Need advice about HALO Sleepsacks VS SwaddleMe wraps VS not using anything fancy

aeshubit

I am a FTM due Aug 24th.  I'm trying to figure out a lot of things right now, but one confusing item for consideration is- what should the baby wear for sleeping in each season (late summer (when my LO is due), fall, winter, spring, early summer)...

 I've read that swaddle blankets are great for daytime naps and sleepsacks and swaddle wraps are better for night-time because they won't come unwrapped as easily so they are better to use while you are sleeping and not checking up on the baby as often.

I recently used some baby shower giftcards to purchase some HALO Cotton Sleepsack Swaddles (size newborn and small).  https://www.amazon.com/SleepSack-Cotton-Swaddle-Cream-Small/dp/B003E6OBMA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340630166&sr=8-1&keywords=halo+sleepsack

and SwaddleMe wraps in cotton and microfleece (I think it was Kiddopotamus but not sure the difference between that and Summer Infant).  

https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Infant-SwaddleMe-Microfleece-Small/dp/B0036DDTFQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340631824&sr=8-1&keywords=swaddleme+sage 

What I'm concerned about is the safety of these products, and if it's easier/safer to just put the baby in a swaddling blanket at night-time.  I got some Aden +Anais light/breathable blankets from my baby shower. (https://www.amazon.com/aden-anais-Muslin-Swaddle-Jungle/dp/B002SW3B0O/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1340630990&sr=1-1&keywords=aden+and+anais)

 I read a few negative reviews about the sleepsack-swaddles and swaddlemes about how they can ride up over the babies face/mouth.  On the other hand, I also don't want the baby to break free of swaddling blankets during the night, either. 

What are you other FTMs planning on using for night-time sleeping?

and do you STM+ have any advice? 

 Thanks! 

 Also, when should a baby go from being swaddled to being able to wear a normal sleepsack without the arms swaddled?  How long does a baby sleep easier being swaddled? 

irer

I didn't swaddle ds, because he hated it.  We just put him in a onsie, footed sleeper and cellular (ie breathable) cotton blankets for sleeping when he was very young, and then after about 2 months or so, used GroBags, which are like sleep sacks--he slept in a sleepsack until he was around 18 months. If you get the correct size and take precautions, sleepsacks are safe and won't ride up over the baby's face or mouth...this is why we didn't use GroBags until ds was a little bigger ... for safety reasons b/c he wasn't quite at the minimum weight for it when he was born. 

Novem06

This is what we did with DS...

We used the Kiddopotamus velcro swaddlers in the beginning until he was about 3 months old.  They are great because they can't easily escape the swaddle.  Most newborns like being swaddled but there are some that don't...depends on the baby.  Anyways, if I just wrapped him in a blanket he would break out of it and that would wake him up.  The Aden blankets are better than some of the other brands as you can really wrap them tight.  He slept in a footless nightgown and the velcro wrap.  For middle of the night diaper changes I just popped his legs out the bottom, lifted the gown and changed him without unswaddling his arms.  We never had problems with it riding up

Once it was time to stop swaddling he slept in a footed sleep outfit zipped in the Halo sleep sack.  We never used the swaddle portion of the sleep sack.  I don't think they would work as good on a newborn because while they keep the arms tight their legs can still move around alot and they are used to being all cramped up inside mom.  We used the sleep sack forever and just kept going up sizes

morgs8384

With DS we used the A+A blankets for the first two months or so for swaddling at naps and at night time. It was just a lighter material and since DS really didn't move around much he never really came unswaddled.

Once he started wiggling around more, and once it started to get a little cooler we would put him in the summer infant swaddle mes ( ours aren't micro fleece though). I would say by the time he was about 5-6 months we switch to the Halo sleep sacks. You probably don't need all three.. but we used them! And the A+A blankets are great as a cover when nursing, and burping if needed.

Twizzle

We had the swaddle me and Halo brands.  However, we didn't end up using any of them very much because DS didn't like to sleep swaddled.  If you can just try each out before you stock up on any certain kind.

