Grobag - what should they sleep in?

[Sugarbug17]

Hi Everyone

1st post and probably a silly question!

Our first baby is due the beginning of October... we have a Snuzpod2 ready for their arrival but no idea what they should sleep in?

Everyone keeps saying 'no blankets' etc and I know I am basing this on my own sleeping preferences - but I feel like they need something to feel cosy/tucked in?!

Are the gro bags any good? And what should I look for in a gro bag?

Any advice appreciated as I haven't a clue!

Thanks
Sugar x

Blankets are okay as long as they're tucked no higher than around the waist (I think!) and tucked in tightly under the mattress etc. Most gro bags are only for over a certain weight so rarely suitable for a newborn. My DD is a December baby and I had her in fleecey babygrows with blankets on and tucked in tightly. Not that she stayed there much and was usually on me! Occasionally swaddled too but didn't get on with that

The NHS website explains better than me about blankets tucked in! www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/reducing-risk-cot-death.aspx

My dads has loved a sleeping bag since he was tiny. At first he was swaddled. You can get sleeping bags from birth, you can even get ones that tuck the arms in but we never had one of those.

My ds now won't sleep without a sleeping bag and I like that he's all cosy and warm. He's 15 months now and still in one.

Jojo mama Bebe do them from birthday and have different options

We had DC2 in woombie swaddle pods (and in a snuzpod). He slept SO much better than DC1.

Sample size of 2, I know, but I was willing to pay whatever it took to get more sleep this time round.

Seriously, google woombie, they are amazing.

A cellular blanket is ideal for newborns so long as they are tucked in firmly under the mattress and under their arms (armpit) so that they can not wriggle underneath. Don't forget their feet should be at the base of the cot x

Gro bags are good for when they are a few months old. I use them as my DS tends to pull his blanket over his face.

Having discovered baby sleeping bags when DS1 was about 5 months, we put DS2 in them straightaway. I don't think it's a coincidence that he was the better sleeper...

I feel like they need something to feel cosy/tucked in

You're right, they do.

Start with a swaddle. Progress from swaddle to sleeping bag in the first 4 months or so. But definately start in a swaddle not a sleeping bag. Babies value that tight, secure, tucked in, safe feeling that a swaddle gives.

We did swaddle, then blanket and a gro bag at 8 weeks. She didn't like them before then.

The grosnug is a swaddle for newborns that you can then unzip the arms and use like a grobag when they get bigger, until they are big enough for a grobag (7ish lbs, so not massive!)

All mine had grobags from birth but the the smallest one was 8lb 13 so not tiny babies! Grobag themselves say they're for babies over 8.8lb or 4kg.

Yep grosnug from birth until somewhere between one and three months. Then normal gro bag. 2.5 tog winter autumn spring with appropriate layers underneath and a 1 tog or even 0.5 tog in summer.

I'm getting a snuz pod too. We are planning on using these -

www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/love-to-dream-swaddle-b1687.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw2NvLBRAjEiwAF98GMVvVxhKqUN4WCjw36awOMWcLHjjwacuKQyd7oIih97tkHcVLx0curxoC7y8QAvD_BwE

I think people refer to them as 'angel wings'. They've been a godsend to my sister. Sooth baby to sleep really well.

We also used the grosnug, initially with arms in then arms out from a couple of months old. He was in the grosnug for ages as he was only 5lb 9 when born, then moved onto 0-6 month grobags. We tend to go for lightweight bags so you can add layers underneath if it's cold or just go with a vest if warm (or nappy if super warm). Never used blankets at night. He's just growing or of his 6-18 month bags and I think I'm going to carry on for a while yet!

I swaddled (fairly tight) until about 3 months

We also had a snuzpod and a sleepyhead to go in it. If I had my time again I'd get the sleepyhead (hands down the best baby purchase we made) and a space saver Ikea cot that we could put up against the bed. The snuzpod isn't that big and meant we had to move him into his own room at 7 months, which conincided with a patch of poor sleeping that would have been much easier to deal with if he'd been able to be back in a cot up against the bed so I could settle him without traipsing through the house or cosleeping. Just a thought!

Thanks for the advice everyone

I will look at the gro-snug for a newborn... although I have to admit - I want something that keeps their arms free rather than swaddled!

I will definitely be trying the tucked in blanket in the SnuzPod2 with the advice from the NHS suggested guidelines

I know at the end of the day I'll try anything to get them to sleep I just want to make sure I've purchased some sleeping basics before their arrival!

Thanks again
Sugar x

Yes, grow bags are great for when they are a little bigger. In the early days I'd say be prepared to try a few different methods. Dd1 and 2 slept much better when swaddled, tried it with brand new dd3 and she really hated it, she likes to have her hands up by her face, so she is sort of half swaddled with her arms out.