UConn Health

February 5, 2024 | Lauren Woods - Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine

UConn Health Gifting Safe Sleep to its Newborns

Each baby born at UConn John Dempsey Hospital is being gifted safe sleep with a UConn Health embroidered sleep sack.

This little Husky is enjoying sleeping on his back in his new UConn Health gifted sleep sack. Francis Scott Moriarty was born at UConn John Dempsey Hospital on January 3, 2024. He was 6 lbs., 12 oz., and 19.5 inches long. (Photo by Mom).

This little Husky is enjoying sleeping on his back in his new UConn Health gifted sleep sack. Francis Scott Moriarty was born at UConn John Dempsey Hospital on January 3, 2024. He was 6 lbs., 12 oz., and 19.5 inches long. (Photo by Mom).

For the past few months UConn John Dempsey Hospital has been gifting its tiniest patients, brand new newborn babies, safe sleep in the form of a sleep sack wearable blanket made by Halo with of course a little UConn Husky on it.

UConn Health’s Halo SleepSack Program launched in December 2023. Already, the Halo SleepSack program is in 1,800 hospitals nationwide.

The sleep sack wearable blanket avoids the risks that come along with any loose blanket on a baby when they are resting or sleeping.

The safe-sleep product was developed by company founder William Schmid who sadly lost his infant in 1994 to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). SIDS still claims more than 2,300 infants each year.

“More than half of SIDS cases are preventable with the practicing of safe sleep at home,” shares Lina Godfrey BSN, RN, nurse manager of Labor and Delivery/Obstetrics at UConn Health where each new family is educated about the importance of safe sleep practices at home prior to discharge. “We are thankful to be gifting our newborns and their family’s safer infant sleep with these new sleep sacks.”

The additional benefits of the sleep sack include a 3-way adjustable swaddle, easy access for diaper changes and vitals, a design that promotes a baby’s healthy hip development, and the sleep sack also unwraps easy for skin-to-skin comfort opportunities.

Just ask new Mom, and maternal fetal medicine doctor-in-training, Dr. Kristen Lee Moriarty who is in UConn Health fellowship training.

“Frankie”

“My son, Frankie, has enjoyed sleeping in his sleep sack at night since birth,” says Moriarty who delivered Francis Scott Moriarty on January 3 at UConn Health with him weighing in at 6 lbs., 12 oz., and measuring 19.5 inches long. “Thank you UConn and Go Huskies!”

“As a parent and maternal fetal medicine physician in training, safe sleep is of the utmost importance at all times during the day and night,” says Moriarty. “The Halo SleepSack is perfect and easy for parents to swaddle infants.”

Moriarty added: “Here at UConn Health we are reminding parents of this pivotal recommendation with infants being given their own Husky Halo SleepSack.  The sleep sack gives you peace of mind ensuring your infant is sleeping correctly on their back.”