From studies carried out in the UK it is known that:
• 'Breastfeeding mothers who sleep near their baby get more sleep and report longer breastfeeding'
(Ball, H. 2003; Ball, H. et al 2006).
In terms of sustaining breastfeeding, it is also known that the evening 'cluster-feeding' & night-
feeding patterns of infants have the effect of encouraging the mother's body to maintain the supply of
milk to meet the physiological demands of the growing baby.
However, getting up out of her bed to collect & then feed her baby through the night-time, while
ensuring she doesn't fall asleep with him or her on a chair or sofa, can be exhausting for a new
mother.
To help improve this situation, the 'Bednest' was designed by a mother (now grandmother), Sarah
Woodhouse, in 2003. In 2005 the 'Bednest' won the 'Concept Design Award' at the Baby + Child
International Fair, and a 'Mother & Baby Gold Award' in 2010.The design of the crib was further
refined in 2012, and was then accredited by the NCT.
BLISS have been recommending this bedside crib to new mothers due to the fact that the "Bednest
keeps your baby close to you to aid bonding, breastfeeding & less disturbed sleep" Little Bliss
Magazine Spring 2013
Linked-Up collects new and pre-loved
clothing for local preterm babies, and make
these available to parents, helping to
reduce by at least a little, the extra costs
that come with having an early newborn
Linked-Up collects and distributes as-new
or new natural feeding-friendly clothing
items, in order to make the early feeding
months less financially challenging for new
mothers.
We also aim to support new mothers in
South Warwickshire who've experienced an
emergency Caesarian Section, or whose
babies may have been born very early. We
fundraise to subsidise the cost of hiring the
Bednest for mothers who, for health
reasons, could benefit from using the Co-
Sleeper bedside crib.
A Bednest enables a mum to have her baby
sleeping very close, within arm's reach,
while still lying in his or her own separate
safe sleep space. It can be bought at John
Lewis (for around £300), on-line direct via
Bednest.com, and via the NCT website
shop (charity members can get a 10%
discount). More information on the Bednest
Co- Sleeper Cot can be found here
Our goal is that more new mothers feeling
confident & stylish in the early months of
breastfeeding, fewer new mothers- who're
feeding their babies themselves, feeling
exhausted in the early months of
parenthood, and more new parents of
preterm babies have a bit more spare cash,
after sourcing tiny clothes from Linked-Up.
We hope over time to extend the range of
practical help we can offer in support of
new parents, to include mum-to-mum
feeding help in the early weeks.
Feeding a new baby naturally can be such a rewarding achievement for a new mother. Yet getting
out & about can sometimes feel a bit tricky, at least until you're into the swing of things!
It is known that, nationally in the UK, around a third of new mothers (who start off with feeding their
babies themselves), give up at around 6 weeks after delivery. A further 16% stop because 'it was
awkward to breastfeed outside the home'
'Barriers to Breastfeeding' presentation by Prof. Mike Wooldridge, Royal College of Midwives Conference 2012.
In the current climate, in which many families are needing to be careful with their finances, spending
money on special breastfeeding-friendly clothing may not be the top priority.
Linked-Up helps with collecting and passing on pre-loved items, particularly nursing tops and lingerie,
through the mobile 'Boost-Boutique'. Having some specially designed, nursing-friendly tops can
make all the difference for a new mum who may be trying to build her confidence in getting out-and-
about with her baby.
We're always happy to accept offers of
donated pre-loved or unworn clothing,
specifically :
for Tiny/Early babies:
•
BabyGros,
•
Bodysuits,
•
Vests
•
Hats,
•
Socks,
•
Early baby 'nests'
•
Cotton muslins squares for 'safe
swaddling'
•
Surplus stock / end of lines of preterm
baby-clothing from retailers
for Nursing mothers:
•
Feeding-friendly tops
•
Nursing bras
•
Useful cardis / jackets
•
Scarves / wraps
•
Packs of new breast-pads
•
Helpful books
You can also support local families by:
•
Volunteering to accept drop-offs of
donated clothing (at your home or
workplace/shop)
•
Collecting donations from drop-off
points & delivering them for
laundering
•
helping to launder & dry clothing
(laundry tabs provided for preterm
baby clothes)
•
Bagging up & labelling items
•
Storing bagged & labelled items
•
Helping at our fund-raising events
•
Joining the 'Linked-Up' team - read
more here
Are you a mother of older children with a little more time to spare?
Are you a grandmother who'd like to offer some community support to new families?
We’d love to hear from you if you’d like to help us do any of the following:
•To collect & deliver clothing donations
•To launder, label & package pre-loved clothing items
•To join the Linked-Up 'trustees' & enjoy a sociable time while doing something worthwhile!
Donate your new / unused feeding-friendly clothing or Early baby clothes at handy local
venues, such as:
•The Cotton Nappy Company, Leamington Spa
•Dale Street Children's Centre, Leamington Spa
•St. Johns Children's Centre (weekly B-feeding Buddies), Kenilworth
•Newburgh Children's Centre (Baby Clinic), Warwick
•Bumps & Babies (NCT weekly drop-in), Leamington Spa
•Little Sunflowers Sensory Centre, Kenilworth -please telephone prior to dropping by!
Check updates on locations for 'Teeny-Togs' + 'Boost-Boutique' on our Facebook Page
•To help out at a 'Linked-Up' fund-raising event…or raise some cash yourself in order to help us
support a new special mum to hire a Bednest for her baby
© Linked-Up.org.uk
NCT Bednest Hire Scheme
Everyone knows that having a new baby in the family is a blessing, but can be expensive!
For parents of babies who are born early & needing hospital care, the reality is that the family faces
a whole extra layer of expense & worry. A study by BLISS on the experiences of 1,342 families
surveyed in 2013 found that:
• 'The average extra weekly spend for a family with a baby in hospital was £282 per week, or
£2,256 over the whole of their baby's stay'
Reference: BLISS Report 'The Very Real Costs of having a Preterm Baby' 2014)
This extra cost of visiting their preterm baby in hospital is compounded by the extra cost of tiny /
early-baby clothing, which is not as easy to find second-hand as are items of regular-sized baby
clothes.
By offering a central collection-hub for donations of pre-loved & well-cared-for clothes, Linked-Up
can make these available for other parents of preterm babies to use.
For tiny babies with extra-sensitive skin, the labels can be cut off the clothing sourced from Teeny-
Togs…maybe not as easy to do if an item has cost around £20 !
All clothing we receive is gently washed in laundry soap especially for sensitive baby skin. We then
bag, seal & label each item, ready to be chosen & worn by another teeny tot.
[COOKIE POLICY]
Find Donated Preterm Baby Clothing
Find Donated Nursing-Friendly Clothing
Refer for Bednest hire (NHS Midwives/HVs)
Breastfeeding & Night-Time Sleep
Nursing-Friendly Togs Tips
Top Tips for Dads
