MDHB Supports Safe Sleep Day

MDHB Supports Safe Sleep Day

5 December 2013

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 (From left) Registered Nurses Anna Dahlkamp, Angelique Walker, Janette Williams, Robin Huxtable with the pepi-pod and wahakura that will be on public display.

MidCentral District Health Board will help support the very first national Safe Sleep Day on 6 December with Palmerston North Hospital hosting a pepi-pod and wahakura for viewing by the public.

From 10am a display will be set up in the hospital’s main foyer where a number of resources will be available to the public to help better inform them on safe infant sleeping. Staff will also be on hand to answer any questions about safe sleep.

Safe Sleep Day is focused on promoting safe sleep practices for babies, so that every sleep is a safe sleep – aiming to reduce cases of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI).

Every year, 60 babies in New Zealand die from SUDI. Most of these are our Māori pēpi. Ensuring each baby has a safe sleep will dramatically reduce the number of SUDI cases in New Zealand.

Neonatal Registered Nurse Janette Williams said that too many babies die from avoidable causes, and that by implementing safe sleeping practices, we can reduce the number of babies that die from not sleeping in a safe environment.

“We want to make sure that all families understand the risks and know what to do to protect their mokopuna while they sleep.

“There are plenty of messages out there concerning the dangers of things like smoking. As babies are asleep for a large part of the day, it is important to spread messages such as safe sleeping, helping parents and caregivers understand and be aware of what they can do to help reduce the risks of SUDI.”

·         SUDI is a coronial term for any death in the first year of life, explained or unexplained, that is sudden and unexpected. Unintentional suffocation in the place of sleep is the most common cause of death for infants under the age of 12 months.

Tips on how you can help protect your baby

·         Ensure your baby sleeps in its own bed (a cot, bassinette, wahakura or pepipod) especially if premature, born small or your family is not smoke free

·        Put your baby to sleep on their back with their face up. A baby’s breathing works best in this position

·        Ensure there are no gaps between the mattress and their bed

·        Babies shouldn’t sleep in bed with another person (either adult or child)

·        Remove any ribbons, strings, cords etc from bedding and clothing

ENDS

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