Child experts warn mothers against covering their baby's pram with a blanket to shield them from the sun, insisting it could prove fatal to infants
It is a common sight; many mothers and fathers will drape a thin blanket or scarf over their baby's pram or pushchair, in a bid to shade them from the heat.
However, research has shown that the practice could be putting babies in danger.
Svante Norgren, a paediatrician at the Astrid Lindgren children's hospital in Stockholm, told the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper: "It gets extremely hot down in the pram, something like a thermos.
"There is also bad circulation of the air and it is hard to see the baby with a cover over the pram.
"It would quickly become uncomfortable and potentially dangerous for the child."
The paper conducted an experiment to see just how hot it could get inside a pram or pushchair when covered, leaving it out in the sun between 11:30am and 1pm on a warm day.
Without a blanket or scarf covering the pram, the temperature reached 22C.
However, when a thin cover was placed over for the next 30 minutes, the heat rose dramatically to 34C.
After an hour, the temperature sat at a sweltering 37C.
The risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is dramatically increased when a young baby is exposed to intense heat - which means that, while many parents believe they are sheltering their children from the sun, they could actually be placing their offspring in more danger.
Svante explained: "If a child gets too hot then the child may think that it is back in the womb, which is why breathing may stop."
The best bet for parents is to abandon the practice of using towels or thin blankets as a cover and instead place the pram in the shade, he added.
What do you think of this parenting advice? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter or Facebook.
Now read: 20 celebrities reveal their rather unusual pregnancy cravings
Celebrity pregnancy cravings
1 of 20Holly Willoughby
One of the nations favourite television presenters, Holly Willoughby has spoken openly about her pregnancies several times but when speaking about her pregnancy cravings one thing is always clear, she loves a sweet treat. Speaking to Asda’s Good Living magazine she said:
“My sweet tooth was out of control. Harry was made of cupcakes and with Belle, it was worse. I’d just eat the buttercream, chuck the sponge and get another one!”
2 of 20Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton is now known for her ultra-healthy lifestyle and diet but when asked about her pregnancy cravings by Closer back in 2015, Fearne kept her answer short and sweet saying: ‘Lots of carbs. Plenty of bread!’
3 of 20Stacey Solomon
Former X-Factor star turned television presenter, Stacey Solomon, revealed that her pregnancy craving was pickles. Recalling her second pregnancy she said: “I drove to a McDonalds drive through and ordered a cup of pickles. Literally, I had a McDonalds cup filled just with pickles.”
4 of 20Binky Felstead
Made In Chelsea’s very own yummy mummy, Binky Felstead welcomed her first child with co-star and boyfriend, Josh Patterson in June of last year. During her pregnancy she revealed she revealed all things ‘naughty’, the health conscious star told OK!: ‘Lot’s of carbs! I can’t get enough of pizza, burgers, fish and chips – anything naughty!’
5 of 20Rochelle Humes
The Saturdays singer and wife to JLS band member, Marvin Humes, is now a mum of two, but whilst pregnant with her second daughter she kept all her fans up to date through Instagram. She posted a picture of her lunch captioned: “Finished my voiceover, on way to a shoot. Stopped to grab lunch, the lady looked at me VERY strangely when I made my order.
Lots of jalepenos, capers, chilli and cheese in this salad. OH and three different dressings #cravings”
6 of 20Frankie Bridge
Another member of girl band, The Saturdays, Frankie Bridge now has two children with husband and footballer, Wayne Bridge. Whilst she has never spoken about pregnancy cravings specifically she did admit in during her first pregnancy she missed alcohol. Speaking to BANG Showbiz in 2013 she admitted: "I've never been a massive drinker, but now I am not allowed I am like, 'Oh, I kind of want one."
7 of 20Emma Willis
Television presenter and wife to Busted band member Matt Willis, Emma Willis admitted that during her pregnancy she only craved one thing, oranges, although she did say she ate a lot of sugar during her pregnancy. “The only food I crave is oranges, although I have to take folic acid supplements to balance out all the sugar I eat. Biscuits, chocolate, cakes and sugar are what I can’t get enough of.”
