transitioning from sleep sacks to sheets/blankets?
redshoegirl
member
I've had a vague goal of transitioning to regular sheets and blankets around when the boys turned one. However, now that that date is rapidly approaching, I'm not so sure...
- They already move around in their sacks so much that they get tangled up, and I suspect covers would be even worse.
- We're coming onto winter now and since we don't have central air they need to stay covered at night to keep warm (we use a column heater in their room but it's not like it keeps the room truly warm). So I'm worried that they'll repeatedly kick the covers off in their sleep and get too cold.
- Right now they view blankets as fun toys (pulling them on and off their heads, rumpling them into balls, etc.) so even when they're awake they probably wouldn't keep them on - not sure how to communicate the idea of having covers to them?
So now I'm wondering if it would be a better idea to keep them in sleep sacks for another 6 months at least, and we can re-evaluate when summer rolls around and they're not using them anyway. Or is that just postponing the inevitable and I should bite the bullet and do it now? What is everyone else doing?
Re: transitioning from sleep sacks to sheets/blankets?
We transitioned from sleep sacks to Carter's fleece footies, which is what we've been using all winter. She wears a long sleeve onesie or pj top and long pants under the fleece footie, which has grips on the soles so toddlers can walk. When it was really cold, I also put socks on her, under the footie. She doesn't sleep with anything else....
Malia & Dave & Alexa
Happily married since 2-17-08! Three since 9-9-09!
Baby Blog
yeah i really don't see how you could get them to stay under the covers at just 1 yr of age. what is average anyway? i totally cannot see it happening until about 2 yrs old but i have no clue! i've had no intention of trying anytime soon.
we also used the fleece footed PJs in the winter (nothing under it) and now that it is warm here we are just doing regular PJs w/o the covered feet and our house is warm enough that she doesn't get cold.
that said, she is fully able to walk around the room in a sleep sack (she totally stretches it to the max but she still fits in a carter's 9 month sleep sack LOL) so you could definitely keep using a sleep sack indefinitely if you wanted to
Jaime & Brent
Oahu, Hawaii | Sept. 9, 2005
My Food Blog - Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
Is this what you use? Would something like that work in a room with not much heating (I can't quite tell from the picture)? In the photo it looks like what we'd put them plus the sleep sack (and plus the heater on in the room and occasionally wearing an undershirt) in the dead of winter, but it might be heavier/warmer in person?
Yes, that's exactly what we use. It's fleece. We put it on over her cotton pjs, so it keeps her pretty warm. Our temp is set at 75 but it's a little warmer upstairs.
That said, you *could* use that in addition to a sleep sack... Like Jaime said, just because they can stand up and walk around doesn't mean you have to stop using the sleepsack... We mostly used Halo but I also have a couple Grobags and they are THICK and VERY WARM!! That's what we used when we lost power for a couple of nights... I'd offer them to you but they're pink. :-P
Malia & Dave & Alexa
Happily married since 2-17-08! Three since 9-9-09!
Baby Blog
From what I've read, starting at 1 year old seems to be pretty average, but I'm like you - really??? How do you get them to stay under the covers at that age since you can't explain that's what they need to do? It's a mystery to me lol! But then I was wondering if I was just being lazy.
Yeah, they can get up and walk along their crib rails in their sleep sacks - I was surprised, I thought they'd hamper movement too much but I guess they're determined lol! You're lucky A is so petite - they're in 6-18 month sacks right now and I'm already starting to think there's no way they'll last past 12 months!
*sigh* This is my DREAM lol! I don't know why Australians don't use ducted air in their homes. Well actually, I do: it's too expensive. But the REASON why it's expensive is because not many people use it. So it's a vicious cycle lol.
halo makes sleep sacks in an XL - they are HUGE. J is still fits in a L at 32"+
I have started giving Jack a blanket and it's hit or miss if he is able to keep it over himself. He definitely doesn't know how to put it back over him if he wakes up. Our house isn't that cold especially now that spring is coming so I don't worry about him needing for warmth. I think I would keep them in sleep sacks or layers under PJs rather than move towards a blanket just yet since they need the warmth.
eta: especially since you know they are not hindered by their movement. Some people worry the sleep sack could cause them to trip and fall in their crib. I never worry about that because I can see J walk all over the place with one on.
yeah, she can fit in the 9 month sleepsack but i don't put her in it anymore now that it's warm.... we keep the place pretty warm too and now that it is getting hot that means just running the a/c less and keeping her in cotton PJs. she is still in 12 months PJs though
i've started giving her a blanket sometimes just to see what happens...mainly just b/c she started saying "tuck in" at night when i put her to bed so i guess i just kept doing it
if she is super tired then she will fall asleep w/it over her and it will stay there....but if she tosses/turns for a little before falling asleep it is off her in like 2 seconds 
so i don't rely on it or anything.... but i guess you could say we're "introducing" it to her right now....
Jaime & Brent
Oahu, Hawaii | Sept. 9, 2005
My Food Blog - Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
We use blankets for naps and sometimes at night too, but it'll come off and he'll get cold and cry. So I think the sleepsack is still the way to go for nightime sleeping. I also bought one of the XL Halo ones since I want to be ready when B outgrows the L (which is what he's currently in). And because it doesn't really hamper his standing/walking (like you and everyone else mentioned), I don't think it's an issue and hopefully the XL sleepsack will last until he's older.
BUT with that said, we do have central heating in the house and we keep it at 76 so we use the sleeveless cotton sleepsack, which isn't even that thick. If you want something thicker, I'd vote for the fleece footed pajamas too. We actually have those as well (B wears the thin cotton version of what you linked to sleep with the sleepsack over that) but it would be too warm for him to wear it over his pajamas in our house so we never use it, but it should be pretty warm for you guys IMO.
It was COLD here this winter (got down to -11 F) and we have an older home with crappy windows and insulation. When it was below freezing, even running the heater got our home maybe to 70 by day and 64-65 by night. 65-70 is considered "ideal" sleeping temp.
Anyway, we did run an electric space heater in Libby's room at night (set at 66) and when it was really cold we dressed her in those fleece footie PJs over socks with long john jammies underneath. She also sleeps with a plush blanket but more often than not it's balled up underneath her (she sleeps on her tummy with her bum up in the air and hugs the blanket). She never seemed to be cold though (when wearing the layers).
On nights when it was super cold, we'd cover her with an additional plush blanket if she happened to be sleeping on top of the one we put her down to sleep with. She'd generally stay under the blanket we placed on her, once she was already sleeping. Oh, I also used a velour sheet on her crib mattress which made it warmer for winter.
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