Sleeping bags, TOG etc

[PumpkinZulu]

DD1 wasn't the biggest fan of sleeping bags until over 12 months, I can't even remember what the TOG was on it honestly. DD2 isn't really a fan of being swaddled so I thought we may as well just go straight to a sleeping bag. So what's their deal? I like the look of the sleeveless ones, especially for summer. The Bonds ones don't have a TOG rating on them I don't believe...also, I don't understand the TOG rating Can someone explain that to me? What would be the best for a summer babe (we cosleep if that makes a difference...but it's just her and I in a queen bed at this stage lol!)

[lady_neon]

The less togs the thinner it is. 0.5 tog for summer, 2.5 tog for winter. In this heat though I am only putting DS down with just a onesie on.

[lady_neon]

Room temp: 24-27 use 0.5 tog with short sleeve onesie
Room temp: 20-24 use either 0.5 tog with long sleeved onesie or 1.0 tog with short sleeve onesie
Room temp: 16-20 use 2.5 tog with long sleeved onesie

From the guide that came with my sleeveless sleeping bag.

[Calluna]

I read somewhere the long sleeve ones are a danger for overheating. Something about not enough air flow? No idea where though, not sure how accurate it is.

[sloane]

I've ben using a muslin sleeping bag for dd and I love it. I don't think it's tog rated (we have tog rated ones for cooler months) but I'm fine with that for the warmer months, especially as we co-sleep. I got it from aden and anais. I bought online but myer at southland stock them.

[Taurean]

I've used sleeping bags with both my girls. I have a mixture of GroBag, Dream Bag, Living Textiles and Ergo sleeping bags. I only bought GroBags when they're on sale, the other brands are much cheaper for the same thing.

I have a mix of sizes which has worked well so far: 1 x 0.5 tog (for really warm days or nights), 2 x 1.0 tog (good all rounder but best from spring to autum), 2 x 2.5 tog (winter bags) and 1 x 3.5 tog (it's the Ergo one, for really cold nights). Each of the bags come with a 'what to wear guide' telling you how to dress your baby with each tog rating depending on the room temperature. I've found it so helpful as although I've had to make some adjustments to suit my girls some days/nights, it takes out a lot of the guess work with dressing them for sleep.

I tend to just use the GroBag 'what to wear guide' most of the time. I have one of them in DD2's pj draw and saved in my favourites on my phone. Google it and you'll see what I'm referring to.

We don't usually bed share but the times that we have with either of the girls, we have just put them on top of our doona/sheet so they are still only getting the warmth from their sleeping bag.

I love sleeping bags. I'd be lost with out them! I'd never buy one without a tog rating though as overhearing really worries me (although that one Sloane suggested sounds great for hot nights). Likewise for long sleeves bags, they just don't sit well with me (I've also read they're a SIDS risk) however Snugtime bags (sold online and both at Myer and David Jones) come with sleeves and a tog rating so I would consider them. The rating and a 'what to wear guide' is really important to me.

HTH

[Mrs O'M]

I've ben using a muslin sleeping bag for dd and I love it. I don't think it's tog rated (we have tog rated ones for cooler months) but I'm fine with that for the warmer months, especially as we co-sleep. I got it from aden and anais. I bought online but myer at southland stock them.

We use the same and they are awesome, they also come in thicker muslin for the winter or if your aircon is on too high!

[crumpet]

slumbersac's are great too, and a lot cheaper than grow bags.
you can get them on ebay from the UK and they arrive pretty quickly.
i put DD in hers from about 8weeks i think, she hated being wrapped

[HotI]

Room temp: 24-27 use 0.5 tog with short sleeve onesie
Room temp: 20-24 use either 0.5 tog with long sleeved onesie or 1.0 tog with short sleeve onesie
Room temp: 16-20 use 2.5 tog with long sleeved onesie

From the guide that came with my sleeveless sleeping bag.

I read this on the packet too, and then didn't buy them. Our bedrooms get down to 5* and less in Winter. Keeping bedrooms at continuous 16-20* is crazy. How did we all survive growing up?

