Connect

Connect is a solution for a co-sleeping setup to be used at the maternity section of a hospital. Co-sleeping implies that mother and baby sleep at a same level surface.

When looking into the situation at home, the baby sleeps more and more in the same room as the parents. Either in the parent’s bed, or in a separate one. By having the baby in the same room there is a faster action possible when the baby is hungry. This solution to co-sleeping wasn’t converted to a hospital environment, where way more factors of safety and flexibility play a role.

The big question within this project was how a better bond could be created between mother and child. Moreover, it was neccesary to research how to convert the co-sleeping concept to be attached to a maternity bed and to meet all the neccesary medical and safety requirements. One thing is sure, the closer the baby is to the mother after birth, the better the mother-baby bonding will be.

Through observations in the maternity sections of a hospital, thorough interviews with staff and mothers, examination of the maternity bed and all the regulations concerning safety in a hospital environment, a concept was created to fulfill all the needs. During the project I developed a card set to be used as a generative technique for idea generation. A methodological design process was followed during the project.

The connect co-sleeper was mentioned as one of the 100-best innovative design projects in Belgium in the Kwintessens magazine. Read the mention in the Kwintessens Magazine – Page 114