IPSWICH Hospital's head midwife is reassuring parents of babies after a six-week-old child died while sleeping on his father's chest on a sofa.A pathologist at the inquest of the baby in Cardiff said that a higher rate of infant deaths occur on sofas than would be expected, although it is not known why.

IPSWICH Hospital's head midwife is reassuring parents of babies after a six-week-old child died while sleeping on his father's chest on a sofa.

A pathologist at the inquest of the baby in Cardiff said that a higher rate of infant deaths occur on sofas than would be expected, although it is not known why.

However, Chris Colbourn from Ipswich Hospital said: "As far as death associated with sofas, we have not heard of any local issues to do with that."

At the hospital they follow the Back To Sleep campaign and advise parents to do so.

Ms Colbourn added: "We would say that if you are going to put a baby to rest on the sofa, the most important thing is to ensure baby can't roll off, and don't leave baby unattended in case they do fall off.

"And if parents do have baby in bed with them, they should be sure they have not had alcohol as when you have been drinking you sleep much deeper."

She said that the advice is that babies should be put on their backs to sleep.

She said: "It is proven to be safest and also while keeping babies warm, you don't want to overheat them.

"Therefore we advise parents not to have duvets as babies will get very hot.

"As regards to where baby sleeps, it depends on individual parents.

"As a service we really would recommend that parents don't change what they are doing. The most important thing is to follow the Back To Sleep campaign.

"If parents are anxious at all they should speak to their health visitor."

Cardiff baby Mikey Williams had woken in the night and his father Kristian took him on the settee – but in the early hours the baby's mother Rosie woke to find him lifeless.

Home Office pathologist Ryk James told Cardiff Coroner's Court that Mikey had been unwell for a couple of days and had gone to sleep at 10pm having been grisly.

When he woke in the night his father took him to sleep on his chest on the settee but when his mum woke at 4am she found him lying face up in the crook of an arm with a little blood around his nose.

Mr James added: "It has become apparent very recently that deaths occurring in infants, happen far more on sofas than you would expect.

"The precise reasons aren't clear. It seems to happen when babies are sleeping on their own on sofas as well as with other people."

Mr James said the baby appeared to be well nourished and there were no signs of injury.

But a blood vessel which ran near Mikey's heart had not closed, as it usually does after babies are born.

Mr James said tests on Mikey of Barry, south Wales, showed signs of infection.

Cardiff Coroner Dr Lawrence Addicott recorded a verdict of death from natural causes.