It’s not always easy to know which clothes to dress your baby in at night. Particularly in winter, many parents worry about their children getting cold because they’re not dressed warmly enough. Peaceful and healthy sleep is especially important for newborns’ mental and physical development.
Studies conducted in Germany have proven that a baby sleeping bag is the safest clothing option for your baby while sleeping. This is due to the fact that your child can kick the blanket off at night and the blanket can also slide up over your child’s head.
The latter can make it difficult for your baby to breathe; also, there is a risk of overheating. If the blanket is kicked off while they sleep at night, your baby can spend the night uncovered and fall ill.
Both of these risks can be prevented with a baby sleeping bag. However, a sleeping bag has other advantages, such as:
What advantages does a baby sleeping bag offer in winter?
Babies move and kick while they sleep at night, as they continue to train their motor skills while sleeping. This can lead to your baby kicking the blanket off or feeling too hot due to the increased movement.
For this reason, baby sleeping bags are the best choice. They stay in the right place no matter what position and cannot slip over your baby's head. In addition, babies feel safe in a sleeping bag because they are safely wrapped and kept warm all around.
Not only can baby sleeping bags minimize the risks posed by overcovering and overheating, they can also help your baby sleep in a safe supine position. A winter sleeping bag gives your baby enough room to kick around; at the same time, the sleeping bag restricts your baby's movements so that it is difficult for them to turn into the more dangerous prone position.
Baby sleeping bags are now available in all possible sizes and materials, so they provide the right temperature for sleeping in summer and winter. A winter baby sleeping bag can reduce the risk of heat accumulation without your baby getting cold at night.
Baby sleeping bags are also made with zippers so that they can be opened more quickly. This makes diaper changing a lot easier, as you don't have to take your baby's sleeping bag off before you can change their diaper.
Here are all the advantages of baby sleeping bags at a glance:
- they keep your child comfortably warm in any position
- they do not slip off even when kicking and cannot ride over your baby's head
- they reduce the risk of heat build up and overheating
- they keep your baby safe by making it more difficult for them to lie on their back
- they provide security and safety all night long they offer enough free space to kick at night
What material should your baby sleeping bag winter be made of?
The materials your baby sleeping bag is made of are important to ensure that your baby doesn’t sweat excessively while wearing it. Heavy sweating can disturb your baby’s sleep and wake them up. If the sweat causes their body temperature to drop too quickly, this can also disturb your baby baby’s sleep.
This is why you should always make sure that the materials your baby sleeping bag is made of are breathable and moisture-absorbing. As already mentioned, babies also sweat when they sleep; to prevent them from waking up in a sweat, the material must be able to regulate moisture and absorb it well.
Baby sleeping bags with a high cotton content are best suited for this. Cotton has all the important properties necessary to guarantee your child an undisturbed sleep. Furthermore, pure organic cotton is hypoallergenic and free of harmful substances.
Also make sure that the sleeping bag has a zipper instead of buttons. Protruding buttons on the back can be uncomfortable for your baby. At the same time, zippers should be processed in such a way that they do not scratch or cause irritation on delicate baby skin.
What is the difference between a summer and winter baby sleeping bag?
A summer baby sleeping bag is thinner in material and has no sleeves. Most winter baby sleeping bags are usually thickly padded or lined with down or feathers; some are also equipped with sleeves. Zizzz winter sleeping bags are sleeveless, as sleeves increase the risk of your child’s overheating. Dressing your baby with a pyjama with sleeves should keep your child sufficiently warm. On especially cold nights, you might dress your baby in a long-sleeved pyjama. To learn more about how to dress your baby at night, please have a look at our infographic.
At Zizzz, we line our winter baby sleeping with Swisswool. We don't recommend down or feathers for baby sleeping bags. Down is an excellent insulator, which is why we carry fine goose and duck down duvets in our product range, but it might be too warm for babies. Wool has unique moisture and temperature-regulating properties, which keep your baby dry and at an optimal body temperature. This creates an optimal sleep environment for your baby. In addition, a sleeping bag with wool filling can also be used in autumn, spring and even on cool summer nights, so your child can wear it almost all year round. Our summer sleeping bags, however, are just made out of one layer of soft, GOTS-certified organic knitted cotton.
You can test whether your child is too warm by touching your baby's neck or the area between their shoulder blades, which should always feel dry. If this area is hot and wet, however, your baby is too warm and some of the clothing they're wearing should be removed.
Some baby sleeping bags with sleeves can even be converted into a summer sleeping bag by removing the sleeves. There are even baby sleeping bags that can be worn all year round.
What do I need to consider when choosing the size?
As a rule of thumb, it’s safe for your baby to grow out of their baby sleeping bag, but they should never grow into it. Do not buy a baby sleeping bag that is too big for your baby, as this will reduce the preventive effect.
To find the right baby sleeping bag size, you can determine the length of your baby. The sizes we use indicate up to which length you can use a sleeping bag. If your baby is between 50 and 70 cm size 70 cm (0-6 months) will be the most suitable size. Our next size is 90 cm. It is suitable for babies from 70 to 90 cm. The size 110 cm fits babies with a length of 90 to 110 cm. By using 20 cm intervals your baby will have enough space to grow but it avoids the baby sleeping bag being too large.
The size of the neckline is also important. If it is too large, your baby’s head can slide into the sleeping bag. If the sleeping bag is too small, your baby will have difficulty breathing. About one finger should be able to fit between the neckline and the sleeping bag. Many sleeping bags are equipped with snap fasteners so that the neck size can be perfectly adjusted to your baby's size.
How long should babies wear a sleeping bag?
Many doctors recommend that babies should sleep in a sleeping bag until they’re at least a year old. But it’s a good idea to use a sleeping bag with older children. We recommend keeping children in a baby sleeping bag until at least the age of two years. Baby sleeping bags are available even for children up to the age of six, as some children prefer a sleeping bag instead of pajamas.
If your child is still sleeping in a thin sleeping bag at night after the age of one year, you can also use a baby blanket on cold nights. This provides extra warmth and security.
Can a baby sleeping bag help my baby sleep through the night?
A sleeping bag can help your baby fall asleep faster and sleep through the night better. The baby will not be woken due to feeling too hot or cold and will feel safe and protected all night long. A sleeping bag reminds babies of their time in the womb and provides security.
The sleeping climate plays another important role. Temperatures of 16 to 18 degrees in the child's bedroom are considered optimal. You should never dress your baby in a winter sleeping bag if the room temperature is higher than 18 degrees.
The humidity should not fall below 30%. If the air is too dry, you can buy a humidifier. Air that is too humid is also unhealthy, as this attracts dust mites.
Another trick to make it easier for your baby to fall asleep is to create an evening routine. Babies do not have a day-night rhythm in the first few months and therefore wake up more often at night. To get your baby used to falling asleep more quickly, you should arrange the day and night differently. Your baby will get used to the individual steps and develop and learn to anticipate the routine in the evening. As a result, they will be able to fall asleep more quickly.
Routines are just as important for slightly older children as they are for babies. During the day, children can play games or watch educational films, in the evening they should brush their teeth after dinner, read a story with their parents in bed and then go to sleep. Audio books can also be helpful for children to help them fall asleep.
Leave a comment
Already have an account Login