New guide by Safe Sleep Scotland which aims to offer support to reduce cot death wins backing of Highlands and Islands MSP David Stewart and wife Linda, who have their own heartbreaking experience of it
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THE launch of a new cot death safety advice guide has won the support of a Highland MSP whose family suffered such heartbreak first-hand.
David Stewart and his wife Linda lost their youngest son, Liam, to cot death in 1991 when he was just eight months old.
And the pair hope that the launch of the new Safe Sleep Scotland guide will help spare others from “one of the greatest traumas that parents can ever face”.
Safe Sleep Scotland, run by the Scottish Cot Death Trust, has launched the new guide for families, healthcare and childcare professionals, called Back to Basics, Back to Baby.
As well as supporting families affected by Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI), the trust educates families about the risk factors. The aim is to allow parents and carers o be fully informed so that they can make their own decisions to reduce the risks.
The resource comes with a bendable tube attached which replicates a baby’s airway – and aims to help parents and carers to appreciate how fragile a baby’s airways are, and reinforce the importance of the Safe Sleep messages.
Mr Stewart, who is a Labour MSP, is also a trustee of the Scottish Cot Death Trust.
He said: “Losing a young baby is one of the greatest traumas that parents can ever face. The trust’s new guide will be a valuable resource for all would-be parents, parents, carers and professionals.
“The hard copy resource is supplemented by the Safe Sleep Scotland website and an easy to follow video which I am sure will be of benefit to all those who care for babies and young children.
“As many people as possible should be educated about safe sleeping in the hope that we can prevent many of these tragedies.”
Visit scottishcotdeathtrust.org/launch and www.safesleepscotland.org for more details, or call 0141 357 3946.