[OceanPrincess]

^^ HotI that's when I use blankets. Not supposed to need to as that sort of defeats the idea of sleeping bags but yeah the room is cold so I have to do something!

PZ, the ones with arms are apparently a risk of suffocation if they drape their arm across their face. Apparently.

[PumpkinZulu]

Ah okay on the arm ones. DD1 was definitely old enought to not be in danger, but at DD2's age she won't have and doesn't need sleeves.

HotI I'm glad you mentioned that. Our rooms aren't heated at night, so in winter, it gets cold. Maybe some blankets on top?

Thanks so much guys, and thanks for the brand recommendations too

[Taurean]

I read this on the packet too, and then didn't buy them. Our bedrooms get down to 5* and less in Winter. Keeping bedrooms at continuous 16-20* is crazy. How did we all survive growing up?

Really?! That's damn cold!! Lol!

The advice is based on the fact that babies (well kids and adults too) sleep best in a room that's 16-20 degrees. When we've holidayed and the rooms are colder (I think 12 degrees is the coldest we've experienced with the kids), I used the 3.5 tog bag, put extra layers on the baby and socks or mittens on their hands and socks over the wondersuit if necessary. I often put a spencer on under a Bonds Wondersuit in winter. Our bedrooms never get that cold though but we live in Perth. I tend to run a heater in winter if the nursery is too cool though.

[lady_neon]

I read this on the packet too, and then didn't buy them. Our bedrooms get down to 5* and less in Winter. Keeping bedrooms at continuous 16-20* is crazy. How did we all survive growing up?

I'm in Perth so room temp rarely gets low! At the moment its like 25+ every night

I don't expect to keep room temp at 16-20 but I find the guide helpful. The bag I have is .5 tog summer bag so the guide doesn't go low. The 2.5 tog bags have the lower temp guide.

But you gotta wonder how we all survived!! It's all a bit overdone these days IMO

[LuluHB]

Our rooms aren't heated at night, so in winter, it gets cold. Maybe some blankets on top?

I did that for my first two, but Miss A is the worst blanket kicker I've ever seen so I put her in all in ones (with socks as well if really cold), single, body suit or whatever was required underneath, and then a lovely grandma knitted wool cardigan over the top (over the top of the bag too). Was much more convenient, and and I knew that no matter what she did, she would stay warm all over. She coslept with us too, so I just lay her on top of the doona next to me.

Now that its gone the other way, she's frequently in just a muslin bag with only a nappy on.

[wysiwyg]

Big fan of the bags here - our rooms are not heated at night in winter normally either but here found they rarely drop below 14 - so depends on the house and location in Mel (ours is small and we have double glazing so that helps as is a flat get some heat from downstairs no doubt) - if was going to be really cold I did use an oil heater - but not normally over night just in the evening - and that seemed to keep it warm enough for me (the kids seem fine when is cool but I found breastfeeding hard when was freezing). I would also put on more than one layer underneath a 2.5 bag when very cold - e.g. a short sleeved and no leg onesie under a full cover one. No matter how cold they never have wanted their hands covered (I have tried because the cold hands on your boobs in the night is horrible :-)). Also depends on how many people in the room as to what temp will be - so last winter DS was in with us in the main, and this winter is in with his sister and keeps the room temp up.

Coming from the UK though it is perfectly normal to keep bedrooms at that temp overnight - and has been for several generations - Grobags at least are a global brand and I honestly think that they don't realize how cold houses (relatively) are kept over here - I am used to it now but all relatives constantly complain - my parents house I am sure never drops beneath 22 degrees. I am sure is healthier the way it is here.

[Cassius2]

we love our sleeping bags in this house swaddling is a real PITA....i am rediscovering as DD3 *loves* a swaddle...arrghhh hahaha!

We use in summer the aden and anais muslin one....sooo pretty too ('cause that's the important bit ). I also have summer and winter bubbaroos and bought just this year the little cardigan thingy for when DD3 is older and it is cooler...