Campaign against cot death launched

A new campaign against cot death is being launched this week.

A set of new education materials were expected to be available for the campaign.

These included a poster, a leaflet and a sleep safe card, which would be placed on the cots of newborn babies in hospital.

The new materials made it clear it was essential for every baby to be "face-up, face clear and smokefree" in order to be safe when they sleep, Ministry of Health chief advisor for child and youth health Pat Tuohy said.

A fourth principle, "sleep in own bed", was also essential for more vulnerable babies, such premature or low weight babies or those exposed to smoking in pregnancy, he said.

"Discussion about how best to protect babies during sleep is a good thing and different points of view can be strongly held...

"But we must focus on what we do know, and what is widely agreed about (cot death) prevention."

The materials were produced by Change for our Children and funded by the ministry.

The new materials were also supported by Plunket, the College of Midwives, the Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee and the Office of the Chief Coroner.

Change our Children director Stephanie Cowan said the materials were part of a broader goal to eliminate cot death during 2010.

New Zealanders had become far too accepting of high rates of smoking in pregnancy, and far too casual about safety in terms of sleep position, wrapping and propping practices, use of pillows and soft bedding and how we make the sleeping space safe for a baby, she said.

Ms Cowan hoped the new materials would help every family to understand how to protect their babies from cot death.

- NZPA