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Dr Mendinaro Imcha, Consultant Obstetrician/Gynaecologist, University Maternity Hospital Limerick and Jennifer Clary, CEO The Baby Box Company with Lisa Healy with her brand new baby, Leah from Templemore, Co Tipperary. Liam Burke/Press 22

Free 'baby boxes' to be given to new mothers at Limerick hospital

The use of these boxes has been credited with helping reduce infant mortality rates in Finland.

THOUSANDS OF “BABY box” sleeping cots are to be provided free of charge to parents of children born in Limerick, in a first of its kind national initiative, aimed at reducing infant deaths.

Today, University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL) – where around 5,000 babies are born every year – launched the Baby Box programme to also help educate parents on how to care for their newborns.

The programme will see mothers who complete e-learning modules provided with a free baby box for their infant to sleep in. The online training element is meant to be inclusive and accessible; easy to follow and available in 17 languages.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also known as cot death, is the unexplained death of a child of less than one year of age. It usually occurs during sleep.

Infant mortality rates

The use of Baby Boxes has been credited with helping reduce infant mortality rates in Finland, where they have been in use for over 75 years.

The programme has apparently contributed to reducing the infant mortality rate in Finland, from 65 infant deaths per 1,000 births in 1938 to 2.26 per 1,000 births in 2015. Ireland’s infant mortality rate is 3.7 per 1,000 births.

Other countries, including the UK, Canada and USA, have also begun to introduce the concept.

The Baby Box, made from a durable cardboard, can be used as a newborn’s bed for up to the first six months of their life. It is thought the small size of the box prevents babies from rolling onto their tummies, which experts think can contribute to SIDS.

Baby Box LK 01 Karen Smith, artwork designer and expectant mum, Dr John Slevin, Consultant Obstetrician and Colette Cowan, CEO, UL Hospitals Group at the launch today. Liam Burke / Press 22 Liam Burke / Press 22 / Press 22

The boxes also includes baby clothes, a firm foam mattress, waterproof mattress cover, cotton sheet – and advice on recorded tutorials made by UMHL staff on reducing SIDS risk; improving parental bonding; and making the transition to parenthood.

Tradition

Speaking at today’s launch, Dr Mendinaro Imcha, Consultant Gynaecologist/Obstetrician, UMHL, said the programme “is a proactive approach to improving the health and safety of the newborn child and parents”.

“We are combining tradition with current technology and supporting the newborn child’s family with online educational material covering a broad range of essential topics on ante and postnatal care,” he added.

The Baby Box has been rolled out by the Baby Box Co, and designed by Tipperary-based tattoo artist and expectant mum Karen Smith.

“The whole meaning behind the design is rebirth. I thought the butterfly was the perfect symbol for the Baby Box. It is a symbolic creature in many cultures.

It sometimes represents Beauty itself, or metamorphosis, and at other times the transitory nature of happiness and indeed all of life. They lend themselves to all manner of colourful and fanciful adaptations, in our case our beautiful Baby Box,” Smith said.

Read: How ‘maternity box’ gift helped lower infant mortality rates in Finland>

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    Mute Joe blogs
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    Mar 16th 2016, 2:44 PM

    The ra done it better

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    Mute Leo Lowe
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    Mar 16th 2016, 3:02 PM

    Did not done. Shinner are not usually well educated.

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    Mute Motherofdivinejebus
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    Mar 16th 2016, 3:08 PM

    Err, I think you forgot an apostrophe between Did and Not Leo,
    Oh the Irony, LOL

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    Mute Motherofdivinejebus
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    Mar 16th 2016, 3:09 PM

    Whoops! I meant a Comma,
    (Karma is a bitch, I know )

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    Mute Cosmo Kramer
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    Mar 16th 2016, 3:15 PM

    There’s nothing more ignorant than correcting someone’s grammer..

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    Mute Karol Doran
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    Mar 16th 2016, 3:34 PM

    Cosmo,

    It’s ‘grammar’.

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    Mute Leo Lowe
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    Mar 16th 2016, 3:36 PM

    Mother, the initial letter in comma should be lower case.

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    Mute Thomas Delaney
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    Mar 16th 2016, 9:50 PM

    Also, spelling is not grammar you simpleton Cosmo.

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    Mute Kevin Blanche
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    Mar 16th 2016, 2:50 PM

    Up like a bird and over the city

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    Mute graham galvin
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    Mar 16th 2016, 2:52 PM

    3 men are missing, I heard the warden say.

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    Mute Peadar Ó Gréacháin
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    Mar 16th 2016, 4:15 PM

    Copycats…..

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    Mute IrishGravyTrain
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    Mar 16th 2016, 2:50 PM

    Video needs that Mission Impossible theme.

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    Mute Gerry Fitz
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    Mar 16th 2016, 3:24 PM

    CLOSE THE GATES

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    Mute Gary O'neill
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    Mar 16th 2016, 2:43 PM

    The Canadians should be ashamed of themselves for letting this occur. Thankfully their country is a lot more beautiful than the dump we live in so I won’t get too mad at them

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    Mute Timber Planks
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    Mar 16th 2016, 2:55 PM

    Have you even been to Canada?

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    Mute Diolúin Ó hUigínn
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    Mar 16th 2016, 2:57 PM

    Good man for forgiving them Gary, I’m sure they were very worried there for a minute.

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    Mute Alan Cooke
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    Mar 16th 2016, 5:40 PM

    No, I don’t think he has but he’s just back from a quick holiday to Rome.
    It’s amazing how us tax paying fools can let Gary jet around on his well funded state pension and come on here and call our country a dump. Stop his pension for 6 months and that will cure his cough.

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    Mute Patrick J O'CONNOR
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    Mar 16th 2016, 6:37 PM

    @Gary O’neill……..Funny! Never heard a Canadian note anything like you say. Only your BS I would say.

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    Mute THE BIG LAD
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    Mar 16th 2016, 3:48 PM

    Its happened here a few times ….

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    Mute Sean Bradley
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    Mar 16th 2016, 3:27 PM

    Sound like something from the video game GTA

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    Mute richiecallaghan
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    Mar 16th 2016, 3:18 PM

    Good man Gary insult the country that’s paying your over generous teacher pension, bet you love the place when you use your bank card.

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    Mute Paul Knowles
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    Mar 17th 2016, 1:04 AM

    Done in mountjoy first

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