What should she be sleeping in?

[FarawayWe]

Hi,

My 20-month adopted DD has been home with us for 6 months now. She's doing fine and sleeps through the night most nights. She has a cot with a slidy side and she sleeps in a Grobag. No pillow.

My question is: when is it time to change the arrangement and for what reasons? I will soon have to decide whether to ditch the Grobags (new season, plus she's getting longer every week) and whether I should buy the next size up or not.

If she doesn't have a Grobag, what should she sleep in? She's our only child so I don't know what other children do.

We were told not to use a pillow until 'later', but when do you start? How do you avoid them kicking off blankets, etc. and on the other hand, how do you avoid overheating if it gets too warm in the middle of the night?

We have a single bed that's low to the ground that can be used whenever it's 'time', I just need some tips about what to do and when.

Hope you can help!

[FarawayWe]

That's interesting. Perhaps it would be worth using the warm months to transition her to a single bed (low to the ground) and a cotton blanket/thin pillow. She already sleeps through the night most nights, but she's going to have to transition sooner or later anyway.

The only thing is that she does move around a lot in her sleep, and is often 180 degrees from where she started. Maybe it's better to stick with the Grobags until she's more settled... if that makes any sense.

[Smithagain]

I was a great fan of Grobags, but I must say that both my children have slept much better from the day we changed to pillows and duvets.

DD1 swapped at about 2yo, when she moved into a big girl's bed. After that experience, we have swapped DD2 earlier, at 18mo. She has a lightweight duvet and thin cot pillow, and she snuggles down into them like a lamb. I am loving the complete nights' sleep!

[FarawayWe]

Thanks, all!

[Olihan]

My ds1 was in a grobag until he outgrew the 18-36 month size at 2.5 then we got a 4.5 tog quilt. I think he started having a pillow at about the same age, possibly a bit younger.

He went into a bed at 14 months because of dd's imminent arrival but has always been an odd child in that he has NEVER got out of bed of his own accord!

Tip for the grobags - unless your house is very cold a 1.0 tog grobag will be fine all year round, just put them in more layers underneath in the winter. Dd sleeps in a 1.0 tog with vest and full pajamas/ sleepsuit underneath in the winter, a long sleeved vest in spring/autumn and a short sleeved vest or just the bag in the summer. She's always nice and cosy and we've only had to fork out for 2 bags that will last her until she outgrows the 18-36 month size.

[clairemow]

once DS learned how to open the grobag, we turned it inside out, and zipped up from the inside. It works a treat, can't open it anymore!

[Bubbaloo]

Our Ds is also 20 months and was in Grobags until about 13 months old.We then just bought a cot quilt which he has used ever since.If she is happy in her Grobag,then you may aswell keep her in one.Ds is a real fidget and used to get frustrated that he was a little restricted in one and he's now in a bed and forever jumping in and out,which he might have had trouble with if still in a bag.We also haven't bought ds a pillow yet-he has always slept very well without one,so I can't see any point at the moment in changing that,but I believe pillows(and duvets)can be used from 12 months.hth

[ThisFrogIsGonnaWhoopYouAss]

I'd leave her in the cot for as long as you can get away with AND keep her in a grow bag for as long as possible!
We only stopped using GroBags for DS1 when he started opening them himself and I was afraid he'd strangle himself with it!

[clairemow]

TBH, if she's happy in the cot, I'd get the next size of grobag and stick with it. Having said that, we moved DS into a bed at just under 2, but that was because DS2 needed the cot. I know 3 year olds who are still in cots and grobags, so there isn't a right answer I'm afraid!

[SenoraPostrophe]

I say that, they can have blankets much earlier obv!

[SenoraPostrophe]

They can have a pillow at 2, but I don't think it's necessary until a bit later (think ds was 2.5). Equally they can have blankets at 2 - they do kick them off sometimes but are big enough at that age to wake up and pull them back on.

As for the bed - how good a sleeper is she? If good you could start njow if you want. if not so good then I'd wait until she can climb out of the cot...