How to Choose the Right Baby Sleeping Bag?

Wondering how to choose the right sleeping bag for your baby? What thickness? What fabric? And what on earth is a T.O.G.? Today, we’ll help you choose the ideal baby sleeping bag for your little one!

But first, what is a baby sleeping bag for?

Also known as a “turbulette” in French, the baby sleeping bag is a sleeping bag designed for babies. Paediatricians recommend using one until the age of two. Why? First of all, the sleeping bag keeps your baby safe. Duvets, blankets, pillows and sheets, on the other hand, should not be used until that age! The sleeping bag limits the risk of suffocation so baby can sleep safely. For their safety, also make sure you lay them on their back with nothing around them. It’s also a question of comfort for your little one. Snug and warm in their sleeping bag, baby enjoys sleep at a suitable, constant temperature. Shaped to fit their body, baby will feel at ease in their sleeping bag and can wriggle about as much as they like in complete safety.
Also, make sure you choose sleeping bags that are easy and practical to put on and suited to the way you want to use them. Some, for example, are specially designed to let the car seat straps through.

What size should you choose?

The main thing when choosing a sleeping bag for your little one is that it fits well. It should be neither too small, as baby might feel tight and cramped, nor too big, so that they cannot slip down inside it. In particular, it should fit snugly around the armholes and the neck. A sleeping bag in the right size will give baby a reassuring environment and allow them to move freely.

As for sizes, there are plenty to choose from so that you can find the most suitable sleeping bag: premature, 0/3 months, 3/6 months, 6/12 months, 12/24 months and 24/36 months. These different sizes come in varying lengths. Some brands even offer adjustable sleeping bags that grow with your baby. While it is best to avoid these at birth and choose a well-fitting sleeping bag instead, they are an excellent choice later on. They are also more economical, as they last your baby longer.

At Premiers Moments, we offer two sizes of baby sleeping bags. The first is designed for newborns, in a 0/3 months size. The second grows with your baby and can be used for longer, in a 3/6 months size.

What sleeping bag thickness should you go for?

To choose the right sleeping bag for your little one, you need to take into account the temperature of the room they are in. While their nursery should ideally be at around 18°, the thickness of their sleeping bag will naturally change with the seasons. But how can you tell whether a sleeping bag is really warm? If you look at the product description or the label, you will see a TOG rating, which is a warmth rating. It tells you the thermal resistance of the sleeping bag. The lower the rating, the lighter the sleeping bag; the higher it is, the warmer it is.

Make sure you choose the TOG according to the temperature of the room your baby is in, not the temperature outside:

TOG 0.5: for use in summer in rooms where the temperature is above 24 degrees. This is the lightest option.
TOG 1.0: only slightly warmer, you can use it in rooms where the temperature is between 22 and 24 degrees. It is the ideal sleeping bag for hot summer days.
TOG 1.5: warmer and lightly padded. You can use it in rooms where the temperature is between 20 and 22 degrees. It is the ideal in-between-season sleeping bag.
TOG 2.5: usually made of velour and well padded, it is suitable for rooms where the temperature is between 15 and 21 degrees. It is the ideal sleeping bag for winter.
TOG 3.0: this is the warmest baby sleeping bag. It usually has long sleeves and can be used in winter in rooms where the temperature is no higher than 18 degrees.

At Premiers Moments, we offer three types of baby sleeping bags, each suited to a different season (TOG 1, 1.5 and 2.5). That way, baby can always maintain an ideal body temperature while sleeping.

Which fabrics should you choose?

As with all clothing that comes into direