BABY CHARITY TOMMY’S LAUNCHES ITS FIRST PREMATURE BABY GUIDE
New guide will provide essential support for parents of babies born too soon, as well as for those parents at risk of giving birth early
It is the only comprehensive guide available to parents from the moment they find out they are at risk of giving birth early, to taking their baby home
With rates of premature births rising - there are 50,000 a year in the UK - premature birth has a huge impact on an increasing number of families: in some cases, very premature babies may not survive or may go on to have long-term health problems.
That is why supporting parents through this time is so important to Tommy’s, and why the charity launches today a comprehensive new book for parents who are at risk of having, or have recently had, a premature baby: “Having a premature baby.”
Developed and produced thanks to a grant from the Asda Foundation, the new guide is an essential and unique source of information for anyone told they are at risk of giving birth early as it provides:
-Information and advice to support parents and parents-to-be through pregnancy, birth, their baby’s time in hospital and early days at home.
-Help for parents to navigate the early months of their child’s life as well as encouraging them to look after their own well-being during this difficult time.
-Best practice treatment advice for those told they are at risk of giving birth early to help them have a full-term pregnancy, such as healthy lifestyle advice to help prevent premature birth.
Beckie Lang, Health Campaigns Manager for Tommy’s, says: “Having a premature baby is a daunting prospect for all involved. We know from the many mums and dads that contact us that there is a lack of resource for those that have been told they are going to have a premature baby, so we hope this guide gives parents the support they need.”
Louisa Caroline-Hines, 45, from Bromley, was one of the parents whose feedback helped to develop the book. Her son was born at 28 weeks, and was in special care for eight weeks. She says: “I think the guide is brilliant. It is so comprehensive and I would have loved to have had a book like that at the time – having a premature baby can be a terrifying experience.”
The 94-page full-colour-book has six chapters:
·Explaining premature birth
·Reducing the risk of premature birth
·The birth – before, during and after
·Your baby’s time in hospital
·Taking your baby home
·Looking after yourself - parents’ wellbeing
All the information is evidence-based and it has been written with the help of a steering group of health professionals with expertise in pre term birth. It has also had input from parents of premature babies, who have given extensive feedback on the content as well as providing stories and tips for mums and dads going through similar experiences.
Tommy’s has recently been certified by the Information Standard, so those who refer to all of Tommy’s information - including the charity’s publications - can feel reassured that the information they receive is evidence-based, reliable and trustworthy.
Enid Povey, Associate Director Clinical Information and Development at NHS Direct, comments: “Tommy’s new guide to preterm birth should be a great support to parents and health care professionals alike. Tommy’s resources are used to deliver our health information service, as the charity has shown they have the knowledge and authority to deliver the right advice to the many families affected by pre term birth.”
Paul Kelly, Chairman of the ASDA Foundation, says: "The Asda Foundation is proud to be supporting Tommy’s premature baby guide, which will help provide vital information and support for the many families across the UK affected by premature birth."
This guide is free to order from January 17th from www.tommys.org/shop, and has been made possible thanks to grants from Asda and the Asda Foundation.
Premature birth statistics:
In England and Wales –
nearly 8% (1 in 13) of live births are born preterm[i]
21% of women who have had a previous preterm birth will have another one in their subsequent pregnancy. They are two-and-a-half times more likely to have a preterm birth than a pregnant woman who has not previously had a preterm birth.
Tommy’s believes it is unacceptable that one in four women will lose a baby every year, either at pregnancy or birth. As such the charity aims to ensure that every baby has the best chance of being born healthy, by funding research into pregnancy problems such as miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth, and disseminating pregnancy health information that will help parents-to-be have a healthy baby.
[i] Office for National Statistics (2007) Preterm Births, Preterm births data, press release based on 2005 data
At Tommy’s we believe every pregnancy should have a happy ending.
We want to give every baby the best chance of being born healthy, so we work to fund medical research into the causes of premature birth, stillbirth and miscarriage, and provide a free information service that educates all parents-to-be about health in pregnancy.
Our information service is informed by our medical research and includes a telephone midwife service, a comprehensive website and free books and leaflets promoting health in pregnancy.
By 2030 we want to halve the number of babies who die during pregnancy or birth.
Tommy’s registered charity number is 1060508 and SC039280.
To speak to a Tommy’s midwife call our PregnancyLine for free on 0800 0147 800
The Asda Foundation is Asda’s own charity, set up in 1988 and now funded by the profits of the mid-week lottery. The Foundation's mission is to drive the success of Asda in the Community by providing money for the local charitable causes that Asda colleagues get behind.
Asda has been a proud supporter of Tommy’s for over 10 years, raising valuable funds for the charity’s research through a combination of in-store promotions, activities and events.
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