Charity calls for extra effort in campaign to cut cot deaths in Northamptonshire

NHS guidelines warn sleeping with your baby increases the risk of SIDS.

Cot death charity The Lullaby Trust is urging local authorities in the East Midlands to focus their efforts on reducing numbers of babies dying before their first birthday.

Their call to action comes as part of Safer Sleep Week, the charity’s national campaign to raise awareness of sudden infant death syndrome – also known as SIDS or cot death – and the lifesaving advice parents can follow to reduce risks to their baby.

Rates of SIDS in the East Midlands region, which includes Northamptonshire, remain among the highest in the UK.

And, worryingly, a new Lullaby Trust survey of more than 7,000 new parents shows 50% in this region have put their baby in an unsafe sleeping environment or admitted to taking actions which could greatly increase the risk of SIDS in order to get them to sleep for longer.

More than a quarter also admitted putting their baby on their front or side to sleep.

Since the Back to Sleep campaign was launched in 1992 making parents aware it is better and safer to put Sleeping a baby on their back for every sleep, the rate of SIDS deaths has dropped by 82%.

Public Health Northamptonshire issued their own warnings about the dangers of co-sleeping with babies earlier this year. But The Lullaby Trust wants them to do more.

Cot death charity The Lullaby Trust can help new parents

CEO Jenny Ward admitted: “It is concerning that the rate of SIDS has increased in the East Midlands.

"These results suggest more needs to be done to ensure all parents in the East Midlands are aware of the importance of following safer sleep practices for every sleep, day and night.

"We know consistently following safer sleep advice can be difficult, especially when new parents are very tired. But doing so is vital to reducing the risk of SIDS and we strongly urge local authorities and health trusts to help us bring down the number of deaths in the East Midlands by ensuring safer sleep messages reach all families.”

As part of Safer Sleep Week, which kicked off yesterday (Monday March 9), The Lullaby Trust has teamed up with Public Health England to post a YouTube animation for new parents with messages on coping with tiredness and safer sleep.

For more information on safer sleep go to www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/ on the charity website.