What is World Prematurity Day?
World Prematurity Day is a global movement that happens every year on the 17th of November. It raises awareness for the huge of preterm babies born every year; the hurdles that babies and parents face; and highlights the support available to help overcome these challenges.
What is the purpose of World Prematurity Day?
The purpose of World Prematurity Day is to raise awareness of preterm birth and the impact it can have on the families involved. Raising awareness of the issue is the first step to tackling it – with increased knowledge, expertise, and improved treatment and care, preterm birth rates could be reduced.
Premature births are more common than you may expect, as one in 10 babies are born before their due date. In Australia alone, up to 27,000 babies4 are born prematurely every year.
Across 100 different countries, individuals and organisations get together with activities, and special events to try and improve the situation for preterm babies 5.
World Prematurity Day history
World Prematurity Day was started by the European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI)4 and partnering parent organisations in 2008. International co-founders – LittleBigSouls from Africa, March of Dimes from the USA, and the National Premmie Foundation in Australia – joined the celebrations and made it an intercontinental movement.
Now 100 different countries join in with special events and commit action to acknowledge preterm birth rates and improve the lives of the babies and their families.
What is Prematurity Awareness Month?
November is World Prematurity Month6. It’s a time to raise awareness for the number of babies that are born pre-term and their families.
Our work with Bliss
WaterWipes is proud to be partnering with Bliss and supporting it with the fantastic work it does.
Bliss was founded in 1979 by a group of concerned parents whose main goal was to help give premature and sick babies the care that they deserve. Today, it continues to champion the right of every baby born premature and sick to receive the best care possible through its research and campaigns.
Its alternative approach, which is focused on not only supporting the baby but also their family and healthcare professionals, has enabled a massive change in how neonatal units care and operate.
Family-centred care
Placing parents at the heart of their baby’s care is a key goal for Bliss. The charity wants to ensure that parents feel involved and supported when it comes to caring for their baby and can do all the things they would normally be able to do if their little one was not premature or sick, such as changing their nappy, feeding, dressing their newborn and cleaning their tubes.
WaterWipes conducted research with Bliss amongst parents to understand some of the challenges they face, and a massive 96% of parents said they wish they could do the little things for their baby that would normally be taken for granted. A further 50% said that the first time they truly felt like a parent was when they changed their baby’s nappy for the first time.3 In addition, 66% of parents felt unsure about what they could use on their baby’s skin.3
Family-centred care is a key focus and a pioneering approach for Bliss, as it understands that parents can be left feeling stressed, lonely, and helpless when looking after their premature baby and that it is crucial for the parent–child bond to be protected.
Our research demonstrates that just being able to do the simple things for your baby, such as wiping their skin and bottom, is an important milestone for any parent.
Bliss milestone cards
To mark World Prematurity Day, WaterWipes has helped Bliss produce a new set of baby milestone cards, which will be provided to families with a baby in neonatal care for free. These are not your ordinary milestone cards but are instead designed specifically for premature and sick babies so that their parents can celebrate their achievements during their neonatal journey.
These include: “Today I had my first cuddle”, “Today I left the incubator”, “Today I am going home” and “Today I made a mess”.
WaterWipes: So gentle they can be used on premature babies
WaterWipes have been specifically developed to be as mild and pure as cotton wool and water. They provide gentle cleansing for the most delicate newborn skin and can be used on babies from birth.
In fact, they are so gentle they can even be used on premature babies. WaterWipes vegan, and cruelty free baby wipes are made with just two ingredients: 99.9% purified water and a drop of fruit extract. WaterWipes have been recommended by midwives and healthcare professionals worldwide and are the preferred wipe for many neonatal intensive care units throughout Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK, and the US.
FAQS
Why is World Prematurity Day purple?
The colour purple7 is chosen for World Prematurity Day as it symbolises sensitivity and exceptionality. It is featured in the socksline symbol and the logo of World Prematurity Day.
What is the symbol of World Prematurity Day?
The symbol of World Prematurity Day8 is an image of nine pairs of white socks and one purple pair on a washing line. The socks line symbolises the fact that one in ten babies is born preterm.
References:
Bliss. Statistics about neonatal care [online]. Available from: https://www.bliss.org.uk/research-campaigns/research/neonatal-care-statistics/statistics-about-neonatal-care [Last Accessed: November 2019].
Bliss. Prematurity statistics in the UK [online]. Available from: https://www.bliss.org.uk/research-campaigns/research/neonatal-care-statistics/prematurity-statistics-in-the-uk [Last Accessed: November 2019].
Survey conducted amongst 123 parents to gather insights from parents of babies born premature or sick and are cared for in the neonatal unit. Research conducted September 2019.
World Prematurity Day - Miracle Babies
World Prematurity Day - GLANCE (glance-network.org)
Prematurity Awareness Month | March of Dimes
WPD – EFCNI
How we wrote this guide
The information in this guide is based on various parental and medical sources including Miracle Babies, Bliss, and Glance.