@therealbitts thank you! So silly question, but for example, one of the items Amazon suggests is basically a gown with a slightly elasticized bottom, pull over the head kinda thing. Then I see some that are essentially a bag at the bottom with a zipper. Is the zip up bag preferable? (You can laugh, I understand ) And while I'm asking silly questions, how long do you use the sleep sacks for/at what age did you transition them to more traditional style pjs?
@Swiftlet lol, not dumb questions. It’s basically the baby bag with the zipper (pic below). There are some like this that also have a Velcro swaddle at the top, which are good if your baby likes to be swaddled. I use these from the very start, as I have always been paranoid about blanket suffocation (and I’ve always sucked at swaddling, which means the baby breaks out of it).
As far as how long you use them, it depends on the baby. I’m still using the sleep sack with my 14 month old. He likes it and it works for us. He’s also a little guy, so the blanket worry is still there for me. I think it just depends on how easily you think they could extricate themselves from a blanket if it got wrapped around them during sleep.
@Swiftlet, DD hated being swaddled and hated sleep sacks so we always just dressed her warmly in zip pajamas. She is 2 and still has no blankets in her crib.
@Swiftlet, zippers are so much easier especially MOTN. Target has some that zip up from the bottom to make diaper changes easier without baby getting cold. I didn’t have any last time but I plan to get some this time around.
@Swiftlet I did basically exclusively sleep and plays for the first 3-4 months, and even after I did those exclusively if we were at home. They are warm, zippered (so easy- magnets are best, then zippers, snaps and buttons are the worst), if there are poop-explosions there is no pulling it over the head and they were cheap. I would give him one in the AM and he would wear it all day and sleep in it that night, and then repeat (assuming no explosions). I just got a bunch at carters.
ETA: we had DS in Pjs and a swaddle until about 9 weeks, then we switched him to pjs and a sleep sack. We use the Woolino sleep sack. Its expensive but they are 4 season (keep them cool in the summer and warm in the winter) and last up for 24 months. My kid has been in a woolino since 4 months and is a 98th percentile for height and at 12 months easily still fits into the one he has. Its so soft and warm and lovely.
@Swiftlet I am pro-zipper, too. I did have numerous items with snaps for #1, and although several of them got regular use, I noticed that the snaps didn't hold up as well as the zippers. Some of the snaps would loosen/weaken over time which made them pop open constantly. Also...when sleep deprived, it's much easier to zip them up in something warm than fumble around aligning snaps. The same goes for buttons. When I stopped changing her diapers as often, I was much more open to snaps and buttons.
@babylawyer We registered with Babylist.com, I love it because you can add things from any site/store and it will even list different places for products with the prices so you can see where to get the best deal. They have a really easy set up, definitely recommend!
I just want to say how incredibly helpful I find this thread, its real moms not trying to sell me anything and they all have varying opinions. Thank you all for your input from a very overwhelmed FTM feeling like the second trimester is going way too fast!
Re: Let's talk Baby Registries
As far as how long you use them, it depends on the baby. I’m still using the sleep sack with my 14 month old. He likes it and it works for us. He’s also a little guy, so the blanket worry is still there for me. I think it just depends on how easily you think they could extricate themselves from a blanket if it got wrapped around them during sleep.
ETA: we had DS in Pjs and a swaddle until about 9 weeks, then we switched him to pjs and a sleep sack. We use the Woolino sleep sack. Its expensive but they are 4 season (keep them cool in the summer and warm in the winter) and last up for 24 months. My kid has been in a woolino since 4 months and is a 98th percentile for height and at 12 months easily still fits into the one he has. Its so soft and warm and lovely.