An initiative to prevent the loss of babies to sudden unexpected death in infancy, SUDI, gets underway this week in Hutt Valley, Wellington.
The Moe Ora mō ngā pēpi programme aims to keep babies safe by supporting their māmā, pāpā and whānau to eliminate the risks that can lead to SUDI, the leading cause of preventable death for babies in New Zealand.
Manager of Kokiri Marae Health and Social Services Teresea Olsen says there are too many babies in Hutt Valley going without simple things like a bassinet or a smoke-free home.
“So we are looking forward to working with providers, hapū māmā and their whānau to help them make every sleep a safe sleep for babies."
The two-year programme will provide more than 300 babies at risk of SUDI with wahakura, flax woven bassinets.
Manager of the national SUDI prevention service Hāpai te Hauora Fay Selby-Law says whānau, Māori health leaders and weavers strongly support the creation of wahakura.
“It is a positive step that more wahakura are being shared with our communities and we need to continue to work together to support such initiatives to foster flourishing whānau.”
Moe Ora mō ngā pēpi will also give specialist quit smoking support to smokers in the homes of babies and training providers, including midwives, so they can share safe sleeping practices with whānau they work with.
The programme will launch tomorrow at Wainuiomata Marae in Lower Hutt.
Babies most at risk of SUDI include:
- Those whose māmā, whānau and homes are not smoke-free.
- Babies who do not have a safe sleeping resource (bassinet, cot).
- Babies of Māori and Pacifica descent are disproportionately affected.