SIDS Awareness Month - Practice Safe Sleep

Disclosure: I have received a HALO SleepSack in exchange for my review.  The opinions are 100% my own.

Winter is upon us.  Well not yet, but the chill is in the air and we need to keep those babies warm.  Your first reaction may be to put lots of blankets on your baby when you put them down to sleep.  Please resist this urge because blankets in the crib are a SIDS risk.  With October being SIDS Awareness Month I would like to talk to you about safe sleeping practices and give you another option to keep your little one warm.

What is SIDS?  This is the sudden death of an infant less than 1 year of age that occurs suddenly and unexpectedly.  There is a type of sleep related  SIDS that is associated with airway obstruction in the sleep environment caused by suffocation by soft bedding, another person rolling on the infant, becoming wedged between two object, or strangulation.  To counteract these dangers, we need to create a safe sleep environment for our little ones.

Did you know that 80-90% of SIDS-related deaths are due to unsafe sleep practices?  During the month of October HALO will donate $1 to SIDS Awareness for every new Facebook "Like" they receive.  Help us spread the word about Safe Sleep by sharing this post today.  You may save a baby through educating another.

Safe Sleep Practices begin with:

ALWAYS

• Place baby to sleep on his or her back at nap time 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.

With all of these dangers, how do we keep our babies warm?  HALO has a great micro-fleece SleepSack that will do the perfect job.  During the warmer months we are a fan of the cotton SleepSack, but definitely needed something heavier for the winter.  The HALO micro-fleece SleepSack (also available in Early Walker and Big Kids sizes) is made out of the softest material.  I pair the Sleep Sack with some foot pajamas and we are good to go to beat the chill.  I know Nugget loves his new Sleep Sack because he falls asleep much quicker when he is wearing it.

Make sure that you are providing a Safe Sleep environment for your baby.  Ditch the blankets and pick up a HALO micro-fleece SleepSack today!  My Jordanian Nugget is also giving away one in honor of SIDS Awareness Month.

You can stay up to date with HALO on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest!

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Halo SleepSack Safer Way to Sleep Initiative

Disclosure: I have received this product in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own.

One of the hardest things about raising children today is that it is done a lot differently than that of our parents.  Crib safety is one of the major changes that I have noticed.  We all slept on our stomachs and probably had blankets and bumpers in our cribs.  All of these things are now considered unsafe and a great SIDS risk.  I have teamed with HALO to tell you about their Safer Way to Sleep Initiative and introduce you to the HALO SleepSack as the alternative to blankets.

HALO Innovation's SleepSack Swaddle has become the standard for hospitals nurseries and parent alike.  In fact, 1,000 hospital nurseries use the HALO SleepSack Swaddle instead of blankets through the HALO Safer Way to Sleep Initiative.  That is 1.5 million births getting first-hand, in-hospital experience with the HALO SleepSack Swaddle and safe sleep practicies!  Leading health organizations agree that modeling proper baby care in the hospital is the single biggest influence on how parents care for their baby at home.  HALO Innovations also offers Safe Sleep Practices kits to childbirth educators to help further the cause of SIDS prevention.

We are in the process of transitioning Nugget from swaddle to SleepSack.  Although a hard transition it seems to be, we really do like the SleepSack.  The zipper provides access for easier diaper changes and the cotton is very soft.  The design of the sack allows for Nugget to twist and flip while remaining safe and without a blankeet up by his face.

The HALO SleepSack has no sleeves which allows you to add a long sleeve onesie underneath for your baby when it is cold or nothing at all when it is a little warmer.  Nugget is 28 inches long and 16lbs and fits great in the medium.  He is just now getting too long for the SleepSack Swaddle.

The SleepSack definitely puts Nugget into a deeper sleep, making for a productive nap.   His feet don't get cold and it does provide a comfy cozy feeling because it isn't super baggy.

Did you deliver in a hospital where HALO SleepSack Swaddles were used?  There is currently an Instagram contest going on that you are able to enter.  For more info click here.  You can also stay up to date with HALO on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest!

HALO is also a finalist in the Most Awesome Blankets & Comforters category in the 2013 Red Tricycle's Totally Awesome Awards!  Vote for them here.

You can buy your own HALO SleepSack here, or win a SleepSack Swaddle in My Jordanian Nugget's One Year Anniversary Giveaway.  My complete list of must haves and a chance to win some is right here!

Did you have your baby at a hospital that uses the SleepSack Swaddle?

Disclosure: I have received this product in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own.