New Moms and Babies Are Sleeping Safer St. Joseph’s Health Hospital Adds Halo® Bassinest Swivel Sleepers

Syracuse, NY (February 15, 2018) – St. Joseph’s Health Hospital has introduced HALO® Bassinest Swivel Sleepers to its mother- and baby-centered features in the Women and Children’s Unit, allowing mothers and babies to be closer and safer than ever before.

St. Joseph’s is the first hospital in New York State to incorporate HALO® Bassinests into their birth unit which sees approximately 2,000 deliveries per year. A grant from the Flora Bernice Smith Foundation assisted the hospital in purchasing five sleepers.

“As the only designated Baby-Friendly Hospital in Central New York, St. Joseph’s supports personal birth choices and provides an environment where bonding with baby is facilitated,” said Gael Gilbert, director for the Women & Children’s Service Line at St. Joseph’s Health. “The HALO Bassinests make it possible for new moms to safely sleep with their newborns in a way that promotes bonding and skin-to-skin contact while encouraging safe sleep habits for families before newborns go home.”

What makes the HALO Bassinest unique is the product’s attention to safety for mother and baby. The sleeper’s 360-degree swivel feature is ideal for those recovering from complicated births, C-section or disability and also minimizes fall risks by limiting mom’s need to move around the room. Additionally, the clear construction and retractable sidewall makes seeing and access to baby easy, empowering mother and baby to connect and encouraging nursing.

Photo provided by HALO

A complete list of HALO Bassinest safety features and specifications is available on HALO’s website.

“St. Joseph’s Health continues to be a leader in safety and equipment innovations. We are grateful for the support of funders like the Flora Bernice Smith Foundation that make it possible for us to provide a higher level of care to patients–especially those just making their way into the world,” said Gilbert.

Until additional sleepers are available, HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper use at St. Joseph’s Health Hospital will be determined on a case by case basis. According to Gilbert, staff will be identifying moms at greater risk to falls due to delivery procedures such as epidurals or C-sections as well as moms who have had complicated births or whose movement is limited by physical disability. The department intends to add more HALO Bassinests as funds become available.

About St. Joseph’s Health

St. Joseph’s Health is a non-profit regional health care system based in Syracuse, N.Y., providing services to patients throughout Central New York and northern Pennsylvania. From primary to specialty to home care, to our Magnet-recognized hospital, and in collaboration with our community partners, St. Joseph's Health is advancing the health of the communities we serve through an expanding range of healthcare services to ensure our patients achieve optimum long-term health. Ranked by Consumer Reports among the top 15 heart surgery centers in the country, U.S. News “Best Regional Hospital” and a 15-time winner of the National Research Corporation Consumer Choice award, St. Joseph’s is widely recognized for quality, value and delivering the highest patient satisfaction. St. Joseph’s Health is affiliated with Franciscan Companiesand St. Joseph’s Physicians and is a member of Trinity Health.

About The Flora Bernice Smith Foundation

Born in Syracuse, NY in 1897, Flora Bernice Smith was the daughter of inventor and businessman, Lyman Cornelius Smith. Lyman made a fortune in firearms, banking, shipping, real estate and typewriters. His work led the market in typewriter design trends. What began as the Smith Premier Typewriter Company in 1890 merged with Corona Typewriter Company in 1925 to become what is now Smith Corona. Flora’s mother, Flora Elizabeth Burns Smith, was a Syracuse native who, along with her husband, instilled a love of charitable giving in her children. Flora Bernice Smith followed in their footsteps through lifelong philanthropy. Flora Bernice Smith died in Skaneateles, NY in 1966. At her request, a trust was established in her memory to benefit preselected charities including St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center.