We know your child’s development is always top-of-mind! Did you know that certain swaddling techniques can delay the development of your child’s hips? The HALO® SleepSack® wearable blanket and SleepSack® Swaddle have a generous sack design, leaving your baby’s hips to move freely and decreasing likelihood of Infant Hip Dysplasia. The HALO® SleepSack® is also approved as hip healthy by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute (link to IHDI) and was the first SleepSack on the market to earn this designation.

What is Infant Hip Dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia is the medical term for instability, or looseness, of the hip joint affecting thousands of babies every year. This looseness is because the mother makes hormones that help ligaments relax during the birth process.

Fortunately, most loose hips in babies tighten up naturally and the hips grow correctly. That happens almost 90% of the time, but tight swaddling, genetics, and other conditions can prevent natural correction from occurring.

What Are Risk Factors of Infant Hip Dysplasia?

What can I do to prevent Hip Dysplasia?

It’s important to leave your baby’s hips free to move, especially at nighttime. Be sure to swaddle your baby so that their legs are not strapped together. Let your baby hold his or her hips bent up like they were when the baby was born and allow for legs to move freely. And be sure to add the HALO® SleepSack® Swaddle to your baby’s nighttime routine for the best swaddling solution for healthy hips!

HALO Innovations, the safe sleep expert, is thrilled to announce that the HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper has been chosen to receive a 2017 Cribsie Award. The awards program is co-hosted by StrollerTraffic and The Baby Guy who together create a list of the best-of-the-best baby products which are then voted on by parents. The contest was established to recognize the best brands, products, services and websites for babies, tots and their parents.

The HALO Bassinest was chosen as the “best set up for bedside baby.” The innovative HALO Bassinest is the only infant bassinet that moves to bring baby to you, even right next to you in bed, but baby is always in his own safe sleep space. The movement of the HALO Bassinest makes taking care of baby much easier during the night. Since baby sleeps next to you, many new moms report that they don’t even have to get out of bed to calm, feed or change their baby. 

Swaddles are every parent’s security blanket (literally) and swaddling can help calm baby into a restful night of sleep. Sadly, swaddling has an expiration date. First and foremost, it is important to note that every baby is different, so they may need to transition at slightly different times.  What is most important, is to watch your baby for key developmental milestones to know that it's time to start the transition.  

The general rule of thumb is that your baby should start the transition process when she shows signs of rolling over from back to front, when she shows signs of breaking free from the swaddle wrap or when it becomes disruptive to sleep.  If your baby is able to roll on her tummy, it's important that swaddling is discontinued for safety reasons.  Your little one must be able to protect her airway should she roll on to her tummy by using her arms to push her upper body up.

The HALO SleepSack Swaddle was designed with a flexible 3-way swaddle to help make this transition gradual to help avoid the sleepless nights that may be the result of quitting the swaddle cold turkey. 

Step-down Approach to Gradually Transition from the SleepSack Swaddle to SleepSack Wearable Blanket

You may choose to follow the steps below in sequential order or jump around depending upon the sleep habits and preferences of your baby.

(hands to face image)

Hands-to-Face
A simple step to begin this process is to swaddle your baby with her hands to her face. This position allows your baby to touch her face or mouth, which is a great self-soothing technique to help baby stay comfortable at night.  

(one arm out)

One Arm Out
After a night or two and your little one has adjusted to the change, move to the one arm swaddle by positioning your baby’s dominant arm out of the swaddle. In this position, your little one will get a gradual introduction to the feeling of being able to move her arm freely.  Put baby to sleep wrapped one arm out for a few nights, so that they become comfortable and accustomed to it.

(both arms out)

Finally, after your little one has mastered these two transitions, wrap your baby with both arms out of the swaddle. In this position she has the freedom to move her limbs, while at the same time feeling the snug and familiar comfort of the swaddle wrap around her torso.

(insert image of sleepSack) When this transitioning period is finally over, the American Academy recommends that babies are dressed in wearable blankets, such as the HALO SleepSack Wearable Blanket, for safe sleep through her first year.

