Baby blankets or sleeping bags

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I am quite confused about these two. What’s the comfiest and safest for a new born? If I were to use a blanket can i still swaddle the baby or is it too much layers? And also if you are pro-sleeping bags, considering I am due May and living in London, should I go for winter sleeping bags or summer sleeping bags?

Please help out a first time mama!

Sleeping bags all the way here; we have a thermometer in our room and we used that to judge what thickness bags we need. We live in a warm flat so use the thinner summer bags almost all the time.

There is a minimum weight for sleeping bags so your baby may not be heavy enough when newborn.

Sorry, yes. We used grosnugs (I think they're suitable from 5lbs up) for the first month or so.

Hi,
I had my first in early May a couple of years ago and I live in London. Had a mix of blankets and a 0.5 tog sleep bag. I didn't use the sleep bag until probably August once the weather had cooled down. When she was a newborn I used muslin swaddles as either a swaddle or as a blanket with a vest because it was boiling in May and June that year. She didn't get to wear most of the cute outfits I'd bought as it was so warm she was in a vests most of the time. I'm expecting my second in April and hoping this summer isn't as hot as it has been the last few years!

Sleeping bags are so much easier. You can get gro snug sleeping bags for newborns which can also be used for swaddling but I never needed them in the end. Gave birth in June when it was hotter than the sun

I use a gro swaddle sleeping bag for my newborn. Its true that sleeping bags have a minimum weight to them but the gro swaddle is designed for newborns, its a little like a first starter sleeping bag which helps them then tradition to a sleeping bag.

Its much easier than using blankets which they can kick off and you don't have to worry about what they wear to bed as they come with information on what to put baby in when using it.

*I didn't mean grow swaddle I meant grow snug...(blames newborn baby hazy brain). Gro does a product called a Gro swaddle too but it looked more complicated than just using a Gro snug sleeping bag.

If you google The gro company they have a chart to tell you how to dress your baby depending on the temperature.
Sleeping bags are much easier but there is a minimum weight requirement before you can use them.
My DS didn’t like his gro swaddle as he kept kicking his legs out luckily he was big enough to use a sleeping bag pretty quickly

I am just buying large muslin swaddles, the 120cm type to swaddle or use as blankets the first few months.

The sleeping bags have a minimum weight for them so I think most newborns will be too small. I will buy a sleeping bag once I know more what size they are for 3+ months.

The sleeping bags have a minimum weight for them so I think most newborns will be too small.

You need a gro snug as I and others mentioned above its a swaddling sleeping bag suitable for newborns and its so much easier than worrying about them kicking off blankets or swaddling which can be a pain especially for nappy changes in the middle of the night.

We swore by blankets when ds was little (Under 1).

Over 1 and he became very wriggly and moved lots in his sleep into all sorts of positions! Sleeping bags became a necessity and now we use them all the time.

Until they're wriggly, I'd stick with blankets. For one thing you'll probably be given loads as gifts and for another you won't have to buy new sizes of blankets as they grow.

I miss the blanket days!

Sleeping bags are better in my opinion but even new born sizes seem to bury a newborn so I'd start off with blankets and move on to sleeping bags

Do you mean using a blanket as a swaddle? Babies should definitely not have loose blankets in their crib or bassinet until they're 1 as it poses a hazard for suffocation & SIDS. A swaddle or sleepsack (like gro snug mentioned above) would be considered significantly safer.

I've only used blankets so far for my 8 week old as find sleeping bags awkward for all of the middle of the night feeds. Too bulky for breastfeeding

Conversely, I found sleeping bags perfect for middle of the night feeds! Baby stays warm she out of bed, unlike if under a blanket and you get them out.

My baby was tiny so we couldn’t use sleeping bags until she was about 2/3 months. Once we did it was so much easier! I didn’t know about grosnugs until she was in a sleeping bag, we had a groswaddle but she hated it. She is now 9m and for the past 2 months has wriggled from one end of the cot to the other including doing a full 180 with her feet ending where her head is. No idea how this would work with a blanket 😂

Oh and you can get sleeping bags as light as 0.5tog, literally made of sheet or muslin material. For a May baby I’d say you’ll probably only need 0.5/1 tog, mine only went in to 2.5tog in about October. Gro company charts are good for working out what to dress them in including what tog bag. I’d probably buy one 1 tog bag before they’re born and see how you get on.

We have a very wriggley baby so couldn't use blankets, we opted for enough layers and having the room nice and warm until she was over the minimum weight for sleeping bags (8lbs)

I had 2 babies who hated being swaddled or in a sleeping bag. Even as newborns. Blankets all the way here. (As teens they use their sleeping bags when camping but have them unzipped.)

Wow lots of controversial opinion! But it’s nice to see all the aspects of the situation thanks everyone!

Grow swaddle.. Then sleeping bag weather depending.

With dd we did blankets and she was a wriggle then kept waking. At the 5 day apt. The mw suggested the swaddles.. We went straight and got one.. Slept 7 hours at 5 days old. She was so comfy.

I saw on sainsburys online you can get sleeping bags with a semi circle zip at front to change nappy rather than remove whole bag.. Thought was a good idea. I'd of got one had I not of brought others already

I used A baby sleeping bag from day one and just bought bigger sizes once he grew I found it safer and didn't have to worry about him pulling a blanket over his face if I was to use a blanket it would be the cellular blankets with the holes but personally I recommend the grow bags and I also had a thermometer on the room to check the room temperature

Gro snug to start, then gro bag, had a summer and a winter one so could alternate with the temperature
My daughter was so content in the gro snug. Miss those days 😍

I just use a cellular blanket, I agree to bf in a sleeping bag could make them too hot. I prefer to put down and cover. I double it over and put under arms. Did same for DC2 despite buying the sleeping bags initially, he hated them.

*DC1 I only have 2 children.