Sleeping bags are designed to replace loose blankets and bedding, which babies can easily kick off at night. To prevent them from getting cold when this happens, sleeping bags are essentially wearable blankets that you zip your baby into. Many have concealed zips so babies can’t work out how to free themselves from the sleeping bag, and so you can change your baby’s nappy after a night feed without having to remove her from the sleeping bag.
To choose the right sleeping bag for your baby, it’s important to a take into account both the climate where you live and the ambient temperature in your baby’s room. Baby sleeping bags come in different tog ratings, much like duvets, so you can match yours to the season in which your baby will be using it.
A sleeping bag also prevents your baby from over-heating at night, but choose one appropriate for your baby’s age and weight so that she won’t be able to wriggle inside it – some have poppers under the arms to enable you to create the perfect fit.
As well as ensuring that your baby stays at a constant temperature and doesn’t overheat, a baby sleeping bag can play a helpful part in your child’s bedtime routine, signaling that it’s time to wind down and get cosy for going to bed.
Finally, factor in that nothing can guarantee you a good night’s sleep when you’re a parent – but knowing your child is sleeping as safely as possible is a good start.
We think Gro Company sleeping bags are the best you can buy – they’re colourful, well-made and designed to last. We’ve passed ours down to younger siblings as they’ve been outgrown and they’re still in use years later!
The Grobag is a safe alternative to using lose sheets and blankets on your baby’s bed, and it’s one of the most popular sleeping bags available – the only product recommended by the UK’s leading safe sleep charity, The Lullaby Trust. Made from 100 per cent cotton, Grobags come in different tog ratings to suit different seasonal temperature, and all 0-6 and 6-18m Grobags come with a free nursery thermometer. We love the fabric quality – Grobags wash exceptionally well – and the vibrant, striking patterns and designs. Concealed zips mean little fingers can’t find a way to wriggle out, and underarm poppers on 0-6m bags ensure a comfy fit.
These sleeping bags are different from others because they have openings for your child’s feet, so they’re ideal for little ones who are just learning to walk. At night time you can pop your child’s feet inside the bag to keep them warm, and when they wake up they can pop them back out and walk around whilst still wearing the bag. The Slumbersac sleeping bags with feet are available in three weights (summer, standard and winter) and five sizes from 12 months to 5 years. We love that these allow you to get your little one ready for bed but still let them wander around until it’s time to actually go to sleep.
The patented ‘arms up’ design of this wearable swaddle blanket is unique as it allows your baby to sleep in the natural arms up position that babies favour, reducing the startle reflex (which can disturb sleep), and making it easier for babies to self-soothe by sucking their hands and touching their face. Your baby’s leg movements won’t be restricted, thanks to the hip-healthy design of the Love To Dream Swaddle Up. We love the double zip as it makes night-time nappy changes quick and easy, without the need to wake your baby by removing the sleeping bag first.
Made with a soft 100% cotton breathable muslin shell with a hypoallergenic fill, this 2.5 tog sleeping bag is cosy and comforting in colder weather or in rooms with an ambient temperature of 16-20°c. It washes well, seeming to get softer after every wash, and dries quickly. This particular design is available in a range of different sizes, and the brand offers a huge range of sleeping bags in different prints and tog ratings. We love the way it zips open from the bottom so you can quickly and easily change your baby’s nappy after a night-time feed without having to take her sleeping bag off first.
Made from a thin layer of stretchy bamboo that’s almost unbelievably soft, this swaddle bag has press studs in the arms so you begin by swaddling your baby in it and can then convert it into a conventional sleeping bag once your baby starts rolling over. This one has a 0.2 tog rating so it’s best suited to summer and rooms with an ambient temperatures above 75°F. It comes with a free room thermometer and dressing guide. The two-way zip makes for easy nappy changes in the dead of night, without having to remove the sleeping bag first.
