When I first became a mother, SIDS was at the top of my worry list. And part of that was because it seemed like something that just randomly happened, and therefore completely beyond my control as a parent. But did you know that more than half of all sudden unexpected infant deaths are preventable when proper safe sleep practices are followed? That’s more than 50%! October happens to be SIDS Awareness Month, and HALO is once again helping to educate parents about safe sleep for babies.
This year, HALO is encouraging parents to “Decorate the Nursery, Not the Crib.” As a participant in the awareness campaign, I received a complimentary HALO 100% cotton SleepSack wearable blanket for Ingrid to try out. This is the Gray Elephant print:
Ingrid sleeps in a crib with snug sheets and nothing else (besides her SleepSack to stay warm at night). When buying a Swaddle or SleepSack from HALO, you can choose from many different fabrics, depending on the season and your personal preference – 100% cotton, organic cotton, microfleece, Luxe Sherpa, Winter Weight and muslin. You can find comfortable, safe sleep solutions for newborns up to toddlers like Ingrid, and big kids, too!
My favorite features of Ingrid’s toddler-size SleepSack are the zipper that goes both ways, and the thick, smooth cotton fabric that’s both comfortable and breathable.
Here’s a quick rundown of a what a safe environment looks like:
- A firm mattress that fits snuggly with no gaps
- A tightly fitted crib sheet
- No soft bedding at all (no bumpers, pillows, positioners, loose blankets, toys or stuffed animals)
- No baby monitors or other items that have cords
- A wearable blanket instead of a loose blanket
You can read more about HALO’s Safe Sleep Tips here.
Here’s a message about SIUD that HALO wanted me to share with you as part of their October campaign: “Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SIUD) still claims more than 3,500 infants each year in North America. More than half of these deaths are preventable when proper safe sleep practices are followed. To help keep all babies sleeping safely and avoid these unnecessary tragedies, HALO is dedicated to putting the health, safety and well-being of babies first. In fact, over 1,400 hospitals use HALO® SleepSack® wearable blankets through the HALO Safer Way to Sleep Hospital Initiative. Through this program HALO has helped Hospitals and Birth Centers throughout North America create their own safe sleep programs, which utilize the HALO SleepSack Swaddle to demonstrate to parents and caregivers how to keep their babies sleeping safely. To date, HALO has donated more than $4.3 million in its efforts to promote safe sleep education.”
HALO is also offering 2 giveaways! You can win a HALO Safe Sleep Starter Kit here at my blog (see below), and enter to win the sought-after HALO Bassinest by visiting their Facebook page.
Giveaway: One lucky reader in the US or Canada will win a HALO Safe Sleep Starter Kit, which includes a HALO SleepSack Swaddle and SleepSack, a pacifier, bodysuit and fitted crib sheet! Winner may choose between boy or girl colors.
