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.
SIDS was my BIGGEST fear!! We did our research when it came to safe sleep and Halo was an amazing piece of mind!!
Thank you for this review! The HALO products are great
HALO sleep sacks are a great way to keep baby warm and safe!
I am trying to get our 10 month old from waking up every 2-3 hours every night crying. How do I break this she was sleeping through the night before and now it she is not!
Stephanie, this has happened to us before, too. They will be sleeping all night and then start waking again. Do have any guesses about the cause? For instance, it could be teething or changes in daytime rountine/naps.
You have basically three options. (1) Find the cause and address it so your baby sleeps soundly again. (2) Start sleep training – i.e. briefly soothe your baby but put her back to bed again despite the fussing or (3) Keep providing comfort and/or food (nursing/bottle) whenever your baby wakes, until she outgrows this.
Thanks for entering the giveaway!
Anne
That’s fantastic that the sleep sack zips up both ways! Sounds like it would make middle of the night diaper changes much easier!
The best way to sleep train a toddler and a newborn is set a time the toddler goes to sleep for the infant. Turn off the lights except night light and sound spa for white noise and slowly the baby with get used to tge sleep patterns over the months.
This is amazing all new baby would love the secure feeling and they will get a better rest.
We love Halo sleepsacks! We’re looking at getting the winterweight sack for this winter.
SIDS is one of my biggest fears. My son sleeps in a bassinet but he is outgrowing it quickly…I hate the thought of him sleeping in that big crib!
This sounds like a wonderful product! It scares me when people put that all that other soft bedding in the crib with their babies.
Swaddling really helped my newborn sleep. It’s not for all babies, but it can really help some of them!
SIDS has weighed heavy on my mind since I had my son, and even more with my daughter since I’m more informed.
My baby lives sleeping in his sleep sacks, they are comfy and safe
At what age is it safe to let babies sleep on their stomach?
Casandra, it’s always best to put your baby to sleep on his/her back, but once your little one learns to roll from back to front, you no longer need to worry about tummy sleeping, nor do you need to go in and “flip” them the other way, because this will disturb sleep. Some babies can roll over as early as 3 or 4 months, but it’s usually at 5 months or later. – Anne
SIDS worries me so much. I would love to have these products to give me some peace of mind at night.
When my older kids were babies they wouldn’t sleep without sleep sacks. Loved them! I plan on using them for our new little baby. I educate new moms and nurses and can’t stress enough the importance of safe sleep.
When my kids were born, they taught us to place them on their tummies to sleep. At what age is it now safe to place a baby on their tummy to sleep?
Angela, it’s always best to put your baby to sleep on his/her back, but when he/she is able to roll over from back to front, you no longer need to worry about tummy sleeping. Some babies can roll over as early as 3 or 4 months, but it’s usually at 5 months or later. – Anne
been wanting to tr a halo sleep sack for next baby
I felt lucky that I had my baby during a warm summer so that I didn’t have to worry about a heavy blanket for baby during the first few months.
What a great giveaway! Education on safe sleep is so important!
We already have our Halo Bassinest for baby, so adding a Sleep Sack would be amazing!
I’m expecting my first baby. and this is a concern of mine (as I’m sure it is with all mothers). Winning this giveaway would definitely ease some of my worries, so I’m hoping it works out for me :).
Is it true that HALO sleep sacks make your babies sleep better
Kathy, most babies do like to be swaddled or snug while asleep, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. And as they get older, this need changes and they typically want more freedom. The HALO SleepSacks are nice because they have room for leg and arm movement, but still keep away drafts. ~Anne
We did prenatal classes and were educated on safe sleep prior to having our daughter, but thinking back, there are still things I would do differently. I think it’s great how dedicated Halo is to providing a wide range of safe sleep options, and how easy their products are to use! Thank you for all the education you provide parents!
When my DD was a baby she wouldn’t sleep unless being held. So after several sleepless nights we (me, DH and DD) coslept. She still wasn’t a great sleeper but at least we could get some sleep. She also liked liked being swaddled with legs loose. We were super worried about SIDS but our sleep (mine and my husband’s) was so light we were waking up constantly from any change in her position or sounds. In addition I read that exclusively breast fed babies have much lower odds of SIDS which was a great relief.
Marianna, so glad you found your sleeping solution! I, too, was thrilled to know that breastfeeding can help cut down on SIDS risk. Thank you for the reminder! ~Anne
Sids is my biggest fear, and once I learned about sleep sacks they are all I plan to use. I’m glad that Halo is trying to get the word out about safe cribs, I remember crib bumpers and they are so dangerous!
Thank you for the review!! Have always loved the look of the HALO products. Looking forward to using them in February when our little man is here!
We loved our sleep sack! I would love to gift this to my pregnant SIL!
Halo products are just great and it reduces the risk of Sids. Thanks for this giveaway.
I love our HALO sleep sacs! They are a must for winter here!
Because I was so scared that something would happen to my oldest two I slept with each of them until they were eighteen months old.
I had a friend who lost her first to SIDS and couldn’t get past that thought enough to place mine in their crib and walk away.
My heart goes out to anyone that has had their life touched by SIDS.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
It always amazes me that bumper pads are still sold! There are so many other unsafe products that have been banned. Why not bumper pads?
I’m not sure, Viv, and that’s a really good question. Although the AAP recommends against them, the federal government does not restrict the use or sale of crib bumpers. In fact, bumpers are include in most coordinated nursery bedding sets that you can buy. There are some industry standards, for instance, the fabric is much thinner than it used to be. Unfortunately, many accidents occur because babies get wedged between the bumper and something else, or caught in the bumper ties. The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association still feels that bumpers are fine, if properly used. They stated that when used properly, “traditional crib bumpers that meet the ASTM Infant Bedding Standard assist parents in addressing their very real concerns about crib injuries including limb entrapment, head injury, contusions and abrasions.” They also claim that when a crib bumper is involved in an accident or death, it’s not due to the bumper alone, but some other contributing factor.
Whatever the case, I would definitely be more worried about my baby suffocating or choking, than bumping his head on the crib rail, or getting an arm caught in the slats. Products like the HALO Swaddle can help keep a younger baby’s arms and legs secure. ~Anne