I'm looking at an online sale of Grobags. I find them expensive so thought I'd snap up a couple while they're marked down.
this bub is due mid-late October (all going well). In the 0-6 age range, we're looking at both hot and cold weather. In Melbourne, we've had both freezing cold and stinking hot days over Christmas in recent years. This year, we had a fortnight over 30 in March.
How many bags at what TOG would we need? There are some 0.5, 1 and 2.5 TOG bags on sale in the 0-6 range.
L&B, we found one gro bag in size 0-6 was enough - we bought 2.5 tog, which has suited all three of my kids (Feb, Jul and Oct babies) because we swaddled until they were about four months and then put them into the gro bag. So we only used the 0-6mth size for a couple of weeks or maybe 2mths at the most.
If its a good sale, the bigger ones would be a good buy. I've got five size 18-36mths - two 1.0 tog, two 2.5 tog and one 0.5 tog. Have rarely used the 0.5, but definitely need the others. One to use, one in the wash type scenario.
We use 1.0 a lot in this house, it's very versatile as you can layer bubs if it get a little cooler. So I would get a few of them and maybe a 0.5 tog for the very warm days.
For cooler days we love Aden & Anais, their winter bags are four layers of muslin and are very cosy! They aren't togged though, it's just winter and summer bags.
We used 2.5 for our October buband had 2 of them and then had a couple of summer ones from big w, sleeveless cotton ones. I used them the following winter as well so must have got a bigger size!? Hard to remember now xxx both of my kids were in bags from 6 weeks.
DD1 was in Grobags from about 10 weeks and loved them. We were heading into summer then (in WA) so I bought a couple of 1.0 togs and a 0.5 tog in the 0-6mth size and that was fine. In the 6-18 mths, I bought two of each (.5, 1.0 and 2.5 togs) and found that perfect too. We then bought the same in the 18-36 mths.
DD2 wasn't a fan of Grobags early on so we used the Love To Dream swaddle bags until 4-5 mths. She loved them so much that it was really hard to wean her off them! I ended up buying Sleepy Wings to use with our Grobags which worked quite well. She finally weaned from her 'wings' around 7 months, I think?!
Anyway, the point of that little story is that not all babies like Grobags, lol! DD2 hardly wore our 0-6 mths bags. So I agree with OP, I'd buy the next size up and get 2 each of the 1.0 and 2.5 togs. Depending on whether you use an aircon in summer or not will determine if you need a 0.5 tog or not I think.
Just to throw a spanner in the works, look at different brands too. Dream Bags are much cheaper and equally as good and beautiful. Living Textiles are often cheap through their website. And for an absolutely gorgeous, snuggly winter bag, try Ergo. OMG, they are divine! I bought one 3.0 tog for this winter and it's just beautiful. DD2 also had an Ergo Cocoon in the 0-12mths size which was great for transitioning as it has press studs on the arm holes.
I second what Taurean said about other brands too! Slumber Sacs are really cute and cheaper than Grobags if I remember right, Also (I'm a little addicted too ) I cruise ebay for bargains got a 0-6months 2.5 TOG for $10 the other week (+$7 potage) but still a bargain!
DD is an explosive pooer so often we need to wash her bag due to collateral damage so we have 3 of the 2.5s (freezing here in winter) DS didn't really have exploding nappies so we really could have gotten by with one or two, but we had 3, probably because I couldn't help myself
Thanks for all the replies. I have no idea if this bub will want to be swaddled or in bags. A friend's 2 week old recently started sleeping in bags.
i just bought 2 x 1 TOG in the 0-6 month range. Probably I should have bought them in a larger size, but I think I have issues imaging we'll actually get that far. The grobags were $55 each. I'll definitely look at other brands too.
Our September born DS was swaddled for the most part over the spring and summer, and we found that to be the most versatile and best value way of adjusting the warmth - we were given lots of wraps and blankets. When they're little and can't move much, I reckon it's ok the use a blanket tucked in over a well-swaddled bub (feet at the foot of the bed, still, as per SIDS guidelines.) Once he started to wriggle more, and we wrapped him arms out, that was when the sleeping bags came into their own. We have 2 very light ones (probably 0.5) and 2 2.5togs, in the 6-18 month age range that is available in the Plum brand (available at BabiesRUs.)
We find on the colder nights in Perth, it can get down to 11 degrees in his room, and below 16 deg he wears a singlet, wondersuit, and the sleeveless sleeping bag, plus a warm winter hooded jacket over the bag to cover his arms and head. He's warm enough with that, but I wouldn't want it to get any colder. Above 16deg, he's ok without the jacket. (SIDS guidelines say not to cover their heads, but I think they're expecting babies rooms to be heated, which our bedrooms are not!)
I definitely find the room thermometer on our monitor a really useful tool for gauging what he needs to be comfortable.
I think the ones you got will be perfect. I even use a 1.0 tog in winter sometimes. it's easy because you can just adjust what they're wearing underneath
fwiw, mine went into sleeping bags at 11 weeks and 2 weeks so we had plenty of wear out of the 0-6 month bags (i am the worlds worst swaddler though!!!)
Slightly off topic - We went straight into bags once we left hospital, due to our potential hip issues. I found a brand that combine a sleeping bag and a swaddle - so their legs are free to do their thing and their arms can be swaddled. As baby gets older, the arm swaddle can be removed so you use it just as a sleeping bag. Might make it easier if you are unsure whether you want to swaddle or not. We had no issue in putting DD2 straight into the bag as her arms were snug. They were Halo Sleepsacks.
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