Start early and take it slow.

Paying close attention to your little one's development signs should help you best time the start of the transition process, allowing you and your baby to gradually adjust to the new sleeping routine.  If you are able to, take your time through this process, allowing your little one to graduate to each phase.  Rushing can produce anxiety for both you and your little one.  If an entire night with one arm or both arms out of the swaddle is too intimidating, try graduating to the next stage during baby's short naps throughout the day. 

Hopefully, with this strategy and the HALO SleepSack Swaddle you will no longer need to dread the end of the swaddle phase and will instead be able to master this transition like a pro.

In October, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released updated guidelines for infant safe sleep.    The AAP suggests that a safe sleep environment can reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The guidelines recommend safe sleep practices that can be implemented by all parents and caregivers to reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths. The guidelines highlighted below are those related to safe sleep that closely align with HALO’s mission and our product line available to you!

Back to sleep for every sleep

To reduce the risk of SIDS, your child should be placed for sleep on his back for every sleep until he’s one year old.

Why To Choose HALO: “Back is best” embroidery on all HALO® SleepSack® wearable blankets reminds caregivers to place baby to sleep on his back at nap time and night time.

Room share for the first 6 months or, ideally, for the first year

It is recommended that infants sleep in the parent’s room, close to the parents’ bed, but on a separate surface designed for infants, ideally for the first year of life, but at least for the first 6 months.  There is evidence that sleeping in the parent’s room, but on a separate surface decreases the risk of SIDS by as much as 50%. Infants who are brought into the bed for feeding or comforting should be returned to their own crib or bassinet when the parent is ready to return to sleep.

Why To Choose HALO: The HALO® Bassinest® Swivel Sleeper allows baby to sleep right next to parents at night time, while remaining in their own separate and protected sleep space. The use of the HALO Bassinest is an ideal alternative for close, safe sleep.

Babies Crib Should be Bare

Keep soft objects and loose bedding away from the infant’s sleep area to reduce the risk of SIDS, suffocation, entrapment, and strangulation.  Infant sleep clothing, such as a wearable blanket, is preferable to blankets and other coverings to keep the infant warm while reducing the chance of head covering or entrapment that could result from blanket use. 

Why To Choose HALO: The HALO® SleepSack® Swaddle and HALO® SleepSack® are the original wearable blanket designed keep baby warm at night while reducing the risk of suffocation that can be caused by items such as loose blankets or soft bedding. 

Source: SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2016 Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment AAP Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

As part of our ongoing commitment to making it easier for families and healthcare professionals to follow the AAP guidelines on safe sleep, the HALO Safe Sleep Modeling In-Hospital Program replaces the traditional blankets in your well-baby nursery and NICU with a FREE supply of HALO® SleepSack® Swaddle wearable blankets.

Our FREE In-Hospital Program includes:

• Specially designed HALO SleepSack Swaddle wearable blankets for in-hospital use, made of durable fabric with easy access to monitor leads.
• FREE safe sleep educational materials for parents and staff training.
• Marketing and public relations support materials to promote your hospital’s safe sleep practices.

What is the HALO® SleepSack® Wearable Blanket?

Created by Bill Schmid after losing his daughter to SIDS, the HALO SleepSack Swaddle has been thoughtfully designed with pediatric nursing input and tested in hospital environments. The safe design and superior quality has been recognized by leading safe sleep and safety organizations in the United States and Canada, including Cribs for Kids, CJ First Candle, and the International Hip Dysplasia Institute. Today, it is used in more than 1,500 hospitals in North America to promote safe sleep.

Free, Really? What’s the catch?

There is no catch! The HALO SleepSack Swaddle is provided at no cost and that’s why more than 1,500 hospitals in North America already participate.

• Each hospital is allocated a specific number of free HALO SleepSack Swaddles annually. You can order them throughout the year, as needed until your allotment reached. Most hospitals do not go over their annual allotment, however, if you do, you can order additional quantities at a small charge.
• Hospitals are responsible for the cost of shipping.
• There is no binding contract. You simply agree to use and care for the product as intended and commit to the safe sleep education needed for staff and patients. Your program will renew seamlessly after 12 months.

