Baby sleeping bag / swaddling??

[seashell81]

Hiya. I'm expecting our first baby in May and am currently researching sleep options. I have ordered a swaddling blanket (on the recommendation of my sister) and have also noticed that sleeping-bags get very good reviews on here. Can the 2 be used together or is swaddling for a new born and bags for a bit later? Also in May, if not the sleeping bag then what would baby wear with the swaddling blanket so as not to be too hot?

I look forward to hearing about your experiences :-)

Just to clarify when I say sleeping bag I mean the type that is like a little suit (they kinda wear it and are inside it at the same time).
Thanks.

We used a sleeping bag with a cellular blanket on top and tucked in tight to the cot. I think swaddling might carry a risk of overheating but don't hold me to that. We never did it because BabyElf was too wriggly and we could never get her tucked up.

Yeah, you use them separately. You can use sleeping bags almost from birth depending on how big the baby is (says on the label what the min weight is) and swaddling is usually for newborn till about 4 months old (at which point they start busting out of the swaddle and rolling over and it gets dangerous).

We swaddled our twins from about 8 weeks till 20 weeks and I wish we hadn't to be honest. I read that it would calm them and it did a bit but it was murder getting them used to sleeping without it. And now I think they're starting to says it might be a SIDS risk (although sometimes I think anything that makes them sleep will be identified as a SIDS risk eventually!)

Anyway for both swaddling and sleeping bags you can put them in a babygro or a vest depending on the weather. In the high summer we've swaddled them in nappies alone. Same with the sleeping bags, and you can get 0.5 tog ones so they are super cool.

Oh, and my top tip - those ones with the shoulder poppers are fine up till about 8 months and then once they start standing up they pop them open and the sleeping bag falls off. Total faff. We had to replace 6 blooming sleeping bags, a month after we got them...

Dd was swaddled for the first 12 weeks, using the ones that are like sleeping bags with Velcro bits that make them more snug. Harvey Karp, 5 s's is what they advocate in the US for working with most babies. He's a big swaddling fan. We didn't have any trouble moving to sleeping bags at 12 weeks.

We swaddled DS for the first 4 months - we tried lots of different things - cellular blankets only/merino swaddle/aden and anais muslin swaddle. He flailed his arms a lot and a sleeping bag would not have worked. It was only when we hit upon the very unstretchy aden and anais muslin swaddle that everything finally clicked.

It took a week of bad sleep to change over to a sleeping bag at 4 months old (once they start rolling, swaddling is a SIDS risk - but apparently is absolutely fine to swaddle at first), but he is great now.

If you do swaddle, make sure you are not restricting leg/hip movement. See for tips.

If it's in May, probably a vest only (short sleeves) is fine under the swaddle, or a babygro only if it's a bit chilly.

I swaddled, mine didnt roll until over 4 months at least. But my sisters rolled first week! I put it down to being only 6lbs.
I would swaddle again as the arms when put down with the startle reflex are a nightmare.

I never got on with swaddling. Loved the little sleeping bags tho. Tesco and asda do really cheap ones that are ever so cute. I found they eased my worries over my precious first born. we were those parents who check baby is still breathing every five milliseconds