Local health and children’s services promote Safer Sleep Week to help parents keep their babies as safe as possible while sleeping

Safer Sleep Week is an annual awareness campaign led by The Lullaby Trust, which is taking place on 15^{th –} 21^st March, 2021.

A range of health and care services who support new parents across the East Riding and Hull are working together to help spread the word and to ensure that new families are fully informed about the risks of Sudden Infant Death (SIDS), and how the risks can greatly be reduced by following simple guidelines.

In 2021 the campaign focus is on Dads. Dads often have a key role in the care of their baby, in some cases they are the primary carer. It is therefore crucial they understand how to reduce the risk of SIDS and sleep their baby safely.  The Lullaby Trust are keen to engage with dads to better understand the barriers they face to accessing safer sleep information, and the most helpful ways to get these messages across to them.

The campaign is underlined by an understanding that due to restrictions associated with the COVID pandemic, pregnant women may need to be attending maternity appointments unaccompanied, and therefore it can be more challenging than normal to keep fathers and other family members informed of key messages.

To help address this issue, information around safer infant sleep will be publicised at child health clinics, children’s centres and other settings currently visited by parents, and also shared via social media.

The Welcome to the World card, developed collaboratively by the Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with City Health Care Partnership (CHCP CIC) and East Riding and Hull City Councils will be widely ‘shared’ digitally with families across Hull and the East Riding.  In addition the cards will be given out to new parents in the East Riding at their first health visitor post-birth appointment, for sharing within households or childcare bubbles.

Although parents may have anxieties and concerns in these times of COVID, we want to reassure them that all regular contacts will still be taking place either face-to-face or remotely.  If you have any concerns around keeping your baby safe while sleeping or any other issues, you can contact your Health Visitor, Midwife or Children’s Centre staff for support and information.

Sarah Clapham, ISPHNS Health Visitor at the Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“The Welcome to the World card offers services the opportunity to congratulate new mums and dads on the birth of their baby, promote key safety messages such as safer sleep for their newborn, and act as a tool to educate other care givers on safer sleep practices.”

Debbie Jackson, Infant Feeding Co-ordinator at CHCP CIC, said:

“Organisations are working together to give consistent key messages around safer sleep practices and involving the wider community. New parents and relatives can be proactive in reducing the risk of sudden infant death by carrying out the safer sleep messages for every sleep episode regardless of where they are sleeping and who is looking after the baby.”

With over 88% of SIDS cases happening in the first 6 months of life, it is just as important as ever to spread the important Safer Sleep message and increasing awareness within the region.

To access safer sleep advice and support, visit the Lullaby Trust website here. or download the Safer Sleep Week 2021 information pack:

Safer-Sleep-Week-2021-info-pack.pdf (lullabytrust.org.uk)