As I've been researching ways to help Raegan sleep at night and how to keep her safe while she was sleeping I was astounded that more than half of U.S. parents say their babies sleep with pillows, stuffed animals, and blankets despite recommendations from their pediatricians! Holy moly that's a lot!
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UNSAFE SLEEPING
By having all of these extras in the bed with baby, their chance of SIDS goes way up. I know for me I worry about Raegan constantly and I don't want to add anything to increase her risk of SIDS at all. So when Raegan goes to sleep, there are no stuffed animals, no blankets, and no pillows in her crib. But then you might ask, how does she stay warm? That's where the HALO sleepsack comes in!
This amazing little sleepsack keeps baby warm during the night. We had the HALO swaddle sleepsack when Raegan was born and it was great because we could swaddle her arms and her muscle jerk reaction wouldn't wake her up. Now that she's older, she wants her arms free to sleep which is why the HALO sleepsack is perfect! Mostly because she wants to put her thumb in her mouth, which I'm fine with because she's learning to self soothe! She is also starting to roll over and she can do that in her sleepsack.
Now we always put her to bed on her back, but if she wants to be a tummy sleeper, so be it! The sleepsack allows her to have her arms free to help her roll, but still gives her that since of snugness and security.
Here are some more safety tips to remember when you are putting baby down.
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 snugly 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 to help baby soothe. If breastfeeding, introduce pacifier after one month or after breastfeeding has been established as not to have nipple confusion.
- After feeding the baby in the middle of the night, put your baby back to sleep in his or her separate safe sleep area alongside your bed or in his or her own nursery.
- Room share, but don’t bed share. Bed sharing can put a child at risk of suffocation.
NEVER
- Never put your baby to sleep on any soft surface (adult beds, sofas, chairs, water beds, quilts, sheep skins etc.)
- 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.
Would you like the chance to win a HALO sleepsack or sleepsack swaddle for your baby? Enter using the rafflecopter below! Good luck! Open to US and Canada residents only!
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