Firefighters work with maternity staff in Barnsley

Barnsley Hospital’s maternity services team and community safety officers from the county’s fire service have developed the Barnsley Babies initiative, aimed at raising awareness of how parents can ensure that babies are sleeping in a safe environment - including smoke-free homes.

The initiative was launched in line with the Lullaby Trust’s national Sleep Safe campaign, which promotes the importance of safe sleeping for the whole family including advice and guidance on how to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

The Barnsley Babies initiative promotes messages including the importance of a smoke free home and car, the best sleeping position and environment for babies and temperature control.

From Monday maternity staff will be available in the Women’s Services foyer between 9am and 4pm in to offer advice and information to parents, visitors and members of staff.

They will provide all pregnant women with a bag which includes a room thermometer which has advice about safe temperatures printed on it, a scan frame to display prenatal scans and a document file for parents to keep important health information about their baby in.

Joanne Poskitt, Specialist Midwife at Barnsley Hospital, said: “We have been working with the fire service for a while now and we are extremely proud of the Barnsley Babies initiative, we have had some fantastic feedback from our mums.

“We are excited to launch the Sleepsafe bags for new parents and initial feedback has been positive. We encourage anyone who has any questions or needs advice on safe sleeping to come along to the Women’s Services main entrance during the week commencing March 14 and speak to a maternity staff member.”

For more information visit www.lullabytrust.org.uk