Newborn bedding

[alliemarg]

Hi there

My baby is due in September and I'm keen to start using Grobags as soon the baby's weight matches the minimum. Until then I'm a bit unsure what to use though - does anybody have any thoughts on swaddling vs using cellular blankets? And if you use the cellular blankets must you use a sheet? One more - do the hospital provide bedding for the little one when we move to the ward? Thanks in advance!

Hospital will provide bedding.

I have used a mix of flannel sheets and cellular blankets with my 3. They are spring, autumn and now summer babies so never been too worried about them getting cold. In the very early days I would swaddle with flannel sheet to make lifting and putting down from feeds less disruptive, then maybe lay cellular blanket on top. Then just move to sheet (and blanket if necessary) laid on top. I was given a stretchy swaddle with DC1 but IME it didn't do the job much better than a flannel sheet to be honest so not worth the expense partic if you plan to move to grobags.

Grobags are fantastic. DC3 is only 5 days old but was over 4kg at birth so I might just get him in one very soon anyway rather than faff with sheets much longer.

Cellular blankets also handy for providing an extra light layer over grobag in the depths of winter if you feel it's needed and great in buggies or car seats too so worth having a few.

I swaddled my ds, born August last year. I used a thin cotton swaddle as it was hot and he is quite a hot baby! I am still using grow bags for him now, I trap his arms in the bag as he tends to flail in his sleep. (He cosleeps with us so trapped arms are ok, I wouldn't trap them still if he was in his own cot!).

I was given a lovely knitted woollen blanket which we have used for naps and in his pram. We also received a lovely mothercare colourful blanket, it looks handmade but isn't, he loved looking at the different colours when he was tiny.

I've been researching this (also due sep) but there's just so many opinions! I really want to use sleep bags straight away and have found a few that can be use from 7lbs. I don't want to swaddle, just not confident enough to use blankets/sheets and the ready made ones look really restrictive. I'm sure i'll change my mind when baby is screaming for the 10th night in a row obvious first time mum

What's the weight limit on grobags?

Ignorant first time mum here!

My twins were born in September.

I used a thin cotton blanket to swaddle them until they could go in a grobag. I folded a cellular blanket to cover them over the swaddle (so a double blanket layer). Short sleeved vest and sleepsuits to sleep in.

DD was 8lb2 at birth but didn't get big enough to go into a sleeping bag until around 3 months. It wasn't that I checked the weight limit, particularly, it's just she was so obviously swimming in it it wouldn't be safe. (Their arms must be sturdy enough to prevent them sliding down into the bag, their head big enough not to be swamped by the neck hole.)

We used bamboo muslins, the very big ones from Aden and Anais, because they are light but extraordinarily warm, then a cotton blanket on top. She had this in the pram too (winter baby) and was always toasty. Aden and Anais also make muslin sleeping bags, not sure about sizes.

I also paid attention to the old adage, a blanket below is worth two above. We had a tiny flat so it wasn't freezing, but I bought winter sheets for her cot (flannel).

Re swaddling, it will really depend on the baby. Some love it, some hate it. There is some caution about swaddling at the moment, eg www.nhs.uk/news/2013/10October/Pages/Swaddling-damages-babies-hips-expert-warns.aspx

Second thought, sorry: these are brilliant for night time changes (no blasted poppers!) and stroking their little legs / body for some skin on skin while they're feeding.

My babies who were 5lb at birth were swaddled very tightly by the neo natal nurses! There is always something published out there to scare new mothers!

My baby is due on Sept 3rd so im hedging my bets and have got so far: 3 big Muz Muslins, a Cellular Blanket. a Merino Wool Blanket, a Woombie Swaddle and a velcro swaddle pod (I think its a Mothercare one) that I was given by my SIL as her baby was too big for it... my thinking is I can use the Muslins and Blankets to swaddle or layer. If my baby likes to be swaddled I have the Woombie and the freebie one. If not, i've only lost the money on the Woombie as can use all the others as blankets.

I LOVE the look of that John Lewis Baby Bundler - do they wear a sleepsuit underneath?

No Sandwich, just that, though if you're worried about cold then a vest too I suppose. It's so long and cosy that their legs are completely clad and warm, but free to kick about in that mad newborn way. That's what I love - my winter baby was just always dressed in several layers, I felt she got so little skin to skin contact or freedom - these are a brilliant solution.

I swaddled dd in a giant muslin square every sleep for about five months. She loved it and it was a safe blanket option.

in the winter id lay a pram blanket down diagonally in the moses basket so each side stuck out and would lay loosely over her body without risk of going over her face.

Both of mine have hated swaddling. They like to kick! I've tried a baby bundler with DC2 (now 5 weeks) but when she kicks her feet get exposed and cold and then she won't sleep so have abandoned that in favour of small sleeping bags. Thankfully she's not a big puker or explosive nappy producer so far, so the couple of tiny bags are fine on rotation until she's big enough for the huge stash of bigger bags I have. Bought almost all of them on eBay when we had her brother and a few in the John Lewis sale.

white company grow bags are great for little babies - they have extra poppers under the arm pits to make them a tighter fit. Thoroughly recommend those.

I've always just layered cellular blankets/flat sheets and a fleecy blanket for my winter babies.

They hated swaddling and grow bags, they would work themselves up into a crying fit just being laid on the grow bag never mind zipped into it.

The hospital do provide bedding but I always took my own soft receiving blanket and knitted blanket. The post natal ward is usually too warm so only a thin blanket is needed and then a thicker one for leaving the hospital.

Thanks everyone, that's really handy. There's so much conflicting advice out there, it's great to hear what you are doing.

If I may ask another question, for those who go down the sheet/blanket combo, do you ever find the baby kicks them off in the night if you tuck in tightly? Another paranoid first-time mum here!

I'm due in August and I've bought some gro-bags but planning to swaddle in the early days. I have some gro-swaddles and also some giant muslins to swaddle in plus I've bought 2 cellular blankets incase it's cold.

allie check with your hospital about bedding - ours didn't provide anything bar a cot sheet.

I just wrapped DS and DD in a standard baby blanket for the whole 10 minutes they spent in their cots DS ended up sleeping in the main bed with me, I don't recall DD sleeping much at all