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Sleep

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Original poster

Grobags...probably a stupid question, but still...

24 replies

comet3 · 29/10/2008 15:48

Like many others I'm struggling with the whole night clothing thing now that it's getting colder. I'm completely paranoid about overheating etc but finding it all rather complicated.

So my main question is- I know it's not recommended, but why exactly shouldn't one put a light blanket over a lightweight grobag?

My son is 12 weeks old and since he likes to sleep spreadeagled out I don't swaddle him but have used openweave cotton cot blankets tucked in tightly under his arms to give him some feeling of 'night-time' and security. (He's a big baby - born at nearly 10lbs and now over 6.5 kilos so we had to move him out of his moses basket and into a bigger cot a while ago). I've started using a grobag (1.0 tog) now the weather is getting colder since he seemed to be getting a bit wakeful (usually not a bad sleeper). But 1.0 tog is perhaps a bit lightweight and also doesn't give that tucked-in feeling, so i want to put one of the light blankets over it. I'd prefer not to move him into a 2.5 tog since I'm frightened of him overheating and they're so 'locked in' to them if the temperature is too much

And also, is it just me, or is the small card thermometer thing that comes with grobags rather inaccurate? Ours reads at either 18 or 21 degrees, but the room feels pretty cold to me...

finally, is it ok for him to wear a sleepsuit with legs inside the grobag? The recommendations seem to say not, but I can't quite figure out why legs will make such a difference..

Sorry to ask such minutiae, but I dread something happening at night..

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Romy7 · 29/10/2008 15:53

really? mine usually wore sleepsuits with feet and a popper vest in theirs...

we also used to put a thin flannel cot square over the top if it was really cold...

i'm probably not the best person to answer your q's, sorry!

HensMum · 29/10/2008 15:58

I'm guessing it's because that would make them too hot.
We've got a card thermometer too and it is pretty rubbish! I tend to use it as a guide then add a generous dollop of common sense.
DS is 1 and he is currently in a vest, sleepsuit or pyjamas and a 2.5 tog grobag. He was in the same last winter at similar temps and when it was really cold he wore a fleece sleepsuit.
I would imagine that your son is still feeding at night - how hot/cold does he feel then? Stick your fingers down the back of his sleepsuit. His back should feel warm but not clammy.
It is a tricky one, but I would err on the side of coolness. A cold baby will let you know if they are too cold but overheating a baby can be dangerous. Could you try him with a couple of sheets and blankets which would be eaisier to adjust, plus give him that "tucked in" feeling?

beeny · 29/10/2008 16:01

I think they go a bit ver the top on over heating my view is 2.5 tog,vest sleep suit and i have free standing heater.

FAQ · 29/10/2008 16:04

I'm not the best person to ask for advice either, DS3 has always loved his "blankie" - so even in the summer he was in his grobag (have no idea whether it's a winter or summer one ) with his blanket (usually cuddle next to him rather than over him), summer he just had PJ or vest on, now he has full PJ's......

geordieminx · 29/10/2008 16:06

In the winter we always had ds in a footed sleepsuit and a growbag - 2.5 one.

jennymac · 29/10/2008 16:06

I am struggling with the same problem. My ds shares a room with us (he is 9mths) and it is pretty cold at night (between 15 and 16 degrees). He currently wears a long-sleeve vest, a sleepsuit and a 2.5tog grobag. I have tried looking for 3.5 tog sleeping bags but can?t find one. Does anyone know where I could buy one?

WhereWolfTheWildThingsWere · 29/10/2008 16:10

I think they give those guidelines just to cover themselves tbh.

Just use what you think is right and feel your babies back or chest (not hands or face) to check they don't feel too hot or cold.

If it helps then last night ds (4) slept in

a vest, pj's, a 2.5 tog grobag, with a duvet and 2 fleece blankets on top of him.

Dd (8m) a long sleeved vest, a fleecy babygro, a 2.5 grobag, a wool blanket folded into 4, then under our duvet in our bed between us.

My kids really feel the cold, as does their dad. Everyone has their own tolerence.

Original poster

comet3 · 29/10/2008 16:44

Thank you all for the help most useful - I think I may have been erring on the side of too little rather than too much, so will try and trust myself more. And maybe buy a decent room thermometer...

OP posts:

WayneAteASlob · 29/10/2008 16:59

WhereWolf - do your DCs really wear that much in bed??

WhereWolfTheWildThingsWere · 29/10/2008 17:29

Yes, It would be a bit odd to make it up.

