I finally understand sleepsacks! (lesson learned and question for you ladies)

hecallsmecat · April 2012

I posted a while ago (maybe on a UO) that I had never heard of sleepsacks before TB and don't really see the need for them. Mostly because my child sleeps so still that even when she wakes up crying during the night she only really moves her arms and legs, never moves from her spot, so I just put blankets on her. I never even swaddled her. I know that not every baby stays so still in their sleep, but I still didn't really "get" the need for the sleepsack. Aparently, I am a moron.

So this morning I heard her make a noise in her sleep and I checked the video monitor. I literally thought she was not in the bed (but how they hell would she get out?). It looked completely empty except for the bunched-up quilt at the bottom. I got up and went in to see her laying sideways at the foot of the bed with her long legs sticking through the bars (I don't use bumpers either) completely covered with blankets. I actually slapped my hand to my forehead and said "So that's why they all use sleepsacks!"

I kind of knew I would eat my words eventually, figuring my next baby would be a wiggler and would need one. I never expected to start needing one for Saoirse at 9 months old!

So here's my questions: do your babies still use sleepsacks? Don't they get frustrated that they cannot move their legs when they wake up? When do you put them in it - as you put them in bed or when you start their nighttime routine (if you have one)?

jlsimon56 · April 2012

Sleepsacks are really big at the bottom so they can move their legs freely. Like making a snow angel. We just upgraded to the medium size.

We put her in one once her PJs are on.

katie4253 · April 2012

I don't use a sleepsack because of his legs getting stuck in the crib. The whole point of the sleep sack is to not have loose blankets in the crib.

It is getting too warm here for a sleep sack, so we stopped using them. Babies can still move their legs in there though. In your case, I'd probably get a breathable bumper.

jmo866 · April 2012

Yes we still use one. For naps I put him in it inside his crib, then pick him up and give him a quick rock to get him drowsy, bedtime I put it on when getting him ready, just after jammies, then book then bottle, then bed. Not sure why I do it differently. They are huge, like PP said, and he can crawl, roll, do whatever he wants to do, in it. He could probably stand in it to, but luckily hasn't tried.

s00z · April 2012

Do your babies still use sleepsacks? Yes, only at nighttime. It's a lightweight cotton one, so we will probably continue to use it in the summer.

Don't they get frustrated that they cannot move their legs when they wake up? Like PPs said, she can move around in it pretty good, so she has never gotten frustrated as far as I can tell.

When do you put them in it ? We put her in it after we get her PJs on, right before I nurse her before bed. It's part of her bedtime routine.

craxyrae · April 2012

We still use one, but will have to graduate soon as he is quickly outgrowing them. We put it on as part of our bedtime routine, he gets into his jammies and then the sleepsack. If he gets up to eat, he just stays in it. No concerns about his legs getting stuck through the crib slats, he sticks his feet outside whether in the sleepsack or not and he is fine. It also does not prevent him from rolling, crawling or standing, much to my disappointment!

LnR70707 · April 2012

DS is just about to outgrow the small sleepsack and we are debating whether to get the next size up or just wean him off of it. The only benefit for us at this point is extra warmth (and it is part of our routine). He crawls, sits, stands with no trouble and we have breathable bumpers.

gmc222 · April 2012

We use a gunapod (stock pic below) which zips every which way, so you can just unzip the bottom if you want for LO's legs to be free. However, we have it fully zipped for DD and she can move around just fine. We also have a couple light fleece Halo sleepsacks that we use when its warmer.

lisamoe · April 2012

We used one up until like 6.5-7 months, he then outgrew the medium size, so we just started using regular blankets now.

Amitchell0626 · April 2012

We hadn't been using one since it's been warmer out but she just learned to stand in her crib but can't get back down so she gets mad so I've been using the sleep sack again so she can't get up lol. They can still move their legs, it's not tight like a swaddle. Alexa still moves around the crib no problem. I put her in it right after her bath before I feed her.

hecallsmecat · April 2012

Thanks for the responses everyone!

I might go get a sleepsack to try it out and make it part of the bedtime routine so I can ditch the blankets. DH freaked out that her head was fully covered, but I think if she couldn't breathe she could get out. Anyway, couldn't hurt to give it a shot.

mel1358 · April 2012

We use the Halo Early Walker wearable blanket in Comfort Mesh. They actually have legs. They come in the mesh and in fleece. The comfort mesh is perfect for summer for us because it can get pretty cool in the house with the a/c. It is just enough of a light layer to keep her comfortable. Just warning you, they only come in large and extra large... the large starts at 22 pounds and it looks RIDICULOUSLY long. I think they are made so that once they get older and start walking they can keep their legs up inside and then push them out when they wake up. I don't know if this makes sense, but if will if you look at the Halo website. We just keep the legs pulled up since she prefers her feet out.

maybride@live.com · April 2012

I've always used sleepsack. When Danielle was smaller, we had a crochet one that actually had a hood. It was really very cute and also kept her head warm since she had no hair. She's since graduated to the large halo sleepsack and it's a part of our routine so she's totally used to it.

CocoBrynne · April 2012

Kellan still uses his, like PP said they are roomy at the bottom, they don't slow him down, he can still crawl in them and stand up in his crib with it on. He loves it too, as soon as I put it on him, it's like his signal it's bedtime and it really seems to help him settle down.

genekelly · April 2012

We've used one up until now, a light fleece sleeveless one. I like(d) using it but it has gotten warmer here lately and a bit too warm for LO. I didn't have any lighter cotton or muslin ones so just went without it one night and LO slept horribly! Like the swaddle, it took him some time to get used to bedtime without it. DS doesn't always get in it for naptime but it was always part of his bedtime routine. I thought it would be NBD to quit it since it is so large and roomy but I was wrong. It hasn't been as difficult as the swaddle to break but it has been more difficult for LO then I thought. I've been putting LO just in a sleeper lately with no blanket for the reason you described with Saoirse. I'd be too nervous he'd get all tangled up in a blanket and suffocate.

fivesgirl · April 2012

When DS wears cotton pajama's we use the sleep sack (it's fleece). If he wears fleece pajama's then we don't have him wear it. I just bought a cotton one to wear for the summer. He moves so much that I know he wouldn't keep a blanket on him and I'm not afraid of the blanket over his face but of it getting wrapped around his neck.

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