Supporting Safer Sleep for Birmingham Babies
Thanks to a £1,500 grant from Tesco Rubery, BCHC Charity has been able to provide cribs and bedding to help prevent bed sharing and create a safe sleeping space for babies and infants of homeless and vulnerable families.
Studies have shown that parents sharing a bed with their infant child can lead to an increased risk of accidents or injuries, as the adults, or other items in the bed such as pillows and large duvets or blankets, can roll onto the baby during the night. Working with children’s centres close to Tesco Rubery and our Strengthening Families Health Visitors, we have been able to provide moses baskets, fitted sheets, and baby blankets to 17 mothers and babies so far, allowing them a safe, separate space to lay their child to sleep.
Specialist Health Visitor for Homeless Families Tonya Sillman (pictured) was instrumental in getting this project off the ground, supporting the Charity Team to source suitable baskets and bedding, as well as getting the items distributed to Health Visitor teams and children's centres, and collecting feedback from families who received them. One parent who received a safer sleep bundle, said, “Thank you so much for the support. I have been so worried about how I can afford all the needed items for my baby. The moses basket came at the right time and has lessened my anxiety."
Since the declaration of a cost-of-living crisis in Birmingham in 2022, many families have struggled to with food, fuel, and hygiene product cost increases, meaning that they are often not able to provide all of the essentials required for their families. This has hugely affected those living in temporary accommodation, who have experienced a variety of difficult circumstances which have left them without the means to provide essential items for their babies. It is a situation no parent wants to find themselves in, and these vital supplies have supported people at their most vulnerable.
One of BCHC’s Strengthening Families Health Visitors shared the story of a lady who received the baby bed and bedding (who wished to remain anonymous); “She has a medical condition and is currently being housed in a hotel as she is experiencing homelessness. She had not been aware that she was pregnant until her baby arrived, so she had not had a chance to make arrangements and prepare things for the baby. She was so grateful for the moses basket and bedding.”
Another parent, whose baby was born 11 weeks early, said, “The moses basket has helped me know that when my child is ready to come home, they now have a safe place to sleep.”
One teenager, who received the baby bed and bedding, had not been able to adequately prepare for their baby due to limited financial resources. Their Health Visitor reported that “when they were provided with a new moses basket, they were very grateful for the support and were left with a smile on their faces.”
Strengthening Families Health Visitor Bi Ncube expressed gratitude for the resources, saying; “Thank you very much for the items and for the work you do; you’re truly making a difference in people’s lives.” BCHC Charity would like to offer our sincere thanks to Tesco Rubery for making this project possible.