Heartbroken mum’s warning after seven-month-old son died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome despite her following all parental advice
Andrea Balderson, 29, and her partner Andrew Alcock, 34, lost their baby boy, Deacon, last year
A HEARTBROKEN mum whose seven-month-old son died suddenly has issued a warning to other parents.
Andrea Balderson, 29, and her partner Andrew Alcock, 34, tragically lost their baby boy, Deacon, last year.
Deacon died despite his parents following all the parental guidance for newborns.
The baby boy was not suffocated by his bedding, an inquest heard, and had instead died of natural causes.
It was initially feared he had been suffocated by his bedding because he liked to cuddle it while in his cot.
Andrea, from Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, said after the hearing: "I abided by all the safe sleeping advice and yet we still lost Deacon."
Andrea has two older children.
She is now campaigning to make other parents aware of the risks of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
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Deacon was found by his mother on August 15 last year while sleeping on his back.
Consultant paediatric pathologist, Dr Marta Cohen, said Deacon was a well nourished and well cared for baby.
She cited his cause of death as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Andrea told the hearing how Deacon was a "smiley and happy infant" and had no trouble sleeping.
Andrea said: "We are fortunate to have a lot of support from family and friends.
"But there are other parents who do not have that and rely on health services. It was five weeks before they got in touch with me.
"I am happy with what the coroner said. It has been a stressful build-up to the inquest, when you already know what the outcome would be.
"Our only question is 'Why?' and they can't answer that."
Andrea and Andrew have both had tattoos of Thomas the Tank engine with Deacon's name on it since their young son's death.
Speaking about the current research and advice from The Lullaby Trust, Andrea added: "Since the back to sleep campaign began more than 25 years ago, there has been a big decline in the number of deaths.
"There were 2,000 a year but now there are just over 200.
"Although putting babies to sleep on their tummy has been proved to be a contributing factor to many deaths, researchers believe that there are likely to be currently undiscovered causes as well."
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