It’s time for us to reveal the truth about baby sleep sacks.
Now, chances are if you’re a parent you’ve had a friend, family member, or a colleague swear by these miracle pieces of cloth. Touting them as the cure-all to sleeping woes.
And we understand why.
Getting a bub to sleep through the night is the feat to conquer for parents. If you achieve it the natural reaction is to share it loud and proud to help your fellow humans.
But that doesn’t answer the question of whether your baby really needs one – and why?
In this blog post we will break down what a sleep sack is, the benefits of sleep sacks, before answering the ultimate question; which sleep sack is right for you?
What is a sleep sack?
A sleep sack is essentially a wearable blanket, designed to mimic swaddling. They are a portable, lightweight alternative to keeping a child warm and eliminates the use of extra blankets.
The BBC states in the 60s women in Netherlands were among the first to be given sleeping bags for infants under the Finnish Maternity Act. Statistics showed that after this, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) rates dropped.
Because of this, they quickly gained popularity in Europe before making their way to the US and Australia.
Why are sleep sacks good?
As we mentioned, sleep sacks are touted as a safer sleeping option for young ones as it eliminates the need for extra blankets, which can be a suffocation risk.
But the product also has other benefits; bear with us, we are going to reel off a few below:
- Helps your baby feel secure and cosy as it mimics swaddling,
- Helps to regulate body temperature as it uses body heat to generate warmth,
- Can work as a great sleep cue, telling bub it’s nap time,
- Reduces the amount of washing, as all those pesky blankets are now gone,
- Are portable, meaning you don’t need to disrupt nap time,
- Reduces babies’ mobility as they sleep, which in turn reduces potential injury.
So on that last note WebMD lists cribs as a frequent cause of baby injury, with more than 10,000 children taken to emergency each year after getting stuck or falling from their beds.
A sleep sack reduces the amount of movement that’s possible, making it more difficult for them to go nighttime wandering.
How to pick the best sleep sack for your baby
And it’s time to answer one of our frequently asked questions; which sleep sack is right for your family?
When choosing a sleep slack there are three things that you should pay attention to. These include:
- The weight of the item,
- The material(s) used,
- Whether they have sleeves or not.
We will start with the last point first as it sounds a bit incredulous, we can admit that.
One of the truths about sleep sacks is some babies don’t like them. Pure and simple. Some babies love swaddling, some babies hate it.
If your bub falls into the latter but you’re still tempted to give sleep slacks a go, look for a sleeveless alternative. They are common on the market for two reasons.
First, they’re not constrictive as they keep babies’ arms free allowing them to roll over and push themselves back.
Secondly, this allows air to circulate better and prevents over-heating.
And it’s here we need to raise the ever-important choice of material. When shopping for a sleep sack, you want to look for a temperature-regulating fabric.
Our award-winning Woolbabe sleep sacks are made from a blend of 30 per cent merino wool and 70 per cent soft organic cotton.
The temperature-regulating properties of merino mean your child will be kept comfortable – no matter what the wild weather we’ve been having brings.
The weight of the wool filling also helps kiddies sleep better, while also reducing movement.
Now, we should say we have three different weights for you to choose from (bringing us to our very first bullet point).
The weight you choose will depend on your climate as they’re all structured slightly different.
Our summer-weight sleeping sacks are ideal for tropical environments or from temperatures between 24 to 32 degrees.
The mid-weight alternative features two layers, and for this reason, can be used in temperatures from 18 to 30 degrees (or from Spring to Autumn as a rough guide).
Finally, we have our winter-weight sleep sacks, which is perfect for those in states or countries with chilly winters. They feature a quilted wool filling and can be used anywhere between 14 to 22 degrees.
Merino Wool and TOG Ratings
A common question we get asked is what is the TOG rating for our Merino wool sleep sacks and sleep suits so we have provided an explainer below.
What is a TOG rating?
A TOG (Thermal Overall Grade) essentially measures how much a particular fabric insulates and is roughly equivalent to a layer of clothing or a light blanket. Many sleeping bags use the European TOG rating system to indicate how warm the sleeping bag is and what season they are suitable for. The higher the TOG, the warmer the sleeping bag.
Why is Merino wool not TOG rated?
Sleeping bags with cotton or polyester or that consistently perform to a testing standard or set temperature range tend to be TOG rated.
Natural fibres, such as Merino are not rated TOG because they adjust according to temperature, and this is why they are so popular.
However if you are needing an approximate guideline, the Woolbabe Summer Sleep Sack is equivalent to 0.5 TOG while the Duvet Weight Sleeping Bag and Suits are approximately equivalent to a 2.5 tog cotton/polyester bag.
We are going to leave you with one last tip. We always recommend having two sleep sacks, so you can have one easily at hand when the other needs washing. This way you don’t interrupt the ever-important bedtime routine.
If you found our blog post useful, please check out this guide to young ones’ base layers. It breaks down everything you need to know.
