Safer Sleep Week (13-19 March)
Tue 14th March 2017
Between 2005 and 2014, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) claimed the lives of 266 babies in the Yorkshire and Humber regions.
Health professionals in Hull are urging parents to make themselves aware of safe sleeping practices.
This statistic is published as part of Safer Sleeping Week (13-19 March), an initiative from the national charity, the Lullaby Trust.
During Safer Sleep Week East Riding of Yorkshire Council work closely with health organisations and other local partners to help parents understand how to keep their babies safer while they sleep.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby where no cause is found. However, there are steps parents can take to help reduce the chance of this tragedy occurring.
The East Riding and Hull safe sleeping steering group advises parents that the safest place for their baby to sleep is a crib or cot in a room with them for the first six months.
Things you can do to help reduce the chance of SIDS:
- breastfeed your baby
- never sleep on a sofa or in an armchair with your baby
- do not sleep in the same bed as your baby if you smoke, drink, take drugs or are extremely tired, or if the baby was premature or of low birth weight
- avoid letting the baby get too hot (room temperature should be 16-20â°C)
- do not cover the baby’s face or head while sleeping, use light bedding
- keep your baby smoke free during pregnancy and after birth
- avoid having additional items in the cot, such as soft toys, pillows, etc.
This year staff are keen to highlight that new laws have come into effect.
The Serious Crime Act 2015, section 66, now states that parents can be prosecuted if they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs and suffocation of a child occurs. Local health visitors are making parents aware of this.
Isabel Carrick, public health lead at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: "The risk of SIDS can worry new parents but there are simple things to do that will make their baby's sleep environment safer.
"Follow the key points and talk to your midwife, health visitor or children’s centre worker if you need more information.
"They can also give support with breastfeeding and with stopping smoking, both of which reduce the risks of SIDS.
"Consider where your baby will sleep both for night time and daytime sleeps, and if things change, for example if staying at grandparents, or if you are away from home.”
As part of Safe Sleep Week 2017 East Riding children's centres are holding a number of staff training events to ensure all staff have up-to-date information to share with parents.
East Riding children's centres will hold a variety of awareness activities within sessions and child health clinics, such as quizzes, make a room game and demonstrations of correct sleeping environments.
For more information on sessions and events or if you would like information and support on safe sleeping please contact your local children's centre or health visitor.
Follow East Riding Council on social media for key infant sleep messages every day during Safer Sleep Week:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/East_Riding
Facebook: www.facebook.com/eastridingcouncil
The infant sleep information service www.isisonline.org.uk/about/ is a valuable source of information, with a free infant sleep app for parents that includes a bed-sharing decision tool guide. It also explains when bed-sharing may be inadvisable and why.
For more information on safer sleeping, visit the Lullaby Trust website at www.lullabytrust.org.uk
