Marthe de Ferrer

This is a significant update following our BBC investigation into the infant sleep industry last week. There are now calls for ‘urgent action’ to tackle unsafe sleep advice given by some self-described experts. The Lullaby Trust and MP Tom Morrison have written to the health secretary calling for greater regulation to ensure babies’ lives are not put at risk. Over the course of our investigation, our team has spoken to many people, including medical professionals @olivia_lactation_consultant and @doctor.lils , bereaved families, health visitors, academics and parents - who are also backing calls for regulation. We’ve also spoken to dozens of individuals working in the sleep industry who want change including @soundasleepguru and @just_chill_mama . If you’ve been affected by this story, you can contact our team confidentially on: [email protected]

Tomorrow is a year to the day since I returned to work after going on maternity leave - and during that time I’ve been working on something about a world I found myself in while feeling very lost as a new mother: infant sleep. My social media feeds were awash with tips, tricks, quick fixes and must-buys all promising to “solve” my daughter’s sleep. Once I was out of the newborn fog, it quickly became clear that infant sleep is a total Wild West - and I was fascinated by how it operated and who the winners and losers were. I quickly learned there was another BBC journalist looking into this, investigations reporter @divyatalwar21 . We teamed up, something I’m forever grateful for, and spent the next year looking at accounts, finding case studies and chasing commissions with @amyhqj producing too 🙌 The online piece has been read 2.5 million times today, we’ve done multiple radio, tv and social hits and our VT was played on Breakfast, the 1, the 6 and the 10 O’Clock News. As someone who is usually firmly behind a camera these days (in fact normally nowhere near one), it’s been a surreal day! You can catch my dulcet tones on the BBC Sounds News playlist (or BBC Radio 5Live/Scotland/London/Cumbria/Solent) ☀️ Thank you to all our contributors, especially @olivia_lactation_consultant who has done so much live output for us today too and the fab @doctor.lils , and everyone who has shared their stories with us. Here’s a rough smattering of some pics, clips and behind-the-scenes shots of the last few months - all thanks to the array of brilliant colleagues I’ve roped into helping me set up shots, do amazing edits, gather clips, and film complex undercover sequences. And a bonus pic of my daughter who told me at the weekend “mummy work lots” but was delighted to see me home in time for endless piggybacks in the garden. Apologies and thank you to all the people I’ve talked endlessly about this story with over the last 12+ months - you’re all the best ❤️ And a huge thank you @soundasleepguru for introducing me and Divya and sparking this whole piece for me.

New BBC Investigation out today! We’ve gone undercover to investigate the booming but completely unregulated baby sleep industry. Trigger warning - infant death. Secret filming revealed practices being promoted by some self-described ‘experts’ that could significantly increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (sids). Anyone call themselves an ‘expert’ - and there’s no checks, no oversights and no accountability. There are many in the industry who are giving safe advice - that is within guidelines and fills a genuine gap in post natal support for new families. BUT we have found a dangerous side of this industry with some popular ‘sleep experts’ giving advice that goes against NHS and @lullabytrust guidelines. NHS Medical professionals @doctor.lils and @olivia_lactation_consultant have told us the advice could cause serious harm to babies, and even death. There are urgent calls for regulation after the death of 4-month old baby Madison Bruce Smith - a recent inquest found he died whilst asleep - having been placed in an unsafe position by someone who was unregulated. If you want to read the full investigation, comment SLEEP below and we will DM you a link. Brilliant investigation team - @marthedeferrer and @Amyj.journo @natalie_trus If you’ve been affected or want to share anything with our team - email us - [email protected]

Highly recommend making a small human and then taking said tiny person back to one of your favourite and most formative places. Bonus points if your kid roams around with buckets of confidence and flouts all the rules about walking on grass.

18 months of the finest kid in all the lands. Truly the toughest, sparkiest, most bonkers and brilliant wee girl. Think our rough times when she was born have only made her more resilient and more determined. The kind of toddler who plays and charges about without a second’s complaining while in full respiratory distress and fights off two paramedics (successfully) with a blood oxygen reading of below 70. But also the sort of sweetheart who woke me up at 3am every night we were in hospital by leaning over and whispering “Mummy? Duddle..?” and demanding a cuddle - before promptly shouting “BYE BYE” and kicking me out of her bed again. Incredibly proud of my tiny pal - even when she figured out how to disconnect her oxygen and monitor to put her shoes on and go play outside in the playground by her ward - and how amazingly she’s done spending the best part of a week in hospital, two ambulance rides and endless IV transfusions and gross medicines being given round the clock. Let’s hope the next 18 months are just as delightful, but maybe a touch less dramatic. (And thank you to everyone who has been so amazingly supportive this last week and beyond 🫶)

And now France with a bit less baby, bit more 2012-style food pics x

Eight years of my OG gal who is in tragically few of my photos now and I’ll always feel guilty about that, even though I know she’s incredibly happy and in her calm era these days. Peggy’s morning routine coming to wake tiny girl up every day, followed by the tiny girl squealing in delight to see her, is always the highlight of my day.

Mallorca with slightly less baby (all 7 photos I took without her in frame).

1. Northern sun ☀️ 2. My Northern sunshine: a visual depiction of my impending return-to-work date creeping up on me 🌞

This feels vaguely gridworthy ✨

Seven years since we brought home my best pal from @forestdogrescueinsta 💛 Despite being a tricky customer with new people and any dog she meets in the street, she’s been spectacular with Rissy (and before that with Rupert). Will resume my usual lack of posting soon, but although my camera roll is now 90% baby content instead of 95% dog content, I didn’t want to miss Peggy’s anniversary. The most stubborn yet gentle girl, and still my favourite company to keep (now with added Iris, forming the ultimate girl gang).

6 years and 11 months with my absolute bestie. [Edit: she’s not dead, I’m just celebrating her 7-year anniversary cus I’m going to be a wee bit busy in a month’s time] All recent photos as she enters her new phase of inexplicably loving people??? And being happy all the time?? After spending the best part of a decade terrified and a little bit angsty with everyone she meets, she’s recently been so lovely with all guests in a way that feels like she’s actively trying to gaslight me. Not beyond the realms of possibility for a dog who has a proven grasp on the concept of revenge. Would post this on our 7-year anniversary of Peggy, but I’m concerned I may be marginally distracted by then. @peggytherescue 🫶