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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Blanket... Swaddle... Or sleeping bags?!

16 replies

Catarinah · 29/12/2019 04:37

Hi all, I'm due in a few weeks time and was just wondering which is the best/safest way for baby to sleep upon bringing home? I have baby blankets... Was then told swaddling is the best and safest way for them to sleep (health visitor soon told me they're not?) but also have a couple of sleeping bags! Confused.com. Baby will be in a cozee next to me crib in our bedroom. Thanks in advance, advice seems to be changing daily!!

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Lou573 · 29/12/2019 04:44

Sleeping bags best but they have a minimum weight. If baby is smaller you can get a similar thing like the grosnug, or just use blankets if it will be only a couple of weeks until they hit the required weight. Some babies sleep better being swaddled - it’s apparently not recommended anymore but I understand that’s due to potential overheating, as long as you are careful with the number of layers and baby’s temperature I think it’s ok - I use large muslins for swaddling.

What sort of temperature is your bedroom ? That will make a difference.

Original poster

Catarinah · 29/12/2019 04:52

Hi @lou573. My bedroom has a thermostat in radiator so can set it to any temperature (usually over 16). I am 36 weeks pregnant and likely to be induced early due to growth tailoring off so yes, baby is likely to be on the smaller size too!

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pissedoffwithprojects · 29/12/2019 05:21

GroSnug can be used from 5lb. I found them really good with my 2nd. I tried blankets with my first until she got to the grobag minimum weight but it was a pita and they were constantly kicked loose.

ThePurpleMoose · 29/12/2019 05:35

Yeah don't bother with blankets if you can help it - we used them for a while because DD was tiny, but they just got kicked off in about 2 minutes. She does a lot better with a sleep sack now she's bigger, and also we bed share so it's just easier and safer.

No experience of swaddling, I just know you have to stop doing that when baby starts rolling.

Sjl479 · 29/12/2019 05:40

I used miracle blankets for easy swaddling. I think it depends on the baby - some like to be swaddled and others not so much. As pp said you have to stop at around 4 months when they start rolling

Buyitinbamboo · 29/12/2019 05:43

Swaddling is ok but do it with a big muslin and watch for over heating and dont do it tightly around the bottom half as it's not good for the hips. Sleeping bags are my favourite as they are just so much easier. Just used blankets until they could fit in sleeping bags

MsChatterbox · 29/12/2019 05:51

I started out with blankets, then went to grobags, then my son kept starting himself awake so went to swaddling with a muslin for a while, then got him back onto grobags which lasted until he went from cot to toddler bed 😊

PlatoAteMySnozcumber · 29/12/2019 05:58

I started with swaddling (with a thin blanket) and put blankets over the swaddle and tucked into the side of the mattress (like you would normally use a blanket). As soon as they got too old to swaddle, we moved to sleep sacks.

EmJay19 · 29/12/2019 06:07

My six week old Is in grobags. Tried blankets but got kicked off and I was also paranoid he’d kick them over his face. Find the tog and room temperature match on grobags reassuring as first time mum so I know he’s going to be the right temperature at night. He did startle himself awake a fair bit when very small but grew out of it by about 3 weeks

GiveHerHellFromUs · 29/12/2019 06:10

Don't swaddle. It's fine to say 'be careful of temperature' but you won't actually know what you're looking out for.

Sleeping bags are good.

Sweetpeach3 · 29/12/2019 06:23

I used a blanket to start with as their warped up anyway an you have the room at the right temp if you've got it all built into the radiator. Then when the baby got bigger an more mobile I changed to a grobag. Will be using the same grobag I did for my first on my third ! Labouring as I MN! Haha
Good luck op xx

whatswithtodaytoday · 29/12/2019 06:38

I used a cellular blanket at first, tucked tightly under the mattress and only to to his waist (wearing vest and sleepsuit). He used to startle awake a lot at first so he was best held down! I did try a Grosnug thingy with the arms up like a swaddle but he didn't like it, and I couldn't get my head around doing a good tight swaddle with a muslin in those early days of confusion.

Once he was past the tiny newborn stage and had put on some weight, and his head was a bit bigger, I started using sleeping bags and they've been brilliant ever since. Keep an eye on the temperature charts, especially as it gets warmer in spring/summer.

WhenTwoBecomeThree · 29/12/2019 06:59

We currently don't use anything for her, just make sure our room is a good temp (GroEgg) and she has a good amount of layers on, she fidgets too much to use a blanket and hates been swaddled. When she's put on enough weight, we have sleeping/Grobags for her

MsSquiz · 29/12/2019 07:11

We use a gro snug for dd (11 days old) as she was too little to go straight in a sleeping bag.
It works for us as I'm constantly taking her from the next2me to feed her through the night, and I can just pop her back in without worrying about if the blankets are in the correct place or if she's too hot.
Currently our bedroom is 19 or 20 degrees so she just has a nappy, sleepsuit & gro snug on through the night, as per the instructions that came with the gro snug

20viona · 29/12/2019 08:10

I used blankets at first as she was only 5lb and the sleeping bag buried her. From about 6 weeks she wore her sleeping bag.

Original poster

Catarinah · 29/12/2019 10:51

Thank you everyone! I guess all babies are different and it'll depend on his/her size when born :)

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