Seona1973 · 29/10/2008 19:41

ds's room got down to 13 degrees last night and he slept fine with a short sleeved popper vest, pyjamas and a 2.5tog grobag. I judge what ds should wear by the thermometer on his baby monitor - it also drops a few degrees at night when the heating is off so I take that into account when he gets ready for bed (i.e. I dress him for what the temperature will drop to not what it is at bedtime). It starts off somewhere between 18 and 21 degrees and depending on the weather it drops anywhere from a couple of degrees to as much as 5 degrees. No way would I use a duvet or even a heavy blanket along with a grobag as that is just asking for an overheated baby.

pudding25 · 29/10/2008 22:33

We have a decent thermometer in dd's room. We have the heating set to go on if the temperature drops below 18 degress. Up to around 19.5 degrees, she is in a 2.5 bag with a long sleeved vest and a normal sleepsuit with arms and legs (is a sleepsuit without legs not a long sleeved vest???).

NorthernLurker · 29/10/2008 22:36

I always used a light blanket with dd3's grobag last year. She wore a long legged sleep suit underneath but no vest - we didn't have central heating though so it was really quite cold in her room.

suwoo · 29/10/2008 22:59

I won't tell any of you what we do or you'll be having palpitations.

tinierclanger · 30/10/2008 10:36

On the back of my grobag thermometer it DOES say sleepsuit (when cold).
Last night I had DS in long sleeved vest, pyjamas and 2.5 tog grobag (temperature got down to 15.9 overnight).

We are going to get a heater for the bedroom though I think, so we can try and keep temperature regular overnight.

lauraloola · 30/10/2008 11:55

Dd wears - Vest, sleepsuit, pj top and 2.5 tog sleep suit. Temperature was 14 degrees when I put her to bed and went up to 18 with the heater on.

I also put a light blanket over her and tuck it in well if it feels cooler. Have you thought about buying a Grobag Egg thermometer?

Suwoo - Go on, what do you do?

beeny · 30/10/2008 11:57

I want to know as well.

OldieButGoldie · 30/10/2008 15:49

And me

mumof3tobe · 02/11/2009 04:24

I have DS 2.5 months in popper vest, sleepsuit a 1 tog grobag, a light comforter, a fleece blanket and another blanket. He sleeps really well and loves the warmth. When he wakes up he's not clammy at all!
Even in the warm hospital he needed an extra blanket before he would sleep.
I am in Canada and no idea how i'm going to keep him warm in the winter here!

iwantitnow · 02/11/2009 14:08

During the nighttime 2.5tog grobag with a long sleeved vest. Only if it gets very cold would I put him in a sleepsuit or extra top on him.

Daytime 1tog grobag with short sleeved vest and top on - nothing on his legs.

Just follow the instructions with the grobag. The legs of the sleepsuit will make them alot warmer, I need to sleep in a long sleeved nightie but if I put my pyjama bottoms on as well I'm boiling, presume the same for babies.

I don't think the temperature will get too much at nightime until march so go and buy a 2.5 grobag.

Fruitbatlings · 02/11/2009 14:13

DS2 - 7 months has vest, sleepsuit (footed), growbag (2.5) and I usually put a light blanket over the bottom half of his body.
His hands are feckin freezing if I don't put all that lot on him.
We don't have the heating on overnight

Fruitbatlings · 02/11/2009 14:15

I just think of myself under my lovely thick duvet - I still get cold. 2.5 tog grobags ae really thin compared to my duvet!

leeloo1 · 04/11/2009 21:27

Lol, I currently have DS in a short-sleeved vest, normal footy sleepsuit, 2.5 tog grobag with a wooly jumper over the top and he never seems over-warm when he wakes up. (16-17 degrees in the night)

Last winter when he was only a few months old I used all that and wooly mittens plus a light knitted blanket when he was really cold.

I think it depends on the baby as much as anything, but sometimes when the thermometer/guidelines say long-sleeved vest and grobag then I'm shivering with cold and would not be able to sleep like that so I don't see when DS should have to.

OmicronPersei87654321BANG · 04/11/2009 21:49

DS is in vest, sleepsuit and 2.5 tog grobag, we also have free-standing heater with the thermostat set to 18 degrees. This will be the set-up all winter. DD has pyjamasa and a 4? 6? tog duvet (she's 3.5 years old) and sleeps in her bed in the same room.

Before we got the heater, DD (she was about 1 year old) would wake 3-4 times a night, lots of coughing, she slept through within 2 days of getting the heater. I felt so guilty about letting her get too cold (unheated room in Winter).

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