DESIGNED BY PARENTS FOR PARENTS
Blankets and top sheets are still the safest method using our unique "Sleeper" says Safababy
Like many excited expectant parents, Carl and Sandra Burton had their new nursery already prepared for their anticipated due-date. At parent craft classes their midwife explained the importance of the newly introduced "feet-to-foot" rule. As they practised making up the cot that evening they discovered that in order to place their newborn at the foot of the bed they would have to tuck most of their new bedding underneath the mattress and the mattress would become uneven.
It also occurred to them that their baby would not only look a little "lost" at the bottom of the cot, but could wriggle out from under the blankets and up to the top of the cot, becoming cold, something their midwife had advised against. They spent much of the evening trying to come up with some alternative.Combining their initial idea with Sandra’s engineering background and Carl’s design skills, they set about developing a product that would keep their baby in the correct "feet-to-foot" position, whilst avoiding 'bunching' the bedding under the mattress of the cot/cot-bed.Thus the Safababy "Sleeper" was born. And it fitted the bill perfectly.
The prototype allowed them to place their precious newborn safely in the "feet-to-foot" position nearer to the top of the cot with enough room for natural movement. The "Sleeper" simply became the "foot" of the cot. In order for the cot to be made up normally, a safety strap was added to ensure that blankets and top sheets remained firmly in position. This was something that was extremely important to them both as they considered recent reports on the national news that loose blankets and sheets could lead to over heating - a factor linked to cot death. The flexibility of the design meant that the "Sleeper" could be re-positioned further down the cot or cot-bed as baby grew, enabling them to maintain the important "feet-to-foot" safety rule for their child until she began to sit up in the cot unaided.As they began to receive very positive comments about the "Sleeper" several were made up exclusively to order for friends and business colleagues. It became apparent that there was a potential market for the "Sleeper" so they decided to develop the product further for the Nursery market. The "Sleeper" was a unique product and the only official standard to which it could be designed was BS EN 716 which is the British and European Standard for cots.
The product was tested accordingly and a patent set in place.
The Safababy "Sleeper" was launched at Earls Court "Baby and Child International Fair 2000" where it was so warmly received it was nominated for "SHOW PRODUCT OF THE YEAR" and highly commended. Sales continued to increase. In May 2003, the "Sleeper" was exhibited at the "Annual Midwifery Conference in Harrogate". The response was overwhelming, with over 200 "Sleepers" being requested by midwives eager to promote the "Sleeper" as a "feet-to-foot" aid at their parent craft classes within NHS and Private hospitals throughout the UK. |
