The Women’s provides maternity and social care for disadvantaged and vulnerable women who are pregnant. These women are among the most marginalised and stigmatised in our society. In many cases, their disadvantage is caused by the compounding impact of family violence, intergenerational trauma, homelessness, mental illness, complex substance use dependence, and other socio-economic and environmental ...
The Royal Women's Hospital
Safe sleeping pods for vulnerable newborn babies

GOAL
$13,629
Field of Interest
- Health/wellbeing and medical research
Target Population
- People experiencing socio-economic disadvantage or vulnerability
- Early years (0-5)

As Australia’s first specialist public hospital for women and newborns, the Women’s holds a distinctive role in the healthcare system. We are proud of our history of leadership and advocacy on a range of sensitive, complex and challenging women’s health issues.
What do we do?
- The Women’s delivers specialist maternity, neonatal, gynaecology and wrap-around health services to women and babies in Melbourne, as well as those with complex needs from across Australia.
- We are a significant provider of education and help train the next generation of midwives, social workers, nurses, obstetricians, neonatologists and other specialists.
- We are passionate advocates in areas of women’s health that have long been overlooked or stigmatised, including abortion, endometriosis, disability, family violence, menopause, incontinence, mental health disorders, sexual assault and substance use in pregnancy.
- We deliver Australia’s most comprehensive program of research specifically focussed on women and babies.
Our vision and priority areas
Our vision is to create healthier futures for women and babies. Philanthropy is integral to the achievement of our vision by amplifying our impact across six priority action areas:
- Increasing access to family planning and contraceptive care;
- Discovering novel interventions to ensure babies survive and thrive;
- Transforming how health systems address family violence;
- Shining a light on areas of women’s health that are critically under-represented such as pelvic pain, problematic menopausal symptoms, incontinence and gynaecological cancers;
- Developing the next generation of researchers in women’s and newborn health;
- Ending infertility for young cancer survivors.
Project Summary
The Women’s provides maternity and social care for disadvantaged and vulnerable women who are pregnant. These women are among the most marginalised and stigmatised in our society.
In many cases, their disadvantage is caused by the compounding impact of family violence, intergenerational trauma, homelessness, mental illness, complex substance use dependence, and other socio-economic and environmental factors.
This project aims to give vulnerable and disadvantaged women birthing at the Royal Women’s Hospital a portable cot for their newborn babies – to keep them closer and safer in their first few days of life.
The ‘First Days’ Pēpi-Pods are small, plastic tubs that are purpose-built to create a safe sleep place for infants who are at increased risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI).
This includes twins and other multiples, low birth weight, preterm infants, infants exposed to drugs and alcohol during pregnancy, and any infant admitted to a neonatal unit.
Risks are greater if parents smoke or use alcohol or drugs (prescription or illegal) that cause sedation and impair their ability to respond to their infant.
Infants in First Nations families are also at increased risk, as are those in single parent families or where mothers have psychological vulnerabilities (i.e. depression, mental illness) and where families are in crisis (family violence, social deprivation).
Project Outcomes
Each eligible vulnerable or disadvantaged family will be given a ‘First Days’ Pēpi-Pod to take home.
This will significantly decrease the risk of avoidable Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI).
This initiative will also allow mums and babies to stay close to each other knowing that “the ideal place for a baby to sleep is in a safe cot, on a safe mattress, with safe bedding in a safe sleeping place, both night and day.”*
*Red Nose Australia
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $13,629
FUNDING
Funding source | Amount |
---|---|
Funding gap (unconfirmed) | $13,629 |
EXPENSES
Expense item | Amount |
---|---|
70 Pēpi-Pod sleep spaces, mattresses, sheets x 2 and blankets + project administration | $13,629 |
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