Learn About "Sleepsacks"

These days it is suggested by the Canadian Foundation for the study of SIDS and the FSID that we set aside all loose crib blankets and bumpers (until the baby is about 9 months of age, or comfortably rolling) and instead use a sleep sack. 

A sleep sack (otherwise known as a baby sleeping bag, or bunting bag) is a soft bag with holes for the baby's arms and head. A zipper allows the bag to be closed around the baby to sleep comfortably, all the while not letting any loose blankets get tangled, which could potentially cause your baby to get too cold or too hot. Infants until the age of 3-6 months do not have the muscle strength to pull away from anything over their faces, and also are not able to control their body temperature. Sleep sacks help keep a babies temperature regular, while still allowing them to roll, move, sit up and stand.

Sleep sacks in North America are not usually found with arms as this may cause the baby to overheat (better to keep baby cooler then warmer).  Depending on how warm or cool it is you can adjust the warmth of the sleep sack by changing what the baby is wearing underneath it (if it’s cooler, add a onesie underneath the sleeper, too warm, only have baby wear a long sleeved onesie, etc).  Sleep sacks are also available in different thicknesses as well as fabric, to accommodate the time of year, and the temperature of the nursery. Most sleep sacks start in size 0-6 months, and can go all the way to 18-36 months. At Moms to be…and More we also carry larger sizes with holes for your toddlers feet so they can easily get up during the night to get to the potty.

Factors to keep in mind when purchasing a sleep sack are:

• age and height of the baby
• how warm or cool is the nursery
• do you have air-conditioning
• are you traveling somewhere hot

All of these factors come in to play to make sure that the right weight of sleep sack is purchased to avoid the baby from over heating.  Our most popular brand of sleep sac is the Grobag, by Oyaco. They offer a wide range of patterns, styles and sizes – in cotton and organic cotton, as well as including a room thermometer with each sack so you know exactly what weight to choose, and what clothes to put on your baby with little guess work. This product has been widely used for many decades in Europe and is fast becoming the parenting number one choice for safe sleeping here in Canada.

Tip 1: Sleep sacks are not only safer for babies then loose blankets, they also deter them from climbing out of the crib as they can’t get their legs lifted high enough to climb over the rails.

Tip 2: If you have air conditioning in your nursery, you may be able to use the same thickness of sleep sack all year round just by adjusting what your baby is wearing underneath.

Come in and visit us for our GROBAG SALE - 50% Off Discontinued Patterns while they last!


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