To support sleep and development of premature babies, Pampers launches an online platform to donate and home deliver their Pampers Preemie Protection nappies to families of premature babies for free, as they're currently only in 15%[1] of neonatal units in the UK
LONDON, Nov. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
For premature babies, sleep is crucial to support their development, with some needing up to 22 hours a day. This vital sleep allows premature babies to catch up on the development they would have when in the womb[4]. However, this sleep is often interrupted due to much-needed medical interventions, which can happen up to 200 times a day. In fact, research by Pampers has shown that 46%[5] of premature babies had their sleep interrupted by medical lines and equipment. It's therefore important that premature babies' environment is set up to aid their sleep as much as possible, whilst allowing for important interactions such as vital medical interventions and regular activities such as nappy changes.
The global study on prematurity also revealed that nearly 30% of preterm babies' sleep was interrupted due to an ill-fitting nappy or leakage[5]. A well-fitting nappy can therefore contribute to the quality of a premature baby's sleep. Pampers Preemie Protection nappies were developed with neonatal nurses and parents to provide much needed comfort. Designed to fit around medical lines and leads, the nappies aim to make nappy changing easier for parents and nurses and support up to 6 hours of leakage protection to help encourage a longer sleep whilst protecting baby's delicate skin.
Since 2017, Pampers has donated 1 million Pampers Preemie Protection nappies to UK hospitals and parents Despite this, only 15% of neonatal units are ordering them. This World Prematurity Day, Pampers are partnering with Footballer and TV Personality Joshua Wright and wife Hollie Wright to continue raising awareness about the availability of these nappies and will be launching a new online ordering platform for parents and families. Joshua and Hollie, experienced the benefits of Pampers Preemie Protection nappies first-hand with their son Dustin, who was born at 28 weeks, earlier this year. The nappies are available in three sizes, including Pampers' smallest nappy for babies weighing as little as 1lb 1oz, & can be ordered to a desired address for free at https://www.pampers.co.uk/preemies-ordering-platform. The aim is to ensure that as many premature babies as possible in the UK have access to these nappies so that they can sleep longer to grow stronger.
Joshua and Hollie recall those precious early days with Dustin on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the importance of sleep on his development. "When you look back at photos and videos of Dustin at the time, he was always sleeping – we didn't realise how much sleep a premature baby needed at the time but once we realised it was important to his development, we tried to do everything to ensure it was protected as much as possible. We were lucky enough to have Pampers Preemie Protection nappies at Dustin's NICU so it allowed us to be involved in important moments like being able to change his nappy without waking him and hold him skin-to-skin whilst he slept soundly. It was the reassurance we needed to know he was comfortable. The fact that Pampers are now making it even easier for families to access these nappies through their new online platform is a brilliant development and something we would have definitely made use of at the time. Easy access to the right nappies for a premature baby gives parents the confidence to have greater involvement in their care."
Claire Campbell, Neonatal Network Care Coordinator says, "Working in partnership and involving parents in their babies' care from the outset is so important. Supporting parents to become confident in nappy changing and caring for their preterm baby's needs in the NICU will help prepare them for the hospital-to-home transition. This will enhance the building of close and loving relationships with their baby and wider family. Healthcare professionals, also work together with parents to develop supportive sleep routines for their baby whilst in the NICU and at home, which is vital to a new-born's development"
The role of a good support network for parents and family members is another important factor to ensuring the right environment, as it can be beneficial for their mental health, helping them feel less alone. Research also revealed parents felt most supported by healthcare professionals including specialists and midwives, as well as family and friends during their prematurity journey[5]. This is why Pampers is continuing to support long-standing charity partner Bliss, the UK's leading charity for those born preterm and sick, and their Bliss Champions service. It provides on-the-ground emotional support to parents on the NICU at a time they need it most.
Dustin's grandparents, Carol and Mark Wright Snr have shared the importance of support during this time, "It was a different experience for us with Dustin as we weren't able to be with him or Joshua and Hollie 24/7 during their time at the NICU. It was through special moments like facetiming and buying clothing to take to the hospital that we felt we were able to help. Knowing that they had support available to them when we couldn't be there was so reassuring and why the work that Bliss Champions do is so needed."
To find out more about sleep, it's role for premature babies, and the Wright family's own story, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-W85gfkhjM.
If you'd like to help raise awareness this World Prematurity Day, then you can show your support too. For every Pack of Pampers nappies and nappy pants purchased from Boots between Nov 11th 2023 and Jan 7th 2024 and from ASDA between Nov 8th – Nov 28th 2023, Pampers will donate 1 premature nappy to premature babies in the UK (T&Cs apply). Please visit https://pampersforpreemies.pampers.co.uk/ for more information.
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At Pampers, we believe in the power of working together - with parents, experts and our valued partners - to make babies' world better, today and in the future. That's why, for more than 50 years, parents have trusted Pampers to care for babies' happy, healthy development. Pampers is a part of The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) and is the #1-selling nappy worldwide. Every day, more than 25 million babies in 100 countries around the world wear Pampers. Pampers offers a complete range of nappies, wipes and training pants designed to provide protection and comfort for every stage of baby's development. Visit www.pampers.co.uk to learn more about Pampers products, our latest innovations and for a chance to win rewards.
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About Bliss
Bliss exists to give every baby born premature or sick in the UK the best chance of survival and quality of life. We champion their right to receive the best care by supporting families, campaigning for change and supporting professionals, and enabling life-changing research. Bliss was founded in 1979 by a group of concerned parents who discovered that no hospital had all the equipment nor the trained staff it needed to safely care for premature and sick babies. Determined to do something, these volunteers formed a charity to give vulnerable babies the care they deserve. More than 40 years later, Bliss has grown into the leading UK charity for the 90,000 babies born needing neonatal care every year.
Registered charity no. 1002973
[1] Based on the total number of neonatal units in the UK ordering Pampers Preemie Protection nappies, 2022
[2] Timothy Yao, M.D., Neonatologist at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, California (https://www.romper.com/p/how-much-should-preemie-babies-sleep-probably-a-lot-more-than-you-think-experts-say-18724615)
[3] Murdoch D et al. Handling during neonatal intensive care. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 1984. 59: 957-961
[4] Mahmoodi N et al. Nurses' Awareness of Preterm Neonates' Sleep in the NICU. Global Journal of Health Science. 2016. 8 (6): 226-23
[5] Pampers Prematurity Global Thought Leadership, 2023
Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-W85gfkhjM
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2279445/Joshua_and_Hollie_Wright_Nappy_in_hand.jpg
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2279446/Mark_Snr_Carol_Hollie_and_Joshua_Wright.jpg
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2279447/Joshua_Hollie_and_Carol_Wright.jpg
![This World Prematurity Day, Pampers is empowering the 82%[1] of parents who feel nervous to touch their premature babies to build confidence and enable essential moments of bonding](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KtrAUVXZ_F8/hqdefault.jpg)
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