grobags - necessary?

[ch1134]

I have a 3 week old son and am using blankets for sleep as was told grobags not safe until their heads are bigger and won't slip through.
Now I'm wondering, why change? I heard grobags keep them at the right temperature, but I can't help thinking it's nicer to sleep under a blanket.
If we did get grobags, surely we'd need loads - different togs, different sizes and one for the wash of each? So could I save some money by not buying something unnecessary?
Thanks

[anothernumberone]

I never used them much but others have loved them so they are definitely not necessary.

[CitrusyOne]

Dd used to kick the blankets off and wake up whinging because she was cold. Grobags all the way in this house! We've only ever had 2 at a time, summer weight ones (1.5 tog) and winter ones (2.5 tog I think). I wash and dry them in a day- shove them in the tumble drier. Sainsbury's and Ikea do good ones.

[Hawkmoth]

Depends on your baby. DD1 was fine without, DS and DD2 are squirmy little quadropusses and we'd be lost without them.

[fusspot66]

Buy 1 packaged one so you can read the instructions then try charity shops for more. I could pass on blue and prob pink ones to anyone who PMs me. Live in North West.

[Meglet]

We used them for a couple of years (starting from 6 weeks), the DC's were excellent little sleepers so I didn't want to rock the boat. Yes, it was hideously expensive though. 2+ gro-bags in each size, different togs for deep winter / high summer. They lasted for 2 children though and I was able to e-bay the ones that weren't tatty.

[Lorelei353]

Great for ds as he rolls and crawls in his sleep and blankets won't stay b on.

[LSP1985]

DS is 22 months and still sleeps in a grobag. Attempted to use a duvet for a few months and he kept waking up. So back in the grobag. He LOVES it. I love it. You know they will stay nice and cosy all night. Buy neutral colours then can reuse for other DC's!!

[Lorelei353]

oops. posted too soon

BHS and ASDA do great ones. I hated the one Grobag brand one we had. Never seemed to fit right.

[mumbaisapphirebluespruce]

Absolute necessity for me. DD was a kicker from an early age and so any blankets got kicked off in less than 5 seconds. I was buggered if I was going to be up re-tucking her in 30 times a night. With the gro bag it's peace of mind that she's warm. We were gifted quite a few and given some second hand so were lucky. The gro bag style are pretty large so you will find that they aren't growing out of them quickly. We also found some good value Pitter Patter ones in TK Max.

[Framboisier]

Well, I guess they are not necessary, but they are useful

Proper branded grobags do last well - I used some for both kids and still sold them on eBay

If you don't want to buy them, I found they are a good thing to ask for as presents from people who ask you of you need/want anything

Kiddicare quite often have them on sale too

[Finickynotfussy]

They're great! I'd sleep in one myself if they made adult sizes

[TarkaTheOtter]

By 4 months old dd would rotate 180 degrees in her cot at night, I have no idea how that would work with blankets.
She's now 2 years and still in grobags. We use the grobag branded ones but get them second hand or from tk maxx (often cheaper than ebay). I recommend the travel ones with zips down the middle. They are harder for baby to take off than the ones with poppers on the shoulders and you can also use them in the car seat/pushchair and transfer straight to cot.
They aren't necessary but I've found them easier.

[tobiasfunke]

Depends what kind of sleeper they are. DS threw himself round the cot from he was no age. We used these
//www.merinokids.co.uk/sleep-bags.

They are expensive but there are usually offers on. They lasted from DS was 6 weeks until he was 2 and he was a long baby. We had 2 different togs because our house was cold but usually he was fine in the light one. They washed and dried really well. You might even get them second hand.
They even had a slot for the car seat belts so you could put them in the car and straight into the cot so they were nice and toasty. I'd say these were the best baby buy we made.

If you want ordinary grobags our TK Maxx always has loads in.

[RandomMess]

I agree they are fantastic, bought ours all second hand and sold them on again afterwards so wasn't even expensive having all 3 togs - 2.5, 1 and 0.5 (basically like a sheet but fantastic if we have a hot summer). Best of all it stops them taking of their clothes and nappies when they get to that delightful stage - put them on back to front or attach the zip with a proper safety nappy pin, defeated mine

[RubyrooUK]

I used grobags with DS1. At 10mo old, he could do a strange Incredible Hulk move that burst all the poppers and climb out. I got zipper ones. He learnt to undo zips. I gave up.

DS2 was horrified to have a grobag on. He has never liked being confined and was crawling and standing up quite early so he found them very restrictive.

I just don't think my children are a good fit for grobags. (Or cots. Or sleeping. But that's another story.)

[Wibblypiglikesbananas]

Used them for both children and think they're great. Don't have to be expensive if you shop around and buy in sales - I've got two from Mamas and Papas that were £5 each in a sale and they've both done two children!

Look for zips down the middle or around the sides as those off centre zips make it hard to get one arm in somehow. Also look at the US brand Halo, which makes bags for older children with foot holes and really thin sheet type bags for when it's hot. The best thing about the bags for me is that you can keep the baby in them when doing night feeds and then just lie them back down again and they're still all warm and cosy, rather than transferring them onto a cold cot sheet which invariably wakes them up.

[DipDabDabDip]

I love them. It helps when you're transferring them back into cot/moses as they don't feel the temp change as much, my dd also rotates round in her cot so grobags are a must IMO.

[Artandco]

The merinokids ones are great. You don't need different sizes or togs. One does 2 months-2 years. We brought 2 so one on one in wash. Lasted 2 children and both look as new. Cost £55 each (£110 together), and have just sold both on eBay for £65 4 years later.

[SpottyTeacakes]

I know of a nine mo who died after getting under her blanket in her cot so it's grobags all the way for me. They're not expensive second hand.

[IdaClair]

Mine would not sleep in them, would scream like I had removed their legs. Yes they were bloody octopuses and would wake up a million times cold, but I put them in warm pjs instead as they had no chance at keeping a single blanket on.

They were in Moses basket until 7-8 months anyway (or my bed) and the bags wouldn't fit in the basket and are unnecessary when snuggled up to me.

[MrsMarigold]

They are convenient our house is so clod we have grobags and duvets.

[FlyingDucky]

I'm a big fan of grow bags for babies. Great invention IMO. You don't need to use them but there's loads of benefits if you do

Baby stays cosy during night feeds.
Less waking up cos they are cold after blankets fall off
Quick and easy to wash and dry
They look cute
They are not confining like swaddling. They can move around kick their legs etc and they stay on.

[FlyingDucky]

Oh and they contain poonamis.

No need to change the whole cot, just get a new nappy and new grow bag on.

[Mandy2003]

At 2yo DS could climb out of his cot and shuffle down the corridor to wake me up with his grobag on

[ShoeWhore]

Of course not an utter necessity but so useful!

Esp liked that it keeps them cosy during night feeds and eased that transition back into the cot afterwards.

Well worth it imho.