Push for safer sleeping habits

After spending weeks with baby Jordan in hospital, SUDI ambassador Lael Perry wanted nothing more than to sleep close to her baby. Photo / Northland DHB

Northland has one of the highest sudden death infancy rates in New Zealand and Maori infants are at greatest risk.

Today marks National Safe Sleep Day a chance to promote the importance of safe sleeping practices for babies.

With such a high number of Maori sudden death infancy (SUDI) deaths, particularly in Northland, SUDI prevention organisation Whakawhetu said Maori were a priority.

Statistics released by the Health and Quality Safety Commission New Zealand between 2007 and 2011 showed 23 of the 24 Northland SUDI infant deaths were infants of Maori ethnicity.

Kathrine Clarke, manager for Whakawhetu, said many factors contributed including smoking, cultural influences and poverty.

Supporting Maori women to quit smoking during pregnancy must be a priority. It not only improves their overall well-being, but more importantly ensures that the development of the baby's breathing response is not compromised."

Ms Clarke said Maori woman also value the closeness and comfort that bed sharing brings.

Kaitaia woman and SUDI ambassador, Lael Perry, is all too familiar with these factors. Ms Perry started smoking in her last month of pregnancy. It was soon discovered her baby, a normal weight until 27 weeks, had stopped growing.

"I felt terrible, I really do believe it was because I started smoking. I knew it was wrong," she said.

Ms Perry's baby, Jordan, was delivered by caesarean at 31 weeks, and that was the day she stopped smoking. She spent seven weeks in hospital. Six of those were at the special care baby unit in Whangarei Hospital.

"Most of the mothers were Maori and most of them were smoking," she said.

After spending two days at Kaitaia Hospital Ms Perry was returned home with Jordan and wanted nothing more than to stay close to her. Not wanting to put her baby in harm's way Ms Perry bought a pepi-pod - a plastic sleeping pod.

"It means I can be close with her without accidently rolling over on her. You can still snuggle with them and they're still in your bed it's just so much safer for them," she said.

Ms Perry, now with a healthy baby Jordan, is passionate about raising awareness around SUDI.

"Stop smoking, it's ugly and it's so bad for baby, they're fighting enough as it is and that doesn't help.

"If you want to be close to your baby get a pepi-pod or a wahakura [a woven sleeping basket], if anything happens, like you roll over on them or they roll over, they can't say anything."

Ms Clarke said there are a "whole bunch" of things needed to be done to reduce the number of SUDI deaths and funding for a sleeping pod for all babies is one of them.