Swaddling/sleep bags

[Sara4rt]

Hiya everyone,

This might be a bit of a stupid question but just wondering what everyone did/is going to put their newborns in for bed.

I did a load of research (lots of googling 😅) a couple of months ago and thought I had settled on trying the love to dream swaddles (with arms in an up position) and bought 1 newborn and 1 0-3 in 1 tog (I’m due in December but thought if it is colder I can always layer up With sleepsuit/vest as don’t want to overheat). I also have blankets but have read everywhere that it’s much more risky to use a blanket in a Moses basket/crib so was planning on just using for pram or when I am watching them in the day etc.

However I am just watching the videos from the postpartum course by The Positive Birthing Company and it has completely thrown me off. They say not to swaddle as it is not recommended for safe sleep. Not sure I am completely comfortable with using a blanket after hearing so many horror stories so the only other option I suppose is a sleep bag but the majority of these are not suitable until they are a certain weight 😅 (the newborn love to dream swaddle is from 5Ib) and so I am a bit confused.

Am I being completely stupid and overthinking this? I had heard so many good reviews about the love to dream swaddles I had though I had made the right choice until tonight 🤷‍♀️🤣

Love 2 dream isn't a true tight swaddle ao might not apply to that positive birthing company thing. I used them with my newborn and he did really well with them, but they are very thin and he was summer born. I did still use them as weather cooled by putting him in a sleeping bag too as the arms are upright so it worked to clip him in one but a blanket would be fine if you can tightly tuck it into the mattress and make sure you ensure the babies feet are at the bottom of the crib so they can't shuffle down into it. And make sure it's only up to their middle not tucked high up. It'd a minefield though. Some will say no to swaddles, even half swaddles like love 2 dream, I found them fine and transitioned him out when we moved to Scotland and weather was too cold for him to be in one.

I swaddled both of mine and I definitely think it helped them settle and sleep better. My last child was 3 years ago so not ages ago. The midwives swaddled both of mine in hospital and showed me how to do it. I used the velcro swaddles with arms down. My understanding of safe sleep re swaddles was that it's safe until they can roll over as long as done along side all other sleep safe recommendations (nothing else in the cot / Moses and sleeping in the same room as you).

Also regards the togs - both of mine have always found the recommended tog too cold in winter. My just 3 year old is in a 3.5 tog sleepsack tonight. According to the recommendations, that's for practically arctic conditions, not the 18 degrees their room currently is. But they wake up cold (can tell me that now!) if they're in a lower tog. 1 tog for winter I think would be too cold for a new born, even if layered up.

I did a similar antenatal course and decided to never swaddle. The reason that it helps babies sleep better is because it suppresses the startle reflex so they go into a deeper sleep. But the startle reflex is there for a reason! It protects against SIDS and allows babies to rouse themselves naturally which swaddles stop them from doing.

I used sleeping bags as soon as my son met the weight requirement and for the couple of weeks before we used a blanket very tightly tucked in and baby was in feet to foot position. He wriggled sooo much but never pulled the blanket out. I'm expecting my second and will do the same, I just don't think swaddling is safe.

This is interesting as when I had DD 4 years ago swaddling was definitely an American thing, and any of the swaddle-specific products were from the US and you didn’t see them in stores. Then when I had DS this summer suddenly there seemed a lot more choice of swaddle bags etc. on the market. In one of our postnatal midwife appointments when he was a few days old the midwife actually said, “You’re not swaddling are you?!”, and I was like “eh, no, why”, and she said it was against safe sleep guidelines, impedes the startle reflex and also increases the risk of overheating as they can’t regulate their own temperature. I asked why they do it in hospital and she said that that’s different as baby is getting used to being outside the womb and adjusting to the exterior temperature. She told me she’d seen more and more mums doing it recently and seemed to be trying to raise awareness of the risks.

For my newborns I used Gro Company (now part of Tommee Tippee) newborn bags but never used the swaddle feature, just arms out. They come in two tog ratings and are like £20 new (eeeek) but they’re the sort of things people sell for a few quid on Vinted. Despite never swaddling I had two great sleepers. I don’t judge anyone for doing it if that’s what their baby needs but I would definitely try arms out first and see how you get on.

Whatever you decide you'll need at least 3 of the same thing so that you can put a fresh one on if they vomit or if the nappy leaks in the night.

I think swaddles are good and I agree that 1 tog is too low for winter. I used to leave one arm out when swaddling. Crochet blankets with the holes in are ok.

Thanks for the replies everyone, I have also ordered some of the Tommie tippie newborn bags in 2.5 tog and we already have a couple of sleep bags passed down from family in various thicknesses although I think some of those say from 10Ib so I will have to wait for a little bit to use those.

Hopefully we will be prepared for everything now 😅 and I will order more as and when We need them depending on what works best.

The Tommee Tippee gro snuggle ones are amazing, you won’t regret it. In my experience they run teeny tiny, I found DS typically outgrew them before he even reached the age/weight on the label.

I thought the only issue with swaddling was doing it the traditional way can damage their hips if it’s too tight? Or when people carry on doing past the point where it’s safe because of rolling? But then DD1 was a thumb sucker so didn’t want to be swaddled, and DS2 rolled at 7 weeks so that was the end of it for him. So I don’t have much experience of it and youngest is nearly 3 so I’m probably way out of date. Regardless I was really glad I had the versatility of the gro snuggles!

That’s really helpful! We actually tried the LTD at first but our little one didn’t settle well in it. Ended up switching to the ergopouch swaddle and it made such a difference. We paired it with their cutterfly cardi in the beginning since our baby preferred arms up but still needed that snug feeling. What I like most is they come in different tog ratings, so it’s easy to dress based on room temperature without worrying too much. I also believe swaddling is safe if it’s done properly, like with the right fit and fabric. It really is a minefield, but I think it comes down to knowing your baby and finding what works best.

We used sleeping bags from birth with arms out. They're fine if the neck is tight enough that they can't slip down. They're available from 50cm here