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#FirstDay - Help End Newborn Deaths

25/02/2014 By Kirsty 40 Comments

Today is the launch of Save the Children’s latest campaign to end newborn deaths worldwide. For a mum or dad, the first day of a child’s life should be a time of excitement, wonder and hope.  But childbirth is often complicated and a newborn child is frighteningly vulnerable.  2.9 million babies die in their first month every year. Newborn deaths now account for nearly half of all under-five deaths.

The death of one baby is a tragedy. The death of 2.9 million a year is an outrage. And most of these deaths are preventable, with the help of a trained and equipped midwife along with basic medicines such as antiseptics and antibiotics, vital equipment and a clean environment to work in.

The world has made amazing progress in saving children’s lives over the past two decades. Thanks to global action on vaccines, family planning and treatment of childhood illness, the number of children who die each year has dropped from 12.6 million in 1990 to 6.6 million in 2012.  With the #firstday campaign Save the Children aim to save the lives of 2 million newborn babies a year and ensure that every baby is born with the support of a trained and equipped midwife.

Colin Crowley/Save the Children “Baby Zakaria, a newborn in Gardo General Hospital, Puntland.”

Please, if you can, spare one minute for women who give birth without access to antiseptic, antibiotics, sterile instruments or a trained medical professional.

Do something wonderful…

Sign the petition to ask David Cameron to put a global plan into action in 2014 that will ensure every baby is born with the life-saving help of a trained and equipped midwife and use his influence to get world leaders to do the same. Sign the petition here.

OR

Text COFFEE to 70090 to donate £3 (the price of a cup of coffee) and you could save 10 newborn lives by purchasing 10 tubes of antiseptic cream. You can also donate online here.

If you are on Twitter then join the #firstday twitter chat with @savechildrenuk and @thinlyspread from 1 – 2pm on Tuesday 25th February 2014 to launch the new campaign. Talk about the favourite first days you and loved ones have had and find out what a baby’s #firstday is like in remote health clinics in Nigeria.

With a small amount of time today you really can make a big difference to women and babies across the planet.

You are amazing.

xxx

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Filed Under: Ponderings, Recent Posts Tagged With: charity, February

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Comments

  1. Mummy of Two says

    25/02/2014 at 09:18

    I was watching something about this on the news this morning and was quite shocked. It’s great that awareness is being raised.
    Mummy of Two recently posted…Bugaboo High Performance Footmuff Review

    Reply
  2. Sonya Cisco says

    25/02/2014 at 10:22

    Such an incredibly important campaign xx
    Sonya Cisco recently posted…First Day - #FirstDay

    Reply
  3. Jo Bryan says

    25/02/2014 at 11:20

    I have signed, this is so long overdue.

    Reply
    • Kirsty says

      25/02/2014 at 12:12

      Thank you

      Reply
  4. leoniiamber says

    25/02/2014 at 11:50

    off to sign now xx
    leoniiamber recently posted…Coventry Transport museum

    Reply
    • Kirsty says

      25/02/2014 at 12:12

      Thank you

      Reply
  5. Franglaise Mummy says

    25/02/2014 at 12:36

    Done and I will try and join the Twitter chat later too, thanks for raising awareness on this.
    Franglaise Mummy recently posted…Top hat, moustache, onesie, wind, rain and a birthday

    Reply
    • Kirsty says

      25/02/2014 at 13:00

      It would be great to get lots of people engaging on twitter any time between 1pm-2pm today. Use the hashtag #firstday and let’s raise awareness as this campaign has genuinely achievable aims x

      Reply
      • Franglaise Mummy says

        01/03/2014 at 16:36

        I managed to get onto Twitter to join in for the last 10 minutes. Very emotional!
        Franglaise Mummy recently posted…Top hat, moustache, onesie, wind, rain and a birthday

        Reply
  6. Emily @amummytoo says

    25/02/2014 at 15:07

    Such a hard thing to read about. I’ve donated. Thanks for taking the time to raise awareness of this important issue x
    Emily recently posted…Easy and delicious chocolate fudge cake pops (recipe)

    Reply
  7. You Baby Me Mummy says

    25/02/2014 at 15:17

    Well done for highlighting this. Will sign x

    Reply
  8. Kizzy says

    25/02/2014 at 15:51

    What a great cause to support.
    Kizzy recently posted…Watch out teenager about!

    Reply
  9. oana79 says

    25/02/2014 at 16:03

    Such a worthwhile project, have signed the petition, thanks for bringing it to our attention!

    Reply
  10. Angela Spicer says

    25/02/2014 at 18:34

    worthy blog post.
    Angela Spicer recently posted…How To Make A Blackboard

    Reply
  11. VaiChin @Rambling Through Parenthood says

    25/02/2014 at 18:57

    There are so many peri-natal deaths that are potentially avoidable with simple precautions and care. This is a much needed initiative to get that happening.
    VaiChin recently posted…Sunday 23/02/2014

    Reply
  12. Vicky (@aroundandupsidedown) says

    25/02/2014 at 19:13

    What a deserving and essential charity to support. No child should be born without a fair chance of life x
    Vicky ( recently posted…A visit to Avon Tyrell in the New Forest: what’s the story? + The Best Wheelchair in the World

    Reply
  13. Mummy Glitzer says

    25/02/2014 at 21:00

    Some sad stats there; I had no clue.
    Mummy Glitzer recently posted…Manners

    Reply
  14. MummyNeverSleeps says

    25/02/2014 at 21:29

    It’s just unfathomable how this is happening, now. Have signed and donated, yet it still doesn’t seem enough :/

