Local health and children’s services team up with Hull FC and Hull KR to promote Safer Sleep Week

Safer Sleep Week is an awareness campaign led by The Lullaby Trust, which takes place on 9^th – 15^th March, 2020.

A range of health and care services who support new parents across the East Riding and Hull have worked together to ensure that new families are fully informed about the risks of SIDS, and how the risks can greatly be reduced by following simple guidelines.

The campaign is underlined by an understanding that new mothers can be overwhelmed by the amount of information provided to them at their prenatal appointments, and that it can be challenging to keep fathers and other family members informed. To address this issue, the Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust have partnered with City Health Care Partnership (CHCP CIC) and East Riding and Hull City Councils to collaboratively develop a Welcome to the World information card. This will be provided to families at their first health visitor post-birth appointment across Hull and the East Riding.

Sarah Clapham, ISPHNS Health Visitor and Clinical Team Leader at the Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“The Welcome to the World card offers services the opportunity to congratulate parents 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:

“These events demonstrate that organisations are working together to give consistent key messages around safer sleep practices and involving the wider community. 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.”

In addition, the teams will attend two local rugby games during Safer Sleep Week – Hull FC vs Warrington Wolves on 12^th March at KCOM Stadium, and Hull KR vs Toronto Wolfpack on 15^th March at Craven Park. This is in an effort to spread awareness about the importance of new mothers and fathers being informed about safer sleep good practices.

Staff from the involved organisations will also host and take part in a Pass It On walk, to bring infant safer sleep messages to Children’s Centres in Hull and East Riding. The walk will occur on Wednesday 11^th March, where teams are hoping to be joined by the rugby mascots on the walk. Although the walk is for staff only, there will be an opportunity for local families to attend activities and collect information at each of the following Children’s Centres en route: Rainbow Children’s Centre Hull HU35QE, Priory Children’s Centre HU55RU, and Cottingham Children’s Centre HU165BP.

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. This year’s campaign focuses on remembering to apply key messages for each sleep, especially when parents are overtired or babies unsettled.

To access safer sleep advice and support, visit the Lullaby Trust website here.