Fall 2019

Haddie’s Calling By Debbie Eisele

Haddie’s Calling has an important mission, to make sure every child wakes up. This nonprofit organization was founded by Sandra Bromley after her daughter Haddie didn’t wake up. Haddie was only 9 months of age and she didn’t wake up because a blanket became wrapped around her head and she suffocated. This is why the mission of Haddie’s Calling is to ensure every baby sleeps in a wearable blanket or no blanket all. 

“One baby dies every three days from an unsafe sleep environment in Michigan, and 10 babies in the U.S. die every day from unsafe sleep,” said Bromley. To help promote safer sleep, Haddie’s Calling provides sleep sacks, cribs and cribettes to individuals in the community. She orders through Halo and also conducts fundraising events, where donations are used to make sleep sack purchases, which the organization distributes as needed. Haddie’s Calling also works closely with the Department of Health and Human Services in her community to identify families who would benefit from safe sleep product donations. 

Haddie’s Calling donates one sleep sack for every sleep sack purchased. “The donated sleep sacks are given to recipients with Haddie’s story on them — to be more impactful,” explained Bromley. Haddie’s Calling even requires individuals to watch an educational video and sign a safe sleep pledge when they receive donations. 

>>SEE ALSO: Baby Trends.

RETAILERS CAN HELP PROMOTE SAFE SLEEP

Bromley suggested retailers help play a role in promoting safe sleep within a physical store. “Retailers can model safe sleep in product displays,” she said. “Do not put extra toys or stuffed animals in the cribs, as it goes against the safe sleep guidelines. Remember in sleep situations blankets are dangerous.”

She noted a common misconception is that babies need blankets for warmth while sleeping. “Whatever you are going to wear to sleep, the baby will only need one additional layer,” she explained. “Safe sleep sacks help take away suffocation, overheating and strangulation dangers (SOS).” 

“Consumers look to retailers as a source for important information, such as how to follow proper sizing of the sleep sack products,” she said. “Stores can promote their own safe sleep campaigns, such as the #safetosleep campaign on the Consumer Product Safety Commissions website.” 

Some states, such as Michigan, conduct a Safe Sleep Awareness Month that promotes the hashtag #SafeSleepSavesLives. Stores have an opportunity to engage with customers by highlighting important and valuable information within a brick-and-mortar location, on websites and on social media platforms.

PRODUCT IDEAS FOR RETAILERS

• Sell safe sleep survival kits: These kits could include a safe sleep sack, a pacifier, tight fitting crib sheet, cribette, safe sleep book; literature; magnet for fridge for anyone who comes to care for your kids to use as a reference.
• Create and sell gift baskets: Identify products that fall into safe sleep category and group together — it would make a great baby shower gift. Could also do various sizes s, m, l so baby can grow with the gift in the first year. 

For more information on Haddie’s Calling, how you can assist in its efforts, or to obtain additional resources and videos, visit haddiescalling.com.

SAFE SLEEP RESOURCES

Retailers can provide valuable information to customers on safe sleep products, recalls and other resources consumers may utilize. Here are some of the many websites that offer resource information. Visit our online version of this article on giftshopmag.com for more safe sleep resources.

• Safe to Sleep: The Safe to Sleep Campaign provides safe sleep information for infants, printable and shareable resources and other outreach initiatives. safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov
• Consumer Product Safety Commission: Resource for safe sleep guidelines and product recalls. cpsc.gov 
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Provides a myriad of information about safety for children and even offers a Safe Sleep Campaign with posters, videos and additional resources. aap.org; healthychildren.org
• Charlie’s Kids: Provides safe sleep information from a pediatric cardiologist, offers Sleep Baby Safe and Snug program with board books and other resource information. Also has a page on the Do’s and Don’ts of safe sleep. charlieskids.org
• Keep Babies Safe: Offers resources on safe sleep habits and also discusses myths versus facts of safe sleeping. keepingbabiessafe.org
• Cribs for Kids: This organization provides cribs to and educates families on unsafe-sleep environments by promoting Back to Sleep Campaign. Its website also offers resources on cribettes, a Safe Sleep Academy and an outreach program via its Safe Sleep Ambassador Program. cribsforkids.org

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Debbie Eisele

Debbie Eisele is the former managing editor for Gift Shop Plus, Stationery Trends and a variety of special issue publications, including: The Guide, Holiday Shop, Celebrations & Occasions and Waterfront Living.