Rowan’s Rule

16/10/2025

Today marks Restart a Heart Day, a campaign all about raising awareness of the importance of CPR.

Having that knowledge truly can make all the difference, and it’s something very close to our hearts.

I know it’s been a little quiet on here lately, but please know that I’m still working hard behind the scenes to get Rowan’s Rule shared in maternity care services across the UK and beyond. Every conversation, every meeting, and every share helps us move a little closer to making a real difference for other families.

Saturday was Rowan’s third birthday. Not a day goes by that we don’t think about him and wish things were different. But as they aren’t, we hold on to his legacy — and keep pushing forward in his name, with love and purpose.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support, share, and speak about Rowan’s Rule. Your kindness and encouragement mean more than words can say. 💙

23/09/2025

A huge thank you to the incredible teams at UHNM, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB, and the Child Death Overview Panel for their hard work, dedication, and commitment in making this possible.

By sharing CPR and safe sleep guidance with expectant parents, you are giving families the knowledge, confidence, and reassurance to act in an emergency and to create safer sleep environments for their babies. This vital step will not only raise awareness but will also help prevent avoidable tragedies and give little ones the safest possible start in life.

We are truly grateful for your support in carrying Rowan’s Rule forward and ensuring his legacy protects other families. 🌟💙

Expectant mums at UHNM will now receive potentially life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and safe sleep guidance as part of a new partnership campaign. 👶🏼🏥

Guidance leaflets will now be given to parents and carers attending antennal appointments at UHNM to help families feel more confident in responding to emergencies and educate about safer sleep environments for infants.

Developed in partnership with Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (ICB) and launched to coincide with , the guidance explains how to correctly assess a baby’s response and begin CPR in an emergency and safe sleep practices.

Sarah Jamieson, director of midwifery at UHNM, said: “Providing families with clear, practical information is central to safe maternity care. This new guide gives parents and carers the confidence to act in an emergency and the reassurance of knowing how to create a safe sleep environment for their baby.

"By working together with our partners across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, we can help prevent avoidable tragedies and give every child the safest possible start in life.”

In the UK, around 200 babies die suddenly and unexpectedly every year with most deaths happening during the first 6 months of a baby’s life. Infants born prematurely or with a low birthweight are at greater risk. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) usually occurs when a baby is asleep, although it can occasionally happen while they’re awake.

Information in this guidance is supported by the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) and has been developed in support of Rowan’s Rule, a campaign launched by a family whose baby boy tragically stopped breathing at home.