With baby on the way, understanding safe sleep practices has been on my mind more than ever. When my first two children were babies we always laid them on their back, but we also put blankets in the crib because I was worried about the kids being cold. Since then, I’ve learned that bedding can actually be dangerous to an infant and should not be used (CDC website).

I had never heard of a ‘sleepsack’ until recently, so when I was contacted to try one and help spread the message about SIDS awareness I was thrilled to take part!  In fact, During the month of October, HALO will donate $1 to SIDS Awareness for every new Facebook “like”. Be sure to head over and give them a like to help support the awareness campaign!

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Safe Sleep Practices

ALWAYS
  • Place baby to sleep on his or her back at naptime and at night time.
  • Use a crib that meets current safety standards with a firm mattress that fits snuggly and is covered with only a tight-fitting crib sheet.
  • Remove all soft bedding and toys from your baby’s sleep area (this includes loose blankets, bumpers, pillows and positioners). The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests using a wearable blanket instead of loose blankets to keep your baby warm.
  • Offer a pacifier when putting baby to sleep. If breastfeeding, introduce pacifier after one month or after breastfeeding has been established.
  • Breastfeed, if possible, but when finished, put your baby back to sleep in his or her separate safe sleep area alongside your bed.
NEVER
  • Never put your baby to sleep on any soft surface
  • Never dress your baby too warmly for sleep; keep room temperature 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Never allow anyone to smoke around your baby or take your baby into a room or car where someone has recently smoked.

About Halo SleepSack

HALO Innovation’s SleepSack® wearable blankets have become the standard for hospital nurseries and parents alike. In fact, 1,000 hospital nurseries use the HALO SleepSack Swaddle instead of blankets through the HALO Safer Way to Sleep Initiative. HALO Innovations also offers free Safe Sleep Practices kits to childbirth educators to help further the cause of SIDS prevention.
 
You can see just how the Halo SleepSack Swaddle works in this informative video. Not only does the swaddle keep baby warm, but also safe from loose blankets in the crib!

Find Halo SleepSack online at www.halosleep.com and on social media: www.facebook.com/halosleepsack, www.twitter.com/halosleepsack and www.pinterest.com/halosleepsack.

Thoughts on Halo SleepSack

I was sent one of the new designs exclusive to jcpenney.com, and although baby hasn’t arrived yet I did take a peek at the SleepSack. The material is very soft and comfortable (and cute), and using the SleepSack should be a breeze since the swaddle portion stays in place with fasteners.

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I also love that it zips from the bottom up. This means if baby has a dirty diaper in the middle of the night, I don’t have to take the whole thing off. I can just zip open the bottom, change the diaper, and be on my way back to sleep…hopefully.  🙂

The SleepSack is also recognized as ‘hip healthy’ by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute. This is actually really important, and I only recently learned that if you swaddle the legs or don’t allow free movement, the hips can become displaced which could lead to serious surgery. You can read more about swaddling and hip dysplasia here: Are you swaddling your baby properly?