Sleeping bags

[MrsAlbie]

First baby due in two weeks (January). He will be sleeping in our bedroom in a wooden gliding crib, positioned close to the side of our bed but about a metre away from a draughty window. Hoping to BF.

I was planning on buying a GroSnug Cosy as reviews were good and it said they were suitable for newborns.

However, the advice at my NCT classes was to not use a sleeping bag for a newborn and also not to swaddle (the GroSnug swaddles their arms in) as apparently the swaddling can make their sleep cycles longer, causing them to become confused about feeding (i.e. not wake up for a feed when it's due, they lose weight blah blah blah) . The teacher said to just use cellular blankets on top of a normal sleep outfit.

The thought of putting a little newborn baby in a vest, sleepsuit and a couple of blankets next to a draughty window just doesn't seem enough. I'm cold under a thick duvet!

Do I need a sleeping bag? Are they safe for newborns? Is swaddling in a GroSnug as terrible as the NCT teacher made out?

Thank you.

Wow mn is a line of info ! Wasn’t aware about bags not being available for newborns (ftm:))
Will look into swaddling tho If baby is as special as me he’d hate them :) find it does restrain so much the movement otherwise it’ll be some sheets for the beginning til he can use the grobags.

Thanks for all the info !

The gro snug can be used from 5lb and then you can move on to a sleeping bag, would definitely recommend.

@MrsAlbie I've only got 2 big cellular blankets from John Lewis and then 3 swaddles and 2 grow bags.

I'm worried I haven't got enough blankets now so I'm probably going to grab a few more in the next few weeks. I figure I need them for out and about and the pram etc as well as night time.

Grosnugs have a minimum weight of 5lbs which makes them able to be used with newborns. I’ve used them and they are great - I liked how you could choose whether to have arms in or arms out.

We used a grosnug from birth but he was over 9lb but he hated his arms swaddled- sleeps like a starfish. He’s now in sleeping bags at 5 months. They are great as you don’t have to worry about wriggling under the covers as long as they fit or tucking blankets in properly. Grobags are great but Sainsbury’s and M and S do own brand ones which are cheaper.

I don't like sleeping bags and find them pointless. I only used a cellular blanket, 2 when it was cold, and the coverlet from the crib bedding set.
Ds was a warm blooded baby like his dad and never seemed to want to be covered up anyway. But he was always warm enough.

also I didn't see the need to swaddle either

Totally depends on baby. Mine wouldn't be swaddled at all, she hated it from birth!

We used sleeping bags (I bought GroBag ones) from about ten days old but DD was nearly 9lb at birth and gained quickly. I'm sure it was a 9lb minimum weight. They need to not be able to get their head down in the hole and meet the minimum weight requirement. DD still sleeps in a bag at 21 months she loves it.

I agree that baby might be cold, but always better for them to be a little on the cold side than too hot when they are tiny. Can you get a room thermometer? We use a Gro Egg, so can easily see if the room is at an appropriate temperature.

Thanks all. Some great info and experiences.

Will wait to see how big/little baby comes out before ordering anything but also invest in a few more blankets.

Yes, got a thermometer on my list blueberries and like the look of the Gro Egg, although DH wants to just rely on the thermometer on the monitor. Would this be as accurate as a Gro Egg?