Marie’s story
Marie is a health visitor and midwife who has spent over 15 years supporting families during pregnancy and parenthood. We spoke to her about her work and how she uses The Lullaby Trust’s information.
Tell us about your role, Marie
I’ve been a midwife for over 15 years, and always knew I wanted to work with families. It was having my own children and not having the best experience that made me realise how important compassionate care is. It pushed me to be a midwife, and later going back to university to train as a health visitor.
In 2023 I became a qualified health visitor. I love what I do – and being able to support families for a longer time as a health visitor, and watching and supporting the parenting journey continue.
How do you use The Lullaby Trust’s resources in your work?
All the time. The Lullaby Trust is our go-to for safer sleep guidance as midwives or health visitors. I use it every day. I always share your website and leaflets with every family, and I regularly refer new colleagues or newly qualified midwives to your resources too – because it’s just so clear.
Just recently, I saw a family where the mum had chosen to co-sleep. She’d already read your safer sleep for co-sleeping advice and knew the high-risk situations to avoid.
In summer, I send families to your safer sleep in hot weather advice. In winter, I send families to your safer sleep in cold weather. The website is so easy to use and navigate, for both parents and professionals.
You recently referred a family for a Bedtime Bundle. Can you tell us more?
It was my first time meeting the family and it was their first baby. The baby was born prematurely, which puts them at a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The family were also living in temporary accommodation. I talked them through the usual safer sleep advice, and the mum explained that she had a Moses basket but wasn’t happy with it, so she had started co-sleeping with the baby in bed. This was a concern as co-sleeping with a premature baby is dangerous.
Then I remembered The Lullaby Trust offered Bedtime Bundles to families in temporary accommodation or in crisis. The family were interested, so I submitted a referral. When I spoke to mum less than a week later, she’d already received the bundle which was amazing. They were really happy, and so surprised by how quickly it arrived. The travel cot was helpful for them, as they were going to be spending the night with relatives soon, so they could take the travel cot with them.
Why do you feel this work is so important?
Families are under so much pressure nowadays. Everything is a struggle for people now with financial pressures on families. Anything that we can do to support struggling families, and quickly, makes a huge difference.
As health visitors, we talk all the time about safer sleep. It’s a huge topic for us and makes up every contact with family. But if parents don’t have the means to provide that, we have to do something. The Bedtime Bundles give us the means to do something.
As I drove away from that family, I couldn’t stop thinking about them. Being able to provide the family a Bedtime Bundle gave me peace of mind, and gave the family the support they needed.
Discover more
Promoting safer baby care
We're here to empower families with baby safety advice. But keeping babies safe and empowering families starts with you.
Professionals resources
Our resources are here to help you protect babies and support grieving families.
Premature babies
If you have a premature baby or your baby had a low birth weight, you might have questions about how to care for them and sleep them safely. Use this guide to help you.
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