    Reply
  15. TwinsplusTwo says

    25/02/2014 at 21:40

    My husband just became a grandad (a week ago) and having seen how incompetent the NHS were in sorting a severe tongue tie so the poor babe could actually FEED (apparently tube feeds and readmission are preferable to cutting the tie quickly and painlessly >:( ) this really resonates with me. Obviously babies in this country have a much better start in life, but NHS bureaucracy STILL reduces those chances significantly for many.
    TwinsplusTwo recently posted…“Taking in the Washing” - my thoughts on Blogging

    Reply
  16. Actually Mummy... says

    25/02/2014 at 22:02

    I love the fact that a simple text can change so many lives for the better x
    Actually Mummy… recently posted…Ask GG: 5 tips for keeping your bedroom tidy

    Reply
  17. Orli D says

    25/02/2014 at 22:07

    It is such an important cause, and could help so many people. I think it is wonderful that you posted this post and are doing everything you can to help.
    Orli D recently posted…DLA - filling the disability forms

    Reply
  18. Healthier Mummy says

    25/02/2014 at 22:09

    A really important campaign - thanks for highlighting it. I went to a conference on this theme a few years ago, and remember feeling shell-shocked afterwards. Have signed the petition.

    Reply
  19. Shell Louise says

    25/02/2014 at 22:16

    I’ve signed 🙂
    Shell Louise recently posted…Shower room - Before and After

    Reply
  20. Aly says

    25/02/2014 at 22:16

    It has been inspiring reading all this Kirsty.The Twitter chat really brought tears to my eyes and it was great to get involved as a blogger.
    Aly recently posted…#Firstday- What Did Your Midwife Do That Made Sure Your Baby Had A Second Day?

    Reply
  21. Emma TheMiniMesAndMe says

    26/02/2014 at 01:02

    Form signed and tweeted for you to promote 🙂 x

    Reply
  22. Mammasaurus says

    26/02/2014 at 01:37

    When you see it written like that - the price of a cup of coffee can save 10 babies lives it’s a complete no brainer - have nobble that image to add to my blog - thanks Kirtsy x
    Mammasaurus recently posted…Letting go of the PND Guilt

    Reply
  23. Fritha Strickland says

    26/02/2014 at 14:02

    so important and something that’s so easy to forgot, will donate too x
    Fritha Strickland recently posted…What we wore - white brogues and yellow knit

    Reply
  24. Charlotte says

    26/02/2014 at 15:33

    This is such a great campaign, many of the midwives I work with have been to other countries to help train midwives but sadly there just is not enough equipment, resources, medicine etc. We donated an incubator to a hospital in Africa, and when the team got there they realised there was nowhere to plug it in. Lifesaving medical equipment costing thousands, and they ended up using it as a cot. So tragic and I wish we could all do more
    Charlotte recently posted…Bookham Commons, Surrey {Let’s have an adventure}

    Reply
  25. hannah clementson says

    26/02/2014 at 20:49

    Have signed. Thank you so much for sharing. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for the twitter chat. I hope it went well x

    Reply
  26. Kara says

    26/02/2014 at 21:31

    I have signed xx
    Kara recently posted…The Big Holiday Debate

    Reply
  27. agatapokutycka says

    27/02/2014 at 19:34

    Great campaign.
    I’ve sign petition already, thank you for sharing with us

    Reply
  28. Lori says

    27/02/2014 at 20:49

    I hadn’t seen this so well done for pointing this out! I’ll certainly be signing the petition as it’s such a tragedy xx
    Lori recently posted…GET YOUR CRAFT ON // DIY BATH BOMBE CRAFT KIT

    Reply
  29. Emily Greentree says

    28/02/2014 at 14:47

    I have signed the petition. I can’t imagine what it must be like to give birth in such terrible conditions. I know that if I hadn’t had the medical help when my baby was born, things could have been very different. I will make sure to raise awareness x
    Emily Greentree recently posted…Is it coz I’m cool?

    Reply
  30. Rollercoaster Mum says

    28/02/2014 at 14:49

    It’s so scary how easy it is for things to go wrong with something as natural as childbirth. I have signed the petition.
    Rollercoaster Mum recently posted…We love Florentine and Pig

    Reply
  31. laura redburn says

    28/02/2014 at 14:57

    i’ve been seeing this everywhere, and i’m glad, because every (or at the very least, as many as possible) babies need to be bought into the world safely, and awareness of things like this needs to be spread.
    laura redburn recently posted…friday florals 037

    Reply
  32. Helen @ Peakle Pie says

    28/02/2014 at 17:46

    Thank you for raising awareness about this. Will share on twitter and on FB too. Instead of buying a coffee today I donated x

    Reply
  33. HPMcQ says

    28/02/2014 at 18:36

    Ive been reading about this campaign and so glad to see it getting great coverage and awareness being raised x
    HPMcQ recently posted…a day on the southbank

    Reply
  34. Kate Davis says

    01/03/2014 at 01:03

    Unfortunately I missed the Twitter chat as I was at work, but read some posts on this topic later that day. As a mother I find it difficult to think about these poor mothers losing their babies when in many cases they could be saved through simple intervention.
    Kate Davis recently posted…15 ideas for old diaries and journals

    Reply
  35. Kate Williams says

    01/03/2014 at 20:52

    This is such a great campaign, I saw and took part in the twitter party but hadn’t heard about it until then. I was very lucky in that both my children haven’t needed much additional support, however I was so ill with the birth of my first that the midwives looked after him so I could recover, still very much appreciated!
    Kate Williams recently posted…St Patricks Day Card

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Goodreads #22 - darktea says:
    08/10/2014 at 10:28

    […] #FirstDay – Help End Newborn Deaths  […]

    Reply

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About Read and Create

Read and Create is a personal blog, featuring children's literature and the play, crafts, outings and food inspired by stories. I hope that the treasure trove of books and activities allows you to take away a new gem, or a nugget that inspires you.

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