without knowing, he started to suffocate and later passed away.
It took just five minutes, which led to his parents attempting frantic CPR until the paramedics took over and tried to revive him. Tragically, it was too late to save Jimmy and he died three days later on October 11, 2023.
Jimmy was just seven weeks, and investigations from a coroner revealed that there was hardly any safety information provided with this sling commonly used by parents, meaning more tragedy could occur with them. Jimmy’s parents, Ellie and George, have spoken out for the first time about the situation to the Mail just one year on from the incident.
George told the Mail: “They’re pushed as a lifesaver but in the most extreme cases it’s exactly the opposite thing. You ask yourself why would this happen to us and why would this happen to Jimmy… It’s every parent’s worst nightmare and we were living it.”
He recalled the moment he popped out of the house quickly, only to find the nightmare situation when he returned. He put the buggy away then headed to the front door, where he heard his wife panicking inside off the house.
Upon entering, he saw his child half out of the sling and was completely white. George realised his son wasn’t breathing and sprung into action. They called emergency services and started giving their son CPR straight away.
Ambulances arrived within minutes to their flat in Surbiton, south-west London, but despite their best efforts, they could do nothing to save him. Jimmy had to be revived on the way to Kingston Hospital and he was taken to an intensive car unit at St George’s Hospital.
The parents are now pushing for stronger safety warnings on the breast feeding slings. Babies can suffocate because they can’t lift their own head if positioned incorrectly. Freeholding, which leaves parents able to use their hands while connected to their baby, has become more popular in recent times, but poses a huge risk for newborns.
An inquest heard that Jimmy died on October 11 2023 after being accidentally suffocated.
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