Pregnancy and Mums

In Pendle, the number of babies who die before their first birthday is much higher than the national average.

We're working closely with our partners at NHS East Lancashire Health Improvement Service (formerly East Lancashire PCT) and other organisations in Pendle, to bring down the number of SUDIs (Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy).

Together, Pendle Neighbourhood Management Team and East Lancashire NHS Health Improvement Service have created the Pendle Baby Safe project.

One of our project's main focuses is to promote the Top 10 Tips. They are some simple recommendations written by health experts, which can help reduce the risk of a baby dying and can give babies in Pendle the best start in life.

Just following these simple tips can made huge difference and reduce the risk of a baby dying by a huge percentage.

Here are the Top 10 Tips:

1. Don't fall asleep with your baby, either in bed or on a sofa
2. Always put your baby to sleep in a cot, and have the cot in your room for the first six months
3. Put your baby to sleep on his/her back with their feet at the bottom of the cot so they can't wriggle down under any covers
4. Check your baby isn't too hot by feeling their tummy.  Hands and feet will often feel cool to the touch and this is normal.  The ideal temperature is around 37°C. Check the room temperature which should be 18°C (65°F)
5. Keep your home Smoke Free and don't let others smoke near your baby
6. Get your baby fully immunised
7. Breastfeed your baby
8. Register with your local Children's Centre, they have lots to offer
9. Try not to worry, contact your Health Visitor or Midwife for reassurance
10. If you are pregnant contact your G.P, local children's centre or Midwife early so that you and your unborn baby receive all the care you can

You can see the list of organisations and the names of the people who we are working with by looking at our e-network.

You'll see by the list that we're working with lots of different organisations in Pendle in order to tackle the wider issues that affect health and wellbeing, such as housing standards, domestic violence and obesity.

If you would like to talk to someone about any of the Top 10 Tips, from finding your local G.P or Children's Centre, to finding out about antenatal activities where you live, you can ring Help Direct on 0303 333 1010.

Now, here's the challenge- you have to pass on our Top 10 Tips to as many friends and family as you can, and together we can help to give babies in Pendle the best start in life.

If you would like to get involved in the Pendle Baby Safe project or if you have any suggestions or questions about our action plan then please get in touch. You can email lcpt@pendle.gov.uk or call us on 01282 661565 and ask for Louise.

Here are some useful websites:

• Birth To Five This is a link to "Birth to Five", a booklet which is for parents of children who are aged 0- 5. It's a great resource from the Department of Health. You can download the whole booklet to read offline, or just the chapters that interest you.
• Reducing the Risk of Cot Death This is a link to another Department of Health publication "Reducing the Risk of Cot Death", one of the most comprehensive leaflets on the subject. It lists in details the top 10 tips for keeping your baby safe.
• Room To Breathe A campaign dedicated to promoting safer sleeping for babies.  You can watch a video, download a leaflet or listen to audio clips of advice.
• The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) is the UK's leading baby charity working to prevent sudden deaths and promote health. It's the top website to go to find out more about Infant Mortality- there's facts and figures to look at too.
• Bubbalicious This website is aimed at young parents and has lots of information and guidance for young people.
• Baby Life Check This website asks parents to answer 20 questions about the health of their baby (all answers are kept confidential) and responds with information help and guidance if changes do need to be made.
• SMYL Saving a Million Years of Life, run by East Lancashire PCT. It encourages people to make a small change in what they do (from changing their diet to walking to the shops every day).