Safer Baby Bundle hits milestone of its own

When the Safer Baby Bundle (SBB) launched locally this year the aim was to reduce stillbirths across the health service; now, mums who were pregnant at the time of the launch are giving birth to a new generation of adorable locals.

Townsville University Hospital midwife Teena Nuss said the Safer Baby Bundle materials aimed to reduce stillbirths through education on maternal smoking, detection and management of fetal growth restrictions, maternal sleep positions, timing of birth, and improved detection of impaired fetal growth.

“Preliminary data has shown that conversations with pregnant women around how to reduce the risk of stillbirth is still occurring well after the launch date, which is great news,” Teena said.

“It just shows how well received the materials are by both clinicians and mums.

“Our aim is to have a reduction in late-gestation stillbirths of at least 20 per cent by 2023.”

Teena said that early education was key to saving a life.

“Not all stillbirths are preventable, but some are,” Teena said.

“We are committed to reducing the risk so that some families will not have to experience the lifelong loss that comes after pregnancy, infant and child loss.

“If educating the women throughout their pregnancy on prevention measures saves just one baby from being born not breathing, then the launch of the SBB has been successful.”

First-time mum Sophie Kippin said the Safer Baby Bundle materials she had received throughout her pregnancy with son Kip Venning had been of immense help.

“At my very first appointment, my midwife Teena touched on the Safer Baby Bundle materials and as we progressed throughout the pregnancy she kept coming back to it which was really good because sometime you forget among all the information you try to take in,” Sophie said.

“They took me through fetal movement and how important it was and how sleeping on my side would promote good blood flow; I’m not a smoker, nor is anyone in our household, but that was interesting to learn about too.

“Between the midwives and the Safer Baby Bundle information I definitely feel like it helped me through my first pregnancy and made it easier.

“To be given that knowledge about what you can change to make your baby safer inside is a huge stress relief for any mother-to-be.”

More information can be found here: Safer Baby Bundle (stillbirthcre.org.au)