Joovy introduces the RooLoop, a clinically endorsed product for expectant and new parents to promote skin-to-skin contact with newborns. This patented design, used in hospitals, NICU, and operating rooms worldwide, is now available to pregnant and postpartum parents for a supportive and natural way to secure a newborn baby while enjoying the benefits of skin-to-skin contact.
Loss of control is how the RooLoop came to be after Hayley Mullins dropped her two-week-old infant while practicing skin-to-skin contact. She took her hands away for only two seconds, but the baby fell to the floor. The shock and devastation motivated this new mom to find a solution that would give parents the confidence to practice skin-to-skin safely. Mullins, Ashley Wade, and Sarah Cox make up the founding team that brought Joeyband (formerly Sleepbelt) to market, quickly receiving support from La Leche League International and becoming a staple product in leading hospitals and clinics worldwide.
Mullins’s honest story gives pause, but the truth is that babies are dropped by parents every day. The silver lining is that out of her despair, there is now a safe way to practice this beneficial skin-to-skin contact in the comfort of your own home.
The RooLoop, as marketed in the states for consumers, can be used prenatally for belly support during the third trimester and after the baby arrives to gently secure the infant to the mother’s chest or breast. The RooLoop gives mom confidence that baby is snug and secure and aids the overall skin-to-skin experience.
Clinicians point out many benefits of skin-to-skin contact with infants. The Cleveland Clinic recommends skin-to-skin care to stabilize the baby’s heartbeat, breathing pattern, and oxygen saturation levels. Additionally, skin-to-skin contact can aid in sleep time, weight gain, breastfeeding success. Parents benefit from bonding, increased breastmilk supply, confidence in overall care, and a sense of control.
“We are thrilled to partner with Joovy to bring this important product to parents everywhere,” says Mullins. “As a parent who has experienced an infant fall, I know how quickly they can happen, and how scary they can be. Knowing that we can continue to make change in hospitals, while Joovy makes RooLoop accessible directly to families, means together we can improve health outcomes and drive real change in the way families experience the fourth trimester.”
Skin-to-skin contact, also recognized as kangaroo care, was first reported in Bogota, Colombia, in the 1970s to treat premature babies whose survival rates were extremely low. Using skin-to-skin techniques helped these babies not only survive but thrive after being held close to their mother’s bodies.
Important benefits of skin-to-skin contact include reduction in crying, improvement in breathing regulation, a calming effect in both you and baby and so much more. The practice is recommended for full-term babies, and all parents can benefit from it. And there’s more good news to share: moms aren’t the only ones who benefit from kangaroo care. Dads are getting in on the bonding and enjoy nuzzling their infants too. The process works for twins and multiple infants, and the RooLoop can accommodate all.