I first came across this product when I went to the Mommy Mundo event last May in Glorietta. Halo Philippines had a booth there, and the owner, Ms. Ives gave me a brief introduction about the Halo SleepSack and its many advantages. She told me about SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and how wearable blankets like Halo can prevent its occurrence.

I read about SIDS when I was pregnant, and it is such a terrifying thing, especially for newbie parents like me. Here’s the definition of SIDS from the Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.org):

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old. SIDS is sometimes known as crib death because the infants often die in their cribs.

What a nightmare, right?! I learned that babies, especially newborns should not be left to sleep in the crib with blankets, pillows, crib bumpers or toys. A newbie mommy might think that a crib must be decorated with cute sheets, comforters, infant pillows, the “hotdog” or bolster pillows, plus crib bumpers that usually come in sets. But these things can actually block a baby’s airways especially when they accidentally come into contact or cover your baby’s head or face. Here are things to consider to avoid SIDS:

• Put your baby to sleep on his back. Some babies are comfortable sleeping on their stomachs or on their side, but they shouldn’t be left in this position for a long time or unsupervised. That is why Halo Philippines promotes #backisbest.
• Avoid letting your babies sleep on very soft surfaces. Baby’s crib mattress should be slightly firm, with only a fitted sheet as a cover. No blankets, pillows or toys in the crib, most especially when left unsupervised.
• Use a wearable blanket. Wearable blankets like the Halo SleepSack Swaddle and Halo SleepSack are best because they serve as a blanket, without the dangers of loose blankets that might cause SIDS.

When he was a newborn, Kobe loved to be swaddled. He liked being snug; having his arms and legs close to his body, just like how he was when he was still inside me. He is a light sleeper like me, and gets startled easily, so if his arms are free on his sides, he would sometimes wake up due to the tiniest of sounds!

I got him a Halo SleepSack Swaddle when he was around 3 months, when he got too big (and too “malikot”) to be swaddled. He loved it! During the day time, I would put him in the Halo and swaddle his arms close to his body, and it provided sound, uninterrupted sleep. At night time, he likes having his arms out, and the first time I used it, he slept for five hours straight!

The Halo SleepSack Swaddle is much easier to use than the swaddle blankets because it is literally a “sack” where you put your baby in. It’s zips down so it’s also easy to change diapers if needed because it opens from the bottom. Also, the velcro “wings” gives an adjustable fit to make sure your little angel is snug. Even if we use the air conditioner at night, Kobe sometimes feels warm so I put him in his Halo with only a diaper on, hehe! We use it as often as we can, and I can tell that Kobe loves sleeping inside his “sako” because he really sleeps better and longer with it.

Kobe’s Halo SleepSack Swaddle is P1,550. You might say it’s quite expensive, but instead of buying the “crib sets” that costs as much or even more, I would advise you to buy this instead! They have 2 sizes – the Newborn (0-3 months) and Small (3-6 months). Of course my baby has the Small since he is so big for his age haha! They also have the Halo SleepSack Wearable Blanket which costs P1,550 as well. The only difference is that the SleepSack Swaddle has the “wings” if you want to swaddle your babies arms close to his body. The SleepSack Wearable Blanket has sizes from Preemie to 24 months.

October is SIDS Awareness Month, and I am inviting all mommies out there to learn more about it. You can visit Halo Philippines’ website, where you can find a lot of information on SIDS, as well as their online shop. Let’s all promote safe sleep for our little munchkins!