Is a Toddler Sleeping Bag a Good Idea? (Yes!)
Author Name: Heidi Holvoet, PhD
How useful is a toddler sleeping bag? Your big
boy or girl
is probably ready for a duvet, but a right-size sleep sack helps with
transitioning from crib to bed and encourages deeper sleep and longer
nights.
There is no doubt a sleeping bag or, as it's often called,
wearable
blanket for baby
up to 1 or 2 years old is the best choice.
It keeps the little ones comfortably warm (not too hot not too cold)
and snug in all safety.
Whether you'll benefit from a toddler sleeping bag will largely depend
on your cutie's personality and sleep habits.
It is now less about safety but more about
sleeping through the night
, not
waking too early in the morning, transitioning smoothly to a toddler
bed and not in the least, about feeling cozy and comfy in bed, all
night long ...
Let's discuss the main typical
toddler sleep problems where a well-fitting sleeping
bag helps.
Toddler sleep problems a sleeping bag helps avoid
-
Transitioning
from crib to toddler bed
: when moving from crib to bed,
the easiest transition is when you change
as little as possible.
That means: don't change the sleep schedule and bedtime routine now and also keep the same props such as a musical mobile above her head, cuddly toy near the bedside, etc. And, let her sleep in her comfy sleeping bag to start with. Once she's used to sleeping in the toddler bed, you can then transition to a duvet or other cover, if and when you like. -
Is your child
sleeping
restlessly
and
'on
the move'
during the night? Do you find her in all sorts
of positions and places all over her crib or bed?
Then a sleeping bag comes in very handy: it restricts moving space a bit and at least keep her covered all through the night. -
Is your child an
early
bird
? Many young children tend to wake early in the
morning, say between 5 and 7 am. Sometimes this is a habit and with
clear rules you can help them sleep for longer.
But more often than not, a child will wake in the early morning hours because she's cold - uncovered from the duvet for example. That's the main reason a toddler sleep sack helps many toddlers sleep for longer.
Choosing your toddler sleeping bag
Finding a baby sleep sack or wearable blanket was never a problem: you will find them in all colors, designs, sizes and fabrics. Bigger size, for toddlers and up, may be a bit harder to come by.
It's still
important to
get the size right
though. A too small sleeping bag will
not leave enough moving space for the feet and your child will not
sleep comfortably.
Luckily
most good brands
have a good size indication
that works out well.
The Baby DeeDee Sleep Kicker is made of a high quality polar fleece and
has the very convenient
kicker
legs that will convince even the most demanding toddler ...
And best of
all, Baby DeeDee have agreed to give us a special
10%
discount off any order from the Baby DeeDee website
; simply use coupon code
SLEEPADVICE10
at checkout.
Halo has a great collection of "Big Kids" versions of their
successful SleepSack.
The toddler version,
Halo
Big Kids Micro Fleece
is awesome and even has
feet
for extra
flexibility.
For a true toddler treat, there's also the very durable, comfy and
stylish
Merino
4 Season Toddler Sleep Bag
(as in the picture to the right).
It's a bit more expensive, but if you
can make the investment, the Merino wool is absolutely definitely 100% worth it: luxuriously soft to wear, super cozy, keeps
warm when it's cold and keeps cool when it's hot.
Article Author: Heidi Holvoet, PhD - Founder, senior sleep consultant
Heidi Holvoet, PhD, is the founder of the Baby Sleep Advice website and movement, an award-winning author, baby & toddler sleep consultant with 15+ years experience as well as a certified lactation counselor.
Over the years, Heidi has received several awards inluding a Mom's Choice Award (MCA) and National Parenting Awards (NAPPA) for her Baby Sleep Advice website, programs and books. Also, Baby Sleep Advice was awarded "Most Trusted Infant's Sleep Solutions Company 2023" in the Benelux Enterprise Awards 2023.
Heidi continually conducts personal research and participates in continued education and in that way stays up to date with current scientific and pyschosocial infant care.
She is also a member of the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants of which she was one of the earliest contributors. She obtained her PhD degree in physics at the University of Ghent in Belgium.
Heidi is passionate about helping babies and their parents sleep more and better, with her trademark approach that has been proven and praised time and again by parents worldwide to be effective and truly no-tears. Respect for you as a parent and your baby, is at the heart of Heidi's warm and kind support. Her approach always keeps in mind a baby's needs and abilities at any given age, is based on pediatric science and the most up to date knowledge in infant care and sleep science.
As well as the award-winning baby sleep programs, Heidi offers popular 1:1 consults and easy-access 30-minute SOS Sleep sessions.
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