NuggetJo

At my baby care class at the hospital last week we were told that newborns under 2 weeks should NOT be swaddled. This is a new advisory due to babies needing to startle themselves to eat and to reduce SIDS. Also no fleece at all only cotton sleep sacks. 

AprilAngie

these sleep sacks are just new.  I have 3 previous children and always just wrapped in a blanket (kushies brand is my favorite- as they are 35" x 35" and huge)

I am not using any type of sleep sack.  they look like  a danger IMO.  what if the baby wiggles our or down and also I think they all (at least what I have seen) the sacks are all fleece. they look super hot.  I will be doing receiving blankets swaddles.  I also agree with PP - it depends on child.  some liked arms in others like arms out. Some hate swaddling. 

 

good luck 

allardr

NuggetJo:

At my baby care class at the hospital last week we were told that newborns under 2 weeks should NOT be swaddled. This is a new advisory due to babies needing to startle themselves to eat and to reduce SIDS. Also no fleece at all only cotton sleep sacks. 

I have not heard that and actually in my research it said swaddling reduces risk of SIDS because it encourages baby to stay on their back while sleeping. I also heard it's most beneficial in first 3-4 months then they're usually done with it.

But I do know every baby is different and some just never like it. We  have two, one of each brand and we'll use/not use as we see fit. 

irer

AprilAngie:

I am not using any type of sleep sack.  they look like  a danger IMO.  what if the baby wiggles our or down and also I think they all (at least what I have seen) the sacks are all fleece. they look super hot. 

GroBags are actually very safe, and have won a lot of awards.  They are not fleece, they are cotton.  Also, there are different "togs" and you get the one that corresponds with the season/temperature and dress the baby accordingly. Also, if you get the correct size and use them appropriately, the baby does not wiggle out or down.  

Mrs. Rohde

I hated the velcro swaddle wraps and just preferred to use blankets for swaddling. Once DD was over the whole swaddling thing we went to sleep sacks and that's what she slept in for a long time. Just try what works for you and your LO before you stock up on one thing.

lady_tytah

Either the sleeping sack wasn't around for my daughter or I just couldnt afford it. I learned from the hospital how to swaddle with a receiving blanket. It worked great. My daughter was born in June and till about early Aug she loved being swaddled. It was a great replacement from me having to hold her all the time. Came winter, sleeping gowns and footed sleepers were her pjs.

Like PP echoed, every baby is different. Also I cant for see spending $20 on one sleep sack. That is just too much. A pack of the 3 receiving blankets for $10 works great for me.

apartyof4

Honestly, it's going to depend on your kid.  This was always a hot topic at my new moms group b/c there were so many options and each kid was different.  Some loved to be swaddled, some hated it, some could break out of the swaddle (using the various options), some couldn't. 

This is what worked for my daughter (who was also an Aug baby), she liked to be swaddled.  For naps, we just used a blanket to swaddle and at night we used a swaddle me (had also heard great things about miracle blankets, but she seemed to do better with the swaddle mes and didn't often break out of them).  We used the swaddle mes until she started to roll (around 4/5 months) and then we started using the fleece halo sleep sacks (which aren't really swaddles, just wearable blankets).  Timing worked well b/c it was the winter.  GL!

Grins04

With DS we used SwaddleMe blankets until 3-4 months and then moved on to Halo or Carters Sleepsacks.  We used the Halo Sleepsacks until he was about 18 months because he wouldn't keep a blanket on him and he needed one in the winter.  He was able to walk in them too.

DS fought the swaddle a bit in the beginning, but it was the only way he slept for any length of period because his arms would startle him.  

This time I'm starting out with the Woombie.  It's looser than a swaddle, but it still contains the arms enough that she shouldn't startle herself.  I'm hoping it makes the de-swaddling transition easier if she isn't used to a tight swaddle.

I thought that they were all completely safe.  Swaddling was stopped when we knew he was getting close to rolling back to front (you don't want them getting stuck on their bellies with no arms to roll them back over).  And the sleep sacks are MUCH safer than a regular blanket, which they could get caught under.  DS was a Houdini...I'm sure the muslin swaddle blankets are perfectly safe, but I felt more comfortable with something that was more Houdini-proof. lol