PARENTS across Coventry and Warwickshire are being urged to considered putting their baby in a cardboard box.
There is however a very good reason. It is part of a new initiative from Finland which aims to help newborns sleep while also keeping them safe.
More than a hundred mums and dads visited Coventry Transport Museum for the launch of Baby Box.
Baby boxes are traditionally used as a baby’s bed in the first few months of life. Made from thick cardboard, they include a foam mattress, waterproof mattress cover and cotton sheet.
Jo Dillon, Deputy Director of Commissioning for NHS Coventry and Rugby CCG, said: “Use of the boxes has been proven to help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and we are hoping to emulate this within Coventry and Warwickshire.”
Boxes were given out pre-assembled at the event, and will continue to be distributed to parents-to-be for free.
As well as the baby box, mums and dads who sign up to the scheme will be able to access a wealth of baby health and well-being information via online education platform Baby Box University.
Carmel McCalmont, head of midwifery for University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire said: “We will encourage every new mother in the region to sign-up.
“It will help us educate new parents on the importance of safe sleeping practices, as well as other important topics like smoking in pregnancy.”
To receive a Baby Box, new and expectant parents need to register on the Baby Box University website and watch some educational videos on parent and child health topics.
The videos, which will take about 20 minutes to watch, were filmed with local health experts and cover subjects like fetal movement and breastfeeding.
Visit babyboxuniversity.com to find out more.
23rd Apr, 2024
