Understanding Wahakura and Pēpi-Pod Usage to Prevent SUDI Deaths

Every year in New Zealand, 40-60 babies die from Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI), with Māori pēpi representing 70% of these deaths despite being only 20% of births. Wahakura and Pēpi-Pods are culturally appropriate sleep places that allow babies to bed-share more safely with whānau while providing protective barriers.

Research proves these devices are as safe as bassinets beside the bed. However, despite up to 15% of New Zealand newborns (8,000 babies annually) receiving these devices through a national programme, SUDI rates have not decreased.

Our analysis of 2023-2024 SUDI deaths reveals a critical implementation gap: 36% of families who lost babies to SUDI had a wahakura or Pēpi-Pod available at home, but only 4% were using the device when death occurred. Our previous research showed only 48% of infants still used wahakura at 1 month, when optimal use should continue to 3-4 months when SUDI risk starts decreasing.

This mixed-methods study will follow 300+ whānau who receive these devices, using phone/text surveys at 1, 2, and 4 months to track usage patterns, plus in-depth interviews to understand barriers to sustained use. We will identify why families stop using life-saving devices during the highest-risk period and develop targeted interventions to support consistent use.

This research could contribute to finally realising the population-level SUDI reduction these innovative devices were designed to achieve, potentially saving dozens of Māori babies' lives annually and addressing one of New Zealand's most severe health inequities.