Toddlers: sleep sack/bag or blanket?

[december2020]

DS is 18 months and growing out of his sleep sacks (0-2 years).

I'm not sure whether to get him a toddler sleep sack or try him with a blanket.

He does move in his sleep - so the sack may be smarter but realistically how long could I use the sack till he transitions to a blanket anyway.

What do you use for your 18-24 month olds? When did you transition to a blanket?

DD1 was in a sleep sack until 2 years and a few months, which was when she started asking us to take it off – she was a pro at walking in the sacks, though, which may have helped them last longer. We then went to a toddler duvet, which has been fine, but she does occasionally wake and need help sorting the duvet.

I'd say sleep sack for as long as the cot bars are still on. Obviously you need a crystal ball to know how long that will be (for us DC2 climbed out at 19 months 🙄) and new sleeping bags are expensive so I'd go second hand if you can, normally loads of hardly used ones on eBay.

Once the cot bars come off they could wake up in the night and trip over if still in sleeping bags.

It's recommended from 18 months+ to introduce a blanket. That being said my DS is 18 months and he has had a blanket since he was 12 months. The only reason was he was able to pull the poppers and wriggle out. (We have a night monitor and sensory pad underneath his mattress too). However, only you will know what's right for your little one. You will receive many opinions here. Do what you feel comfortable with.

Asda do sleeping bags up to 3 years old, which is what we use for 2 year old DS. He won't sleep with a pillow or duvet yet, just screams and throws them out the cot if I try 🙄

Sleepsack as long as possible, we're now in blankets and every second night we have a duvet kicked off!

Agree to the second hand, there should be plenty kicking about on Facebook. We also put the fill zip ones on back to front once he could take the zipper off, and avoided poppers on the shoulders as he got them off and wriggled out, and then couldn't get back in it.

Sleeping bags with feet!

www.slumbersac.co.uk/baby-sleeping-bags-with-feet/

I got a pack of two sleeping bags from M&S, £35.00 for age 18-36 months. DS will be 36 months soon and there is still plenty of room left in them. You can get them for up to age six but I think that when DS grows out of the current ones we will go for a duvet.

DS1 had sleeping bags until age three and has never been able to sleep with covers since, we are now onto our second Happy Napper!

Absolutely, these are the best of both worlds

My twins are 2 and 3 months.
They use the Tommee Tippee grobag stepee (a sleepsac with feet).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tommee-Tippee-Original-Grobag-Steppee/dp/B083JMNWBN/ref=mpssa1120?crid=1Z38RUQAWYT9N&keywords=tommee+tippee+grobag+18-36+months&qid=1653863182&sprefix=tommee+tippee+%2Caps%2C38&sr=8-20

The Slumbersac sleeping bags with feet are ace. DD is 3 and still asks to wear her 'walking duvets'

My 3 year old loves her sleeping bag & has never slept in anything else!

She has a merino wool one from Merino Kids - good all year round

For those who use the sleeping bags with feet holes… don’t DCs feet get cold? Or do you use pyjamas with feet underneath?

I kept mine in as long as possible but they could take it off themselves (and did, it was very annoying, they used to throw it on the floor…) by 18mo

Ours have inbuilt socks. The Slumbersac ones do. They can either be open-toed or you pull the sock bit over.

DD demands to wear socks if she's just in PJs anyway!

My DS is not the most physically adept child, bless him, and he never got the hang of walking in a sleeping bag. I couldn't find any of the idea with the feet second hand and they're ever so expensive new so after a few too many tumbles we moved him to a toddler duvet at around 20 months.

We ditched sleeping bags at 18 months. Also had the 0-2 ones which were pricey but well worth it, but I didn’t want to buy the 2-4 year old ones for such little time. He just unzipped bag and climbs four of cot anyway.

gave Ds a duvet and toddler pillow at 18 months and he loved it. Now he’s just turned 2 years and there’s been no cot side on a while. Plus I’m planning on toilet training him soon so a sleeping bag would have to be ditched anyway