Grobags vs other sleeping bags

[DeeBeee]

I have read a lot about sleeping bags being easier than blankets for babies. I looked at Grobags and they are about twice the price of sleeping bags at other places, like Marks and Spencers or Boots etc. I can't actually find anything that makes Grobags special - am I missing something, is there a reason you've found them to be worth the extra money?

I think it's the brand name that makes them more expensive. In saying that I have noticed that some of the cheaper sleeping bags have polyester in them which I wouldn't be too keen on from a breathability point of view. Anything that is 100% cotton would be just as good.

I love the john Lewis ones. They fit really well and feel really nice. But the mother care ones are nice too - although easier for DS to escape out of.

Supermarket ones are fine. Ikea ones are nice too. Sains bury ones are nice too.

We started using them as soon as DS grew out of needing swaddling (around 3 months). Previous to then hexwould hit himself in the face with his hands and panic.

We have a grobag and one from 'green baby' both lovely. Remember to get correct 'tog' for the time of year you'll be using it. DS is in 2.5tog now but we have 1tog for when it gets warmer.

Doesn't matter when they are small but now my child has mastered zips gro bags are better as they are the only ones I can find with a popper over the zip. You can get gro bags in tkmax for about £15.

The difference is the polyester vs breathability thing. Even the mamas and papas dreampods are too sweaty because it is just ordinary wadding.

Little babies can't yell at you when they are too hot, so I never used ours - at least a hot baby can kick off a blanket that is bothering them.

The Bambino Merino ones are pricey, but work out cheaper in the long run. They're merino wool, which is breathable and all natural fibres. Best of all you don't need multiple togs and sizes - they are one size from 3 months to 2 years. I have 2 of them that will see me right through until we start with duvets.

I really like the mothercare ones, I don't find grobags wash up very well. The mothercare ones stayed lovely and soft.

Any guidance on what tog to get then - baby is due mid-April, so I am thinking of getting a tog 1, as 2.5 may be too warm for springtime. Or is tog 1 really just for summer?

I second the John Lewis ones but I also have a gorgeous Grobag one that I fit in TK Maxx.

April is a bit tricky. you could get a 1 tog and still put baby in a vest and babygro underneath if the room is a decent temp. Then that one will see you through summer. Then come summer time, just adjust how many layers and of what baby wears underneath. Then in autumn time get a 2 or 2.5 tog.

I've bought most of my Grobag sleeping bags from TK Maxx, DS2's 1 tog one was £8 in the sale there. The main difference I find in the 2.5 tog ones is with Grobag the quilting is sewn in, where cheaper ones are not so after a few washes it goes lumpy and falls down to the bottom.

you best not check that out you might get arrested by the MN police

I only used gro bags, found them in the sales on kiddicare website. Two of them did for all 3 of my girls so I certainly had no problems with washing and tumble drying them. I liked them because I under stood the tog rating better than on other brands but that may have changed now as I started over 10 years ago now.

The sainsburys ones are fab, zip down the side with a popper over the top of it so baby can't open it. I also have some from tesc which are all press studs but I now have to put DS in them back to front so that he can't undo it!

I also second the bambino merino ones. They seem extortionate - but I bought 2 right at the start (discount if you buy 2) and then we used them (and nothing else) from 3 months to 2 years. The merino wool regulates temperature so they are super warm in winter, and cool in summer. After 2 years they are in excellent condition and I am due to use em all over again for dc2. People have given me their used sleeping bags (gro bags, mammals and pappas, jojoba man ones - so all 'quality') and they are all tatty and faded compared to mine which have stayed good as new. Plus they are neutral colours so good for girls and boys. Much softer than cotton. I've never used the hand-me-downs!

Another Bambino Merino fanatic here. Just like other long term use products (like cloth nappies!) the initial cost is painful, but they last so long and will continue to last through any other children you have. They really are a joy to wash, and they are the softest thing you can get in terms of a baby sleeping bag. We did also have a Grobag for DS1 as we loved the pattern on it , but that soon faded after a few washes and I was shocked at that for the price we paid for it.

Grobags are lovely if you can get them at a discount, if not then any 100% cotton ones are just as good. DS (2.6) has a 2.5 tog, and a 1 tog for summer. I'm currently looking for a 3-6y one because they're the only things that stop him patroling the house every night! :o

I second the advice to get Grobags (the Grobags brand) rfom TK Maxx - they always seem to have a fair few in 0-6 months whenever I am there. Fewer in bigger sizes though.

I ahve bought baby sleeping bags in various sizes from everywhere, and I honestly can't see a difference in quality between Sainsbury's and Tesco (by far the cheapest), M&S, JoJo and Grobag. I've never tried the Bambino Merino though.

i would recommend the merino kids go go bag ones - similar to the bambino ones mentioned, but these can be used from birth-2 years, and again no risk of overheating as merino, and no need for summer and winter ones, as they can be used all year round. Wash well, and can be tumble dried. Also have a handy slit in the middle of them so you can use them in a car seat as the buckle goes through the slit. (so keeps them snuggly in the car without overheating - we had a issue winter 2010 when was -15 outside, put DS in a snowsuit, but he got extremely hot in the car, we felt so bad, but the sleeping bags have meant it's never happened again...and overheating is one of the risks re cot death so always played on my mind)

Just to add, my dd1 who is now 3 has the 'gro' my first duvet set which is brilliant. It has zips down either side of the duvet so it stays on and the child doesn't fall out of bed. The pillow case is sown onto the bottom sheet so that stays in place too. It was a great transition from cot/grobag to toddler bed.