When we first brought our baby girl home, I tried to swaddle her in a muslin blanket instead of a sleep sack because we didn’t own one and I didn’t really see a reason to invest in one (re: Baby Essentials List). But, my tiny Houdini impersonator had a way of wriggling out of her swaddle every single night and would wake up and cry because she was cold and her blanket was gone.
After two months of getting up 5-7 times a night to readjust her blanket, I finally took the plunge and invested in a fleece sleep sack for her and it was a complete game changer!! The velcro was super handy for making sure that the blanket stayed in place, she couldn’t wriggle out of it anymore, and the most beautiful part about it: she started to sleep through the night.
Insert hallelujahs and praise hands from tired parents everywhere!
Today, I wanted to share the joy of the best baby sleep sacks with you too!
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The Best Baby Sleep Sacks For Winter that are Cozy and Safe (And Available On Amazon!)
What Is A Sleep Sack?
Baby’s under the age of one are at risk for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and pediatricians urge parents to keep loose articles out of baby’s crib! These include pillows, stuffies, and blankets.
Babies, however, need one extra layer to stay cozy and comfortable!
Related Post: How to keep your baby warm in winter from the hospital to the crib!
This is where the sleep sack comes in! It fits snugly on our tiny ones so that they can stay warm and snuggled up, but we don’t have to worry about extra fabric bunching up around their airways! Sleep sacks can give us peace of mind (and maybe even a couple of extra hours of sleep!).
Why Do I Need A Sleep Sack?
As a new parent, I guarded sleep like a precious jewel and relished getting more than 2 hours at a time. I didn’t realize that sleeping is actually something that babies have to learn and that it doesn’t come as naturally, as I thought that it would.
Swaddling our babes helps them to associate that it’s time to try to sleep and helps to stop the startle reflex that all babies have. When I first started to use a sleep sack with my daughter, she would initially try to fight it and wriggle out of it immediately. But I was so desperately tired that I was willing to try anything that the internet suggested.
After continuing to swaddle her in her sack for a few days, the repetition of putting her in it for nap time and bedtime helped her to associate that it was time for sleep, and now, she wants to put it on and is more than happy to snuggle up in it!
Below, I’ve chosen my 5 favorite sleep sacks that are all available on Amazon and are all super affordable!
If you don’t have Amazon Prime, you can try it here for 30 days for free! It is seriously a game changer for parents!
1. Halo SleepSack
I absolutely LOVE this sleep sack! My babe has been wearing this since day one and always looks so snug and cozy!
I love that it has three ways to swaddle so that you don’t have to purchase a new swaddle every time that your baby grows out of one way to swaddle. It also has a super convenient zipper at the bottom so that diaper changes are super easy and you don’t have to unwrap your sleepy little one!
Related Post: Why Your Baby Keeps Waking up at Night
2. Burt’s Bees Baby Sleep Sack
I’ve been a fan of Burt’s Bees for years and was so excited to discover that they had an entire line exclusively for babies! Their sleep sack definitely doesn’t disappoint and keeps baby warm with organic cotton and consistent temperature control.
It comes in a ton of super cute prints and has over 37,300 reviews on Amazon!
3. Carter’s Baby 2 Pack Cotton Sleepbag
I love a good Amazon bargain and these Carter’s sleep sacks are definitely a bargain!
I love that they come in a two-pack, so that if one gets dirty or needs to be washed, you can easily slip your babe into a nice, clean one! They even fit tall babies and offer enough room for them to move their legs without any discomfort.
4. Swaddle Sack with Arms
This is an awesome swaddle sack to help your baby transition from being completely swaddled to having a little more arm freedom. This sleep sack was the Parent’s Pick of 2018, and has over 10,585 solid reviews!!
Babies can self soothe by sucking on their hands, and if they’ve started to roll over, it’s easy for them to right themselves, even in the sack. It’s also perfect for babies who love to sleep with their arms above their heads.
My babe has always loved sleeping with one arm over her eyes and the other sticking straight up, so this is the perfect compromise for sleeping.
5. Warm Pals – Sweet Elephant
This isn’t a sleep sack but it helps babies sleep better at night! My niece loved hers!
At one point, my baby couldn’t fall asleep unless she had my hand on top of her chest for comfort. I love that you can warm up this stuffy and use it to comfort and provide a mock hand so you can sneak away.
It has over 1,100 5-star reviews with over 1,400 reviews total on Amazon. It’s no surprise parents praise the ingenuity and versatility of this sack!
Common Questions/FAQs About Sleep Sacks
What should babies wear under their sleep sack?
Sleep sacks are just like wearing a blanket, so the general rule for babies is that they need one extra layer than their parents! In the winter, we keep our house on the cooler side, so I usually have my baby in long-sleeved footie pajamas and then layer the fleece sleep sack on top!
Can babies wear sleep sacks when they start to roll over?
When babies start to roll, make sure that they’re arms are no longer being swaddled inside of the blanket, but, you can definitely still continue to wrap them up tightly with their arms out!
I love that so many sleep sacks grow and transition with your baby so that your baby can still use their well-loved sleep sacks while growing and hitting milestones!
Related Post: How to transition your baby away from swaddling
How long do babies wear a sleep sack?
Babies can start using a sleep sack right away and can use them until 12 months (or longer! I have a friend who swaddled her kids until they were 3+ years old)! For the first year, since pediatricians advise keeping loose articles away from sleeping babies, a sleep sack is the perfect alternative to a regular blanket for babies under one year!
The sleep sack also often becomes a place of comfort and safety for our tiny babes and they’ll continue to want to wear it and love it for as long as possible!
The Last Thing You Need To Know About Baby Sleep Sacks
A warm sleep sack is the perfect way to keep your babe warm, snuggly, and sleepy and is one of the best affordable ways to build healthy sleep foundations! This was a game-changer for our baby and sleeping through the night!
Do you have a favorite sleep sack that you love for your baby or any other sleep tips? I’d love to hear them below!
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