How can I sign up?

It’s easy to sign up. Just enter your email [add hyperlink&91; and your regional HALO representative will get in touch to help you get started.

What additional resources can help our hospital create a safe sleep program?

To implement a safe sleep program in your hospital we recommend consistent training and education for all healthcare professionals. This ensures consistent and current information is provided to parents while they are in the hospital. Additionally, it is important for your staff to understand the barriers that parents face in following safe sleep guidelines at home, so that solutions might be presented to parents before they leave the hospital. For more on these recommendations, we’ve collected the following resources that will help you implement your safe sleep program:

Can We Prevent Infant Sleep-Related Deaths? What You Need to Know.
First Candle/SIDS Alliance - New Hospital Modeling Guidelines for NICU
First Candle/SIDS Alliance - New Hospital Modeling Guidelines for Well Baby
Promoting Safe Sleep Practices through Modeling and Education in the NICU
Educating Parents About Risk Factors of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: The Role of NICU and Well Baby Nurses

As a parent, you want baby to be as cozy and comfy as possible, especially while sleeping. When looking at blankets and sleepwear you may have noticed the word TOG on various baby sleep garments items.

So, what does TOG mean?

TOG is a unit of measure of thermal insulation used in the textile trade. The British "TOG" value is the international standard measurement of a blanket's thermal effectiveness (how well it keeps you warm). 

What SleepSack fabric weight is suitable for my baby’s sleeping environment? 

When it comes to dressing your baby for sleep, care must be taken to avoid over bundling which can cause overheating—a risk factor for SIDS. Layering can help avoid over bundling as it allows great flexibility in keeping babies warm and cozy without overheating.

The HALO SleepSack wearable blanket and Swaddle are suitable for a wide range of temperatures by adjusting the clothing worn underneath it. Babies can wear anything from just a diaper, to a long sleeve bodysuit or a cotton coverall.

All HALO SleepSack Swaddles and SleepSack wearable blankets have been developed and tested to deliver TOG values that are in the ‘safe’ range for baby. However, it is important to remember that TOG values apply to each layer of baby’s clothing and are additive. The sum of each layer’s value equals the total TOG value. For example, if you dress your baby in HALO SleepSack with a TOG of 1 over a cotton bodysuit with a TOG of 1, the total TOG is 2.

All Sleepsack fabrics breathe and wick away moisture to avoid overheating. The following table shows the TOG values for each of our fabrics to help guide you to which fabric is best for your baby.  Note that the SleepSack Swaddle values are a little higher as they account for the additional layers of the swaddle wrap. 

 HALO SleepSack Wearable Blanket

As a rule of thumb, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends dressing baby in no more than one layer more than an adult would use to be comfortable in the same environment, baby’s head should be uncovered, unless baby weighs less than eight pounds and the room is cold or baby is in a cold environment. The ideal room temperature recommended is between 68-72°F (20-22°C) to avoid overheating.

The best way you can check on your child's temperature is to make sure that baby’s extremities — hands, feet, and head — are neither hot nor cold to the touch. Baby’s tummy and chest should feel warm and dry, not sweaty or cold.

If the temperature of your home changes throughout the day and night or seasonally, try putting baby to sleep in different clothes for different naps or night time sleep. Temperature and TOG value have an inverse relationship so if the temperature of the room increases or decreases make sure to put baby in the correct TOG value. It can also be helpful to turn on a fan when it is hot and turn it off the fan when it cools down in the room (e.g. in the summer you could turn the fan on when you put your child to bed and turn it off before you go to bed since it is likely to be cooler then).

Making sure your baby is safe is always top of mind for parents; especially while sleeping. To try and calm some of these nerves, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following sleep safety guidelines to help you have peace of mind when putting your baby to rest.

