I’m often asked, “Why are my Safe Sleep Bags not in a newborn size, and the first size is 2 to 8 months?” And the answer might surprise you— you should start using one later than most people think. Around eight weeks of age, your baby begins to experience deeper, more restorative sleep. This deeper sleep also causes a natural drop in body temperature, which means your baby needs extra warmth to stay comfortable and safe. That’s why I recommend introducing a safe sleep bag from eight weeks of age.
Most Save Our Sleep babies still wake during the night for a feed and a nappy change up until around seven weeks of age. At this stage, not using a sleep bag can make those middle-of-the-night changes a little easier. Once your baby is sleeping through the night, it’s the perfect time to introduce the safe sleep bag. You can, of course, choose to use my sleep bag from birth—many families do. If you decide to start earlier, just be sure to use fewer blankets to adjust for your baby’s warmth.
A safe sleep bag is designed to be part of your baby’s bedtime clothing—not a replacement for bedding. Blankets are still needed to keep your baby warm enough. Most sleep bags are rated between 0.5 TOG and 3.5 TOG before the first wash, but after washing, the TOG rating is often reduced to around 40% of the original TOG. This means they’re very lightweight, and without the addition of blankets, your baby may end up cold or feeling insecure. Save Our Sleep sleep bags are made with this crucial information in mind.
A sleep bag will shrink slightly in its first wash, which reduces the amount of air it can trap—this is what causes the TOG rating to drop. Our warmest 2.5 TOG sleep bag actually measures around 6 TOG before washing. After the first wash, it settles to the true 2.5 TOG. Similarly, our cooler 1.0 TOG bag starts at around 3 TOG and becomes 1.0 TOG after washing. This is why it’s important to always wash the safe sleep bag before use.
From eight weeks onwards, I recommend dressing your baby in:
The safe sleep bag should be placed under the Wrap in a Wrap to help keep your baby snug and secure during sleep.
I don’t recommend dressing your baby in more than two layers under a sleep bag. If your baby feels too warm during the night, it’s much easier to remove a blanket than to undress her without disturbing her sleep. Some sleep bag manufacturers suggest using more clothing underneath, but in my experience, this can be problematic. We all like to think we’d wake our baby to adjust their clothing if needed—but in reality, exhaustion, or anxiety, might make us hesitate.
Keeping extra warmth to removable blankets gives you flexibility and peace of mind.
Not all sleep bags are created equal. I’ve seen many over the years with design flaws—zips and poppers that come off, neck and armholes that are too loose, and even Velcro that catches on cot sheets. After carefully reviewing what was available, I created my own range of Save Our Sleep safe sleep bags in 2013, bringing together the best features and removing unsafe elements.
Here’s what to look for in a safe sleep bag:
Tizzies Tip : Never tuck the bag under the mattress. If the bag is long, tuck excess under your baby’s legs, not over them.
A safe sleep bag is a key part of keeping your baby warm and safe for all sleeps – both day and night. With the right combination of sleepwear, a safe sleep bag, and blankets, you’re helping your baby stay comfortable, warm and secure.
Join our newsletter and receive a FREE download of the world famous Save Our Sleep Safe Bedding Guide delivered straight to your inbox!
PLUS you will also receive a thank you gift offer shortly after.
WORLDWIDE SHIPPING
