What is the purpose of a sleep sack?

The purpose of sleep sacks is to help regulate the baby’s temperature during the night without increasing the chances of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the nightmare of any parent. While it might seem far-fetched, regular blankets actually increase the risk of SIDS, as they can cover the baby’s mouth and nose as they move around in their sleep.

Sleep sacks are almost a clothing item, fitting the baby loosely and leaving the arms, shoulders, neck, and head uncovered, so it is less likely that they will get them over their noses and mouths. They are like sleeping bags for babies, with straps that go over the shoulders and an end that goes through the baby’s head. The freedom of movement that babies have with sleep sacks is a big difference from swaddling, where their movements are considerably more restricted.

What are the different sleep sack types?

Different sleep sacks have been commercialized with the purpose of addressing all possible needs parents and their babies might have. While this is certainly a good thing, giving parents several options from which to choose, it is worth it to keep in mind that babies grow very fast and that sleep sacks intended to fulfill very specific needs will most likely be useful for a very short period of time in the baby’s life. Keeping the above in mind, a few examples of sleep sacks are:

1. Transitional Sleep Sacks: The purpose of this type of sleep sacks is to make the transition from swaddling to unrestricted sleep while still preventing the Moro or startler reflex, which can wake up babies and disrupt their sleeping schedules. These transitional sleep sacks cover the entire body or maybe leave out one arm to allow the baby to suck on its finger. In a way, they are looser swaddles, allowing certain movement but restricting it enough to prevent the baby from being able to lift its arms close to its head.
2. Seasonal Sleep Sacks: The purpose of these types of sleep sacks is to make sure the baby is as warm as needed according to the season. In other words, parents need to buy sleep sacks accounting for the time of the year that their baby will use them. If the sleep sack will be used during winter, it should be thick enough and made from a warm enough material to make sure the baby can withstand the winter temperatures. And, of course, the same applies inversely to summer.
3. Footed Sleep Sacks: The purpose of this type of sleep sacks is to allow for babies to stand while wearing them. Just as other sleep sacks individually cover the arms and leave the hands, these sleep sacks cover the lower part of the baby’s legs and leave the feet exposed. The two possible disadvantages of these sleep sacks are (i) that parents might need to further cover the baby’s feet, with socks, for example, to avoid them getting cold, and (ii) it might give the baby a little too much mobility in the crib.

Are sleep sacks necessary?

Babies can certainly sleep without sleep sacks. For example, in the case where they are in very warm weather, they sleep with nothing else other than their pajamas. If parents need to keep the baby warm, however, the benefits of using sleep sacks to achieve this are significant, so parents should consider using them. The first and most important benefit is that sleep sacks reduce the risks associated with sleep-related dangers like SIDS. This is because sleep sacks fit the baby like a clothing item, so it is hard for them to reach the baby’s face. Sleep-related dangers are mitigated by taking as many precautions as possible, which is exactly what sleep sacks do.

Other benefits of sleep sacks are that they can help the baby feel contained like they did when swaddled. This might have a positive impact on the baby’s sleeping routine, which is not something to disregard easily in those first months of a baby’s life. The fact that it is not easy for the sleep sack to move around because it fits the baby like clothing not only helps reduce risks associated with SIDS and other sleep-related dangers, but it also helps keep the baby at a stable temperature throughout the night because the baby is covered in the same way all night. There is no movement the baby could make that would take him out of the sleep sack and possibly make him feel cold, for example.

How many sleep sacks do you need?

Anywhere between three to six sleep sacks should be enough for a single baby. As with other baby items, the more the parents have available, the less frequently they will need to do laundry. Of course, the more the parents buy, the more they spend. The exact number they need should be decided by parents keeping in mind the convenience of having a considerable number of sleep sacks available balanced against budget or storage limitations.

Parents who live in places with significant temperature changes throughout the year should account for the fact that they will need different sleep sacks as the season progresses. In this case, keeping in mind that at least two are needed to be able to use one while the other one is being washed, parents who need to vary their baby’s sleep sack according to temperature should most likely plan to fall into the higher end of the range, meaning buying six sleep sacks, distributed as needed between the different seasonal types.

Another factor to consider when determining how many sleep sacks to buy is how long parents plan to include them in the baby’s sleeping routine. If parents want their baby to use sleep sacks for the first two years, for example, they will most likely need to buy more than six to account for the size increase as their baby grows. If, on the other hand, parents would like to use sleep sacks for as little time as possible, three will most likely be more than enough.

How often should I wash my baby’s sleep sacks?

Parents should consider washing their baby’s sleep sacks every week, like they would crib sheets, if there is no incident, such as a spit-up or a diaper blowout. Babies should not spend more than a fraction of the time in their cribs, so sleep sacks will most likely not be used more than the hours the baby is sleeping. This means that they will not get dirty very quickly, barring an incident, as mentioned before.

To ensure sleep sacks last as long as possible, parents should make sure to read the manufacturer’s recommendations on how to take care of their product. This is important because parents might themselves be in a situation where they need to move quickly to, for example, get one of their sleep sacks dry in time for the baby’s bedtime. If parents factor in these recommendations in time, they will develop a routine that accommodates them and reduce as much as possible the chance that parents will need to do something that might damage their sleep slacks due to having to move too quickly.

How long do babies use sleep sacks?

As with other baby-related things, there is no clear-cut moment at which babies start and stop using sleep sacks. If parents buy sleep sacks specifically designed for newborns, they can include sleep sacks into their baby’s sleep routine as soon as they get home. Most parents prefer to swaddle their babies first before moving on to sleep sacks. As for the moment when babies stop using sleep sacks, it really depends on the parent’s and the baby’s own preferences. There are sleep sacks available for up to six years, so there are options out there to use them for years.

Sleep sacks thoughts from new parents

Knowing what clothes and items your baby needs is hard. Thankfully, others have gone through that process before you, like us. Based on our experience, we have systematized the clothing needs of a baby during their first month in this Honest Nesting Checklist. We hope it is useful!