Submitted photos and press release:
United Memorial Medical Center continues its commitment to modeling a safe sleep environment for newborns and providing sleep education for parents with its newest SleepSack Swaddles.
Every newborn at UMMC will receive a Halo SleepSack Swaddle after their first bath, providing parents with a tool that gives their child a safe night’s sleep.
The UMMC League donated enough swaddles for a year’s supply, so that no baby leaves the hospital empty-handed.
“This donation gives us the ability to send parents home with a gift that allows their baby to have a safer night’s sleep,” said Olivia Barren, Nurse manager of Maternity at UMMC. “These blankets are not only simple to use, adjustable and allow for growth of the baby, but they eliminate the risk of loose blankets.”
According to Cribs for Kids, 2,500 infant deaths occur every year due to accidental suffocation, asphyxia, or undetermined causes during sleep. Providing parents with Halo SleepSack Swaddles is another way that UMMC continues to honor its commitment as a Silver Certified Safe Sleep Leader, reducing infant sleep-related deaths by promoting best safe sleep practices and education on infant sleep safety.
One of the first babies to receive a Halo SleepSack Swaddle is Ivan Takach, son of UMMC nurse, Jennifer Takach.
"Out of the four babies I have delivered here, this was the best and most useful gift we have received from the hospital,” Takach said. “I have never had one of these blankets and I like how it can be used in five different ways."
To learn more about childbirth and maternity at Rochester Regional Health, visit RochesterRegional.org
Top photo: UMMC nurse Jennifer Takach with her newborn son, Ivan Takach.
Below: UMMC staff, from left: Donna Meyers, RN; Kelly Flores, operations assistant; Tiffany Foreman, RN; Courtney Burdick, LPN; and Olivia Barren, Nurse manager of Maternity.
