Humber hospitals to tackle Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in Safer Sleep Week

Hospitals across East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire are pushing to bring down rates of Sudden Infant Death syndrome (SIDS) during Safer Sleep Week.

New parents will be given information cards with the latest advice to raise awareness of how to protect their babies against SIDS.

Zoe Stevens, public health nurse consultant at East Riding Council said: "It's really difficult when you're a new parent and you bring a baby home you do whatever you can to survive those early days of sleepless nights, and sometimes people think what they do might be a safe practice when it isn't, so it's just reminding people what safer sleep does look like."

The NHS says around 3 babies a week die from SIDS, and that with better knowledge of safer sleep advice lives could be saved.

Sarah Clapham, Modern Matron at Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust said: "We started to advise parents to lay their babies to sleep on their back in the 1980's and this has had a massive impact on reducing the number of babies that die so we have made massive inroads into decreasing those numbers."

The Lullaby Trust, which has partnered with the NHS for the campaign, has the following advice for Safer Sleep:

• Lie your baby on their back at the foot of the cot
• Keep the cot clear
• Use a firm, flat, waterproof mattress
• Keep your baby smoke-free
• Avoid your baby overheating
• Sleep your baby in the same room as you for at least the first six months

Ms Clapham said that advice has evolved over time, with the information cards helping to empower new parents to tell relatives who might be caring for their baby how to look after them properly.

Further information on Safer Sleep can be found on the NHS and Lullaby Trust websites.

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