8 of 20Billie Faiers
Towie star, Billie Faiers always looks stylish and this was no exception during her pregnancies. In a video posted on her snapchat during her second pregnancy, she revealed her craving at that point was Marks and Spencer Dutch shortcake biscuits. This didn’t appear to be her only craving as she also posted a photo online with the caption: “Can't get enough of these at the moment...#cravings #pickledonions.”
9 of 20Sam Faiers
Younger sister to Billie Faiers and fellow Towie star, Sam Faiers told OK! magazine she gained ‘just under a stone’ during her pregnancy. She went onto explain: ‘I’ve not been strict with myself, I’ve just been eating healthy and mixing it up with the desserts I fancy.’
10 of 20Kim Kardashian West
Reality star, business woman and mum of three, Kim Kardashian West, revealed to E! News that through-out her first two pregnancies all she wanted was cheese. “Mostly cheese, chili cheese fries, everything with cheese,”
11 of 20Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen is a model with an appetite, regularly posting pictures of her latest culinary creation, she even has her own cookbook! With this in mind it comes with no surprise that she has some unique cravings, including burritos! “This burrito is so big I’m using it as a table for my fish taco,” Her husband, John Legend, also revealed she has a sweeter tooth when pregnant.
12 of 20Blake Lively
Actress and mother of two, Blake Lively, is a rather private woman but an insider told Cosmopolitan all about her weird pregnancy craving! The insider said she would send husband Ryan Reynolds "out in the middle of the night for organic hand-churned pumpkin-flavored ice cream and small-batch pickles."
13 of 20Emma Bunton
Spice Girl, Emma Bunton, AKA Baby Spice, had the worst kind of craving, a craving for something you know you can’t have. When pregnant with her second child she tweeted "Got a craving for sushi and I can't have it!!!!!!!"
14 of 20Victoria Beckham
Another member of the Spice Girls, Victoria Beckham, had a very stereotypically British craving, an insider revealed: "Victoria's having a lot of tea and toast with lashings of marmalade. She can't get enough of the stuff."
15 of 20Amy Adams
Hollywood actress, Amy Adams, says she didn’t need a pregnancy test to tell her she was expecting. She revealed how her cravings clued her in to being pregnant when she saw a carton of almond milk in her fridge, which she’d never tasted, and drank the entire carton in 10 minutes.
16 of 20Kylie Jenner
Reality star, makeup mogul and youngest of the Kardashian/Jenner clan, Kylie Jenner kept her pregnancy a secret until a month and a half after giving birth to baby Stormi. After she announced her daughter’s birth she took to twitter to talk about her pregnancy tweeting “Eggos!!! I never liked them before I was pregnant & haven’t had one since I had her. so strange! Lol” She also replied to a fan calling her out on her In-and-Out trips, “Lmao and in n out!! Donuts too”
17 of 20Jennifer Connelly
When morning sickness hits the last thing most people would want to do is eat but not actress Jennifer Connelly. Jennifer told David Letterman on The Late Show, that she dealt with the nausea she had with her third pregnancy by eating pretzels dipped in cream cheese!
18 of 20Angelina Jolie
Actress and super mum of six Angelina Jolie revealed that when pregnant with her twins she craved onion rings covered in mustard. She also revealed that go to cravings whilst in LA were In-and-Out burgers with a side of fries dipped in milkshake!
19 of 20Kourtney Kardashian
The oldest of the Kardashian/Jenner sisters and mum of three, Kourtney Kardashian, is known for her healthy approach to life. The star has a very specific diet but told E! News, "I develop a thing for Nilla Wafer cookies every time [I'm pregnant]. I have no idea why! I've also been into cheese and pickle sandwiches. Everyone thinks I'm gross when I order them."
20 of 20Pink
Most people develop a sweeter tooth than usual when pregnant but not Pink. The singer and mother to daughter Willow told Access Hollywood she craved “Sour Patch Kids, or Sour Skittles, sour anything,"