Individual donor contributions continue safe sleep efforts for ANMC babies
November 26, 2018
Download Safe Sleep tips graphic from above by clicking here.
In 2018, nearly 1,600 babies were born at ANMC. The safety and health of every baby delivered at our hospital is important and we want to provide families who choose to deliver at ANMC with the best resources to ensure the well-being of their child. Thanks to the many individuals who either made one-time donations or have donated every pay period through payroll deduction, our Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation (HANF) funded 1,700 HALO SleepSack Swaddle wearable blankets for ANMC’s Family Birthing Services that are given to our newest patients.
Each year, more than 3,500 babies die unexpectedly in the U.S. during sleep often caused by entrapment, suffocation or strangulation from bedding material, and some caused by sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In an effort to promote safe sleep practices and reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths in Alaska, ANMC’s Family Birthing Services will give every baby delivered in 2018 a HALO SleepSack Swaddle to take home.
HALO is a company dedicated to making simple, innovative products that make safe sleep easier. The HALO SleepSack Swaddle is a warm, snug wearable blanket that is specifically created to help babies sleep safer and more comfortably. The HALO SleepSack Swaddle has an adjustable swaddle wrap feature that immobilizes a baby’s arms and prevents him or her from rolling on to the stomach. The wearable blankets is designed to keep a baby from overheating and replace loose blanket in the crib that can cover a baby’s face and cause difficulty breathing.
In addition to the HALO SleepSack Swaddle wearable blanket, parents receive a letter from ANMC and HANF explaining the importance of safe sleep and include recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics on creating a safe sleep environment.
Tips for safe sleep:
- Babies should sleep on their backs for all sleep times – for naps and at night. If using a swaddle, make sure the baby is always on his or her back and the swaddle is not too tight.
- Use a firm sleep surface, such as a crib or bassinet with tight-fitting sheets.
- Avoid use of soft bedding that could increase the risk of entrapment, suffocation, or strangulation, including crib bumpers, blankets, pillows and soft toys. The crib should be bare.
- Babies should share a bedroom with parents, but not the same sleeping surface, preferably until the baby turns one, but at least for the first six months. Room sharing decreases risk of SIDS by as much as 50 percent.
To learn more about HANF or to make a donation, visit inspiringgoodhealth.org. For more information about safe sleep practices from the American Academy of Pediatrics, go to healthychildren.org. To learn more about the HALO SleepSack Swaddle wearable blanket and other safe sleep products, visit halosleep.com.