Safe Sleep Recommendations for your Infant

Back is Best

Always place baby to sleep on his back at nap-time and nighttime. Babies are at risk of suffocation when placed on their bellies.

Use a new crib or bassinet

When choosing a crib or bassinet for baby, make sure it meets current safety standards and has a firm mattress. Do not use a crib that is more than 10 years old or that has been modified in any way.

Only use a Sheet

Cribs and bassinets should only have a tight fitting sheet around the mattress—nothing else.

Eliminate everything in the crib

Cribs should not have any soft bedding, toys, bumpers, pillows, or positioners etc.as they can pose suffocation hazard for babies.

No Loose Blankets

To keep baby warm, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests the use of a wearable blanket, such as the HALO® SleepSack® Swaddle or SleepSack® Wearable Blanket. The HALO SleepSack Wearable Blanket replaces loose blankets in the crib which can compromise baby’s breathing.

Room Share, Do Not Bed Share

Do not bed share as this can put a baby at risk of suffocation. The AAP has recommend keeping baby close during the early months to facilitate night time feeding and to enhance bonding. For safer sleep for baby, opt for close sleep—in the same room next to your bed—and do not co-sleep or bed-share which is the biggest threat to an infant up to four months of age. Remember, baby needs his own safe sleep space wherever he sleeps! There are many options for keeping baby close and safe during the night, such as a bassinet, cradle or portable crib or the HALO Bassinest® Swivel Sleeper which allows you to keep your baby as close to you as possible, but in his own safe sleep space.

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 put your baby to sleep on any soft surface.

Adult beds, sofas, chairs, water beds, quilts, sheep skins etc are not safe for baby.

Never dress your baby too warmly for sleep

Keep the room temperature 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit. Babies should be dressed in layers to keep them at a comfortable temperature.

No Smoking

Never allow anyone to smoke around your baby or take your baby into a room or car where someone has recently smoked.

Following these tips will help give baby a safe sleep environment which will help your little one get a good night’s rest.  

After baby is tightly cuddled inside mom for nine months, babies love the comfort of being swaddled after birth. Swaddling is a technique that can help calm fussy or crying babies and even help them sleep longer their first few months of life, which is something all moms need! But, there are a couple of important things to remember in order to swaddle your baby safely.

Swaddle Safety Tips

ALWAYS place your baby to sleep on his or her back.
A baby should never be placed on his/her stomach for sleeping, but especially not while swaddled.

Babies crib should be bare.
Do not put any loose blankets, pillows, bumpers or stuffed animals in the bed with your baby as they can be a suffocation hazard. Baby’s crib should be bare with just a tight fitting sheet.

When there are signs of rolling it's time to stop.
Swaddling should be discontinued when your baby shows signs of rolling over or breaking free from the swaddle wrap. When this occurs, transition your baby into a SleepSack® wearable blanket. While it varies for every baby, generally a baby should not be swaddled past 4 months. Learn more about transitioning here.

Make sure the swaddle is securely wrapped.
To reduce the risk of the fabric accidentally covering baby’s mouth or nose, the swaddle wrap must be snug, appropriately sized, positioned around baby’s torso and securely fastened.

Always select the appropriate size for your baby.
We recommend selecting a size based on your baby’s current weight and length. It’s important that the swaddle is not too large for your baby. It should not be purchased like clothing as something that your child will grow into. Please refer to the SleepSack® wearable blanket size chart to select the proper size for your baby.

Your baby is safest in her own crib or bassinet, not in your bed.

Avoid overheating.
Swaddling may increase the chance your baby will overheat, so avoid letting your baby get too hot. Your baby could be too hot if you notice sweating, damp hair, flushed cheeks, heat rash, and rapid breathing. To avoid overheating, baby should be dressed in just lightweight pajamas or a bodysuit underneath the swaddle. Keep baby’s room at 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit.

Do not tightly swaddle your baby's hips. 
Your baby should be able to freely move and flex her legs.  Look for a swaddle with a generous sack design, like the HALO® SleepSack® Swaddle.  It's recognized as "hip healthy" by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute.