03 December 2019

Te Rā Mokopuna (National Safe Sleep day) on Friday, December 6, promises a fun day for whānau. Picnic in the Park at Pākaitore is about encouraging communities and organisations to promote safe sleep practices for our tamariki mokopuna.

SUDI (Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy) is a term which refers to the unexpected death of an infant through unintentional suffocation and previously unidentified illnesses in the babies affected. The aim of National Safe Sleep Day is to raise awareness with the vision of reducing the SUDI rate in our communities.

SUDI is preventable and the risk factors for our babies can be significantly reduced. ‘PEPE’ is a framework developed by SUDI prevention advocates. It is based on the best available evidence about how to prevent SUDI:

Place baby in their own bed in the same room as their parent or caregiver

Eliminate smoking during pregnancy and protect baby with a smokefree whānau, whare and environment.

Position baby flat on their back to sleep – face clear of bedding

Encourage and support breastfeeding and gentle handling of baby.

At Friday’s picnic, Whanganui District Health Board kaimahi and community providers will be promoting the use of safe sleep devices as a way of keeping our mokopuna safe.  These devices include wahakura and Pepi pods.

The event runs from 10am to 2pm and will include He Pii Ka Rere Māori games for the tamariki