Grobags or blankets for new borns?

[aliceemma]

What you reckon is better for new borns / young babies - grobags or sheets & blankets? Grobags look good but are they a lot of hassle to keep clean?

[MummyDoIt]

They're very easy to clean as they machine wash. The reason I didn't use them on my two as newborns was purely cost. They are expensive and they wouldn't get much wear out of the newborn size. I waited till they were in the next size up which lasted for about a year, I think.

If you have a local branch of the NCT, find out when their next Nearly New Sale is. They almost always have grobags really cheap and often hardly used.

[MyCatIsABiggerBastardThanYours]

Depends on the baby I think. My DD would not stop moving and constantly kicked covers off - wished I'd heard of grobags at the time. As it was I used to bundle her up tight and re-arrange it all on a regular basis.

DS - very laid back boy who didn't really need them as he wasn't quite such a major wriggler. Now 6 mths on, he's much more active and I find them really good.

I think grobags they are fine myself - not too tough to keep clean (you chuck em in the washing machine) and at least you know they are always covered.

PS - No need to spend a fortune on the actual Grobags, you can get perfectly good ones from tesco, sainsbury, matalan etc for half the price.

[KingRolo]

For newborns I'd say sheets and blankets are best so you can swaddle them. Or you could buy a special 'swaddle-me' blanket.

After around 3 or 4 months when DD moved from the moses basket to the cot I used a grobag. Sheets are a faff by then as they just get kicked off. They are easy to wash and dry, you could probably manage with just two unless you have a very sicky baby.

[KingRolo]

MyCat is right about cost - branded Grobags are around £25 but I got some just as good in Asda for a fiver.

[bristols]

Baby needs to weigh 10lb before going into a grobag so it would probably be a few weeks/months before you can use one anyway.

I used them for both of my DSes and I think they're great! No need to worry about them getting cold in the night. DS1 hated them from about a year onwards because they stopped him from standing up in the cot. DS2 still loves his, though, and he is now 18 months old.

I saw some in Wilkinsons (of all places!) this week for only £8.99. They had a tog rating too.

[BertieBotts]

I preferred to use blankets when DS was little as we co-slept and I found it easier to adjust his temperature by removing or adding a layer of blanket.

Now he rolls in his sleep, grobags are so much easier, but I've never paid more than £10 for one, by shopping around - so far I've bought from TK Maxx, ebay, and the clearance rack in Boots.

[donandpea]

Hi I think i'm going to go with 2 growbag type things got one in John lewis for £10 in sale and will wati and see if anyone buys us another if not get a 2nd one.

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

They wash and dry really well, mine have all benn used for 2 children and still look brand new.

You can start using them from 7lb now, not 10lb, that was the old style.

I love that if they wake up you can get them back to sleep/feed them then lay them back down and they are still all snuggled in their bag.

They are also great when you are staying somewhere unfamiliar, as they are a constant from home.