The Baby Week
Concept
We love babies! We want them to have the best possible start in life. So we work with expectant parents, parents and carers, professionals and the public to raise awareness of services, advocate for early intervention, promote strategies that improve outcomes during pregnancy and in early years, and celebrate success.
Baby Week Leeds was inspired by Brazil’s ‘Semana do Bebe’ supported by UNICEF. Leeds hosted the first English speaking Baby Week in 2016 and is now a registered charity. Baby Week is held in different regions across England as an early years initiative helping to bring sectors together and celebrate services and opportunities across the city, especially all things baby friendly. In 2019, we were nominated and came in second place as charity of the year by The British Journal of Midwifery Practice Awards (BJM).
Each year new projects have been launched aimed at improving maternity experiences, including: The Baby Box; raising awareness of safe sleeping and reducing the risk of cot death; the ‘50 Things to do Before You’re 5’ app, a resource that offers experiences to build skills and supports brain development in young children; and the ‘Facemums’ initiative, a digital project aimed at bringing pregnant and new mothers together, via a private Facebook site, for support and information sharing during pregnancy and the early days of motherhood and fatherhood. Expectant parents, parents and carers are given the opportunity to have their say on improving services in maternity and early years.
INCLUSIVE & BABY FRIENDLY
INCREASE SUPPORT & RAISE AWARENESS
PROMOTING THE BEST START
CELEBRATING SUCCESS & GOOD PRACTICE
INFORMATIVE & EDUCATIONAL
2016
Theme: It all starts with a baby step!
Launched the Best Start Plan and Maternity Strategy 2015 – 2019. Had around 400 attendees across 20 events and had an increase in attendees in children centres and had our first baby champ!
2017
Theme: Creating Relationships
Launched the Baby Box initiative with the Haamla Team and St James Hospital and the Family Integrated Scheme at LGI Had around 500 attendees and over 45 events during the week.
2018
Theme: Better Conversations
Launched the fantastic family app named ’50 things to do before you’re 5′ app in Leeds. Over 1700 attendees and 82 events too place city-wide with lots of media interest. Bradford & Hull joined in!
2019
Theme: Making Connections
Launched FaceMums with Leeds Maternity Care. #LeedsLovesReading was celebrated. Over 2000 attendees with 100 events in the city including tree planting! Bonding, healthy brains and wellbeing.
2020
Theme: Stay Safe, Stay Connected
Celebrated 5 years and hosted a virtual Baby Week with 100 digital events due to Covid-19 restrictions and over 1000 attendees from across UK. Launched our strategy and Baby Week Forest!
In our Maternity Strategy for Leeds, our vision is to be the best city by 2030, and an essential part of this is being the best city for children and young people to grow up in. Baby Week Leeds plays a key role in achieving that vision as it helps to promote the best start in life. The work of Baby Week is not only delivered at a local footprint but feeds into the work done at a regional level with others following our footsteps.
Dr Jane Mischenko, NHS Leeds CCGs, 2021
First time being part of Baby Week Leeds and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. Fantastic speakers and very informative. Great way of connecting with others too and learning about how other organizations have been working differently during the pandemic. Fantastic to see health inequalities being raised and featured in this event”
Balvinder Dosanjh, Perinatal Mental Health Service, 2020
“Ensuring children have the best start in life is a top priority for Leeds and by working together with our partners in health and education we can make sure that all children are able to benefit from the best services and opportunities as soon as they are born. We are very excited to be bringing Baby Week to Leeds – which will not only help new parents and parents-to-be but also professionals and students.
Councillor Lisa Mulherin, Former Executive Member at Leeds City Council, 2016
