Nervous new parents in the South West given vital “Safer Sleep Guide”

The Gro Company, makers of the award-winning Grobag, are taking their support for Safer Sleep education to an even wider audience by providing all new UK parents with a comprehensive guide to help them establish their safer sleep routine.

Compiled by the experts at safer baby sleep charity, The Lullaby Trust, the guide will be distributed by Bounty in the pack which mums receive just after the birth of their child. For several years The Gro Company have distributed the guide nationally through the NHS and other authorities but has now provided a dramatically increased number of guides for distribution to all new mums.

The Lullaby Trust’s programme of education has already seen the UK sudden infant death rates fall dramatically in recent years but a recent Bounty Parenting Club survey carried out in partnership with The Trust indicated that there is still more work to do:  Although more than half (62%) of all parents with a baby under 6 months old worry that their newborn baby may die in its sleep, they were often not following expert advice - 50% admitting to having fallen asleep on a sofa or armchair with their baby at least once and 43% saying they had moved their baby into their own room before they were six months old.

The guide which is funded by The Gro Company will be offered to 2,000 new parents everyday in maternity wards across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.  The sleep safety advice has been developed by The Lullaby Trust, which also provides support for bereaved families.

The guide includes advice about preventative measures such as, always placing the baby on their back to sleep, putting the baby to sleep in a separate cot or Moses basket in the same room as parents for the first 6 months and using a firm, flat, waterproof mattress in good condition.  The Lullaby Trust recommend The Grobag as part of a safer sleep routine.

It also explains things to avoid including,  sleeping on a sofa or in an armchair with the baby,  sleeping in the same bed as the baby if the parent smokes, drinks, has taken drugs or is extremely tired. This also applies if the baby was born prematurely or was of low birth-weight.  In addition, the guide explains that parents should avoid letting their baby get too hot and covering the baby’s face or head while sleeping.

Christian Jones, The Gro Company's Managing Director, said: “The Gro Company, makers of the leading baby sleep bag brand Grobag, is very pleased to have been able to fund this invaluable project on behalf of our charity partner, The Lullaby Trust.  These results strongly indicate that education continues to be the driving force for change. We believe all new parents should have access to this vital information and are committed to the continued delivery of these messages. ”

Commenting on its support for the new guide, Clare Goodrham, General Manager of Bounty said: “We understand that The Lullaby Trust’s own evidence shows there is a 50-fold increase in the risk of babies dying suddenly or unexpectedly if adults sleep together with a baby on a sofa or an armchair. It also shows that the risk for a baby under six months old is increased if they sleep in their own bedroom, as room sharing with their parents is shown to be protective.

“The findings from Bounty’s survey amongst mums has therefore demonstrated just how important it is that we provide mothers with this vital information.”

“For the past 54 years, we have worked in partnership with the NHS to provide information to new and expectant mums across the UK. This is why we are proud to be working with the Lullaby Trust and the GroCompany safer sleep nursery brand, to produce and distribute this safer sleep guide in our packs.”

Francine Bates, Chief Executive of the Lullaby Trust commented: “The numbers of babies dying suddenly and unexpectedly remains stubbornly high in the UK, compared to other Western European countries.  More needs to be done to raise awareness of the ways to prevent the biggest health fear for mothers, sudden infant death syndrome.

“This is why we are delighted to be able to provide information on safe sleep in Bounty packs and are thus able to reach all parents right at the start of their new baby’s life.  As a small charity, we could not have funded the production and distribution without the support of The Gro Company and Bounty.”

Bounty distributes its free packs to all mothers across the UK. The packs contain vital health information and money-off vouchers for new mothers.

For more information, please visit www.gro.co.uk