Forum home Archived Birth Clubs My baby was born in Mar 2012

Swaddling and sleeping bags

Hello, hope your all well.



Am after picking your brains please ladies!



I just wondered what's your thought on swaddling? I've heard conflicting reports about weather it's a good thing or not. Also when it comes to sleeping what's best use as bedding? Does the baby sleep under a sheet and blanket, or just 1 of those cellular blankets? Or a sleeping bag? But can those be used for a newborn?



Sorry for the 20 questions, I'm a first timer and am worried I know nothing!!



Thanks



xxx

Replies

  • hi. i had my first in the summer and just used a blanket. i swaddled for a while as that is what they did in hospital and we were there a few days but soon gave up with that. didn't use a sleeping bag for a while but she was only 5lbs when born so would have disappeared inside it. it probably depends on how big they are. i would definitely have a blanket and then once baby has arrived, you can always get the right size sleeping bag to fit.
  • imogen loved the security of being swaddled, we bought a few special ones but learnt how to do it with just a sheet.



    this summer as its a spring baby i have bought lightweight swaddling blankets and will do sheets not baby sleeping bags, i just didnt get on with sleeping bags, but they are handy i guess.
  • we loved sleeping bags, and used them almost exclusively as soon as he was big enough (must be safe for babies size so they can't slip inside them) Once you know how big a baby you got you soon learn what's correct size. i just thought they were so easy to use and he really seemed to love them. He moved a lot and always lost blankets and weren't keen on being swaddled (actually that's a lie, the first couple of weeks he liked being swaddled, then as he discovered kicking and flapping he got upset when swaddled, we then switched to bags.



    Good luck, just see what seems to be your babies preference. x
  • The Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe Microfleece is a cross between a sleeping bag and a swaddle and my daughter loved it. We used it until she became big enough to break out of it and then swapped to sleep suits. Phoebe hates the sleeping bags and get very cross when we tried one!
  • We used blankets and sheets at first until dd was big enough to go into a sleeping bag (she was 5lb 12oz born so it was a fair few weeks). We used Grobag ones and they are suitable from 7lb. I had 1tog ones initially as it was summer and then bought 2.5tog ones for the winter. On really hot nights I just used a sheet, or nothing at all. I will be using sleeping bags again as soon as this one is big enough.



    Mothercare has a handy guide in the catalogue as to how many sheets / blankets to use, and what to dress them in, and its probably online too.
  • We are swaddling with a cellular blanket at the moment, then I tuck another blanket around him quite tightly. He seems to like is as he generally settles well x
  • We swaddled for first few months with DD (born exact same time of year), and while it worked really well at settling her, it quickly became more of a hindrance than a help as she fought out of it regularly, but then cried when out of it! We went cold turkey eventually and swapped to sleeping bags at about 4m, which we used right up until she went onto a duvet and bed a few months ago.



    We had initially used a sleeping bag when she was newborn, and she was fine with it - god knows why we swapped to swaddling! This time I'm avoiding swaddling like the plague and have a few newborn size sleeping bags, plus extra blankets if needed. x
  • Hiya, my boy was born in september. They recommended NOT swaddling in hospital, and we had bought sleeping bags anyway, which he used as soon as he came home at 8 days old. He was 9lb 12oz so not chance of getting lost in them! Tried him with a blanket when i moved him into a cot at 4 months but he just got tangled up as he's such a wriggler at night! While it's been cold he's just worn a long sleeved vest, sleepsuit or pjs and 2.5tog bag. Since it's warmed up a bit though he just wears a shortsleeved vest, pjs and bag.
  • Do you know why the hospital recommended not swaddling Tigerlily? Our hospital swaddled every baby x
  • I think swaddling is not recommended due to potential overheating. x
  • Our hospital recommended swaddling
Sign In or Register to comment.