Have been thinking about buying a couple of grobags for DD over summer..The last few nights have been quite warm so I haven't wrapped her (her muslin wraps are too small!) and she has just had a sheet tucked tightly over the top of her. Last night she wiggled around so much she nearly turned herself sideways in her cot, probably would have gotten sideways if her head wasn't against the side of her cot. But that has worried me that she might get under her sheet if she can wriggle around far enough, and then I started worrying about SIDS...and scaring myself silly reading stories about it.
So I thought I might buy a couple of grobags and see how she goes in them and get rid of the top sheet for the moment.
What do I need to know about them? What size should I get (NB-6 months or the next one up as she is almost 4 months now?), and what TOG (I cant find anything that says what the numbers mean). Are the ones on Ebay ok to use? they seem quite expensive brand new...and I know you can't put a price on the safety of your baby but I am hesitant at spending that much money on something she will grow out of soon.
Is there anything else I should know? She can roll from back to tummy (usually only with her nappy off or with a disposable, i think her terry cloth with cover keeps her weighted down!) but can't go from her tummy to her back, although she has a couple of times in the last couple of days so it isn't too far off, but in the meantime I don't want her to get stuck on her tummy and not be able to roll over at night. She hasn't rolled in her cot yet though, only wriggled around, so that doesn't worry me so much yet.
I should know better to stay away from reading things I know I shouldn't!
I've loved our Grobags (and other versions thereof). DS is still wearing his, although he's now adept at taking it off when he needs to do something else...
For the really hot summer nights, I used a 0.5 TOG, and depending on the heat may or may not have included PJ pants underneath. I usually keep on a t-shirt for over the shoulders & a bit of mozzie protection just in case. That's because I don't like to have my shoulders uncovered over night, no matter how hot it gets, so I kind of apply the same principle to DS.
More moderate nights I used a 1.5 TOG with PJs.
And winter, it's 2.5 TOG, although we're still mostly using this now, cos it's not been that warm over night.
I guess my approach has always been to think of what I'd do for myself, then add a layer for DS when he was little. Not such a big deal now, cos he's big enough to grab his blankets to get himself "cosy" if he needs to .
The Grobags do have TOG information on the packaging, not sure about other brands. I bought some from Dreambag, which is UK based, but now they have an Australian outlet, so their prices aren't so good, although I like their designs, and they wash & wear well. As do the grobags.
And for a 4month old, I'd probably be tight & just buy a 6mth+ size, but that's me.
There is a weight restriction for using 6 months to 18 months grobag. Cant think of top of head what it is. Depending on length of baby they may be able to be in 0 - 6 month bag for longer anyway. I would go with safety as you dont want bubs wiggling down and having head go through neck hole as bigger one is 6 - 18 months so is much bigger.
The Tog really depends on temps where you live and whether your house gets hot. .5 Tog is for the warmest conditions (24 - 27 degrees C), 1.0 Tog is for 20 - 24 degrees C and 2.5 is for cold 16 - 20 degrees C.
We got the most use out of a 1.0 tog and just varied what we dressed DS in.
DS has been in them since 9 weeks and he spins all over the cot and can also stand up in grobags.
Grobags are expensive, look into dreambags also we have a few of these also and they are just as good but much cheaper.
Hope that helps a bit.
Last edited by feeb; November 2nd, 2009 at 07:39 AM.
We found the growbags great for DD. She started using them when she was maybe six or nine months (all a foggy memory now), but wish we had started her on them sooner! She never was one for swaddling - always wanted her arms free.
The original Growbags brand is a little dearer than some others on the market. We also bought some by the Living Textile company which are somewhat cheaper. But we did find the Growbags were much longer, so perhaps it might be worth getting one of the smaller sized ones for now if you go for the Growbags brand, especially if you are thinking of maybe having another bubba in the future? The lighter weight TOG's are lower in price.
not sure if it's still on - but not too long ago bambino pronto (online) had a clearance sale of grobags - we got two for the price of three. i got one 2.5 tog, and two 1.0's - haven't transitioned DD yet (got the 6-+18month ones) as she likes to be wrapped or wont sleep. we're just putting her in much lighter clothing (the hot night two nights ago was a muslin wrap and a short sleeve/leg onesie.) she slept through still and we checked her skin a couple of times for warmth/coolness - she felt pretty right to me!
I just love sleeping bags DD has had a huge variety of different bags but they have all been great, the pumpkin patch ones where the best when she was around 4 months and they had a sale on when we got them.we have also used ones from best and less, big W,grobag and snugtime from myer and also my cousin lent me some that her mum made and they where great too. Now it getting warmer i use a 1 tog snugtime bag during the day and a warmer one at night. its nice not having to worry that they have kicked off the blankets
Checked out the dream bags and they are heaps cheaper. I don't know if I should get 0.5 or 1.0...our room does get quite warm during summer, not sure of the temperature but I'm sure it would be warmer than 24...the last few nights she has been in a short sleeve t-shirt and shorts with just a sheet on top. just don;t know about the flannellette lining on the 1.0, I think that would be too warm. Guess I can always get one of each and see what works best, it's not like I won't use the warmer one when it starts cooling down again! And I could always dress her a bit more warmly in the 0.5.
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