Grant helps bubs sleep safely

Sovereign Trust director Kevin Whitehead, left, Iri Matoe and Peter Anaru show off the "pepi pods". Photo / Ben Fraser

Hundreds of Rotorua babies are set to sleep safer with Tipu Ora securing funding to hand out another 200 "pepi pods" to families.

The organisation has received funding from First Sovereign Trust to purchase the pods, which allow parents to share a bed safely with babies.

Today is Safe Sleep Day, a national campaign focused on promoting safe sleep practices for babies, and Tipu Ora health promoter Iri Matoe said the funding for the infant beds could potentially save lives.

As well as being given the beds, parents are provided with education of safe sleep practices.

Mrs Matoe said the pepi pods were handed out to clients who met one of the risk criteria for SUDI (sudden unexpected death in infancy) - being newborn and Maori, premature or of a low birth weight.

She hoped families would hand the pods on to others who needed them.

Tipu Ora offered a number of supportive programmes which aimed to reduce risk and support whanau to ensure safety for their pepi and tamariki, and the pepi pod initiative was an example of that, Mrs Matoe said.

First Sovereign Trust director Peter Anaru said it was a worthwhile project to support.

"If they save one life it is worthwhile because [babies] are fragile and very special."

Lakes District Health Board safe sleep co-ordinator and midwife Gwen Baars said while there was some evidence that SUDI numbers were dropping in the Midland region, there was no room for complacency.

"With the summer holidays coming up, it's really important for everyone to take extra care of their precious baby and plan ahead. It's surprisingly easy for a baby to accidentally suffocate when someone or something makes it hard for them to breathe.

"Parents need to make sure baby has a safe sleep, every sleep, including when away from home or when groups are gathered and celebrations are taking place.

"Remember to plan so infants and children have sober care givers. We can't reinforce those messages strongly enough."

She said safe sleeping for baby was important because it helped prevent SUDI, the most common cause of death for babies under the age of 12 months.

"There is low awareness across society of how infant development creates vulnerability to certain sleeping positions and conditions. Baby should always be in his or her own bed and smokefree at all times.

"We want to make sure everyone understand the risks of unsafe sleeping practices, like baby sleeping in the same bed as adults or toddlers and they know what to do to protect them while they sleep."

Safe sleep tips:

*Face-up: infants should always be placed on their backs to sleep
*Face clear
*Smokefree: always allow babies to breathe air free of smoke
*Own beds: babies are safest when sleeping in their own bed in the same room as their parents
*Sober caregivers: someone who is drug and alcohol free and ready and alert to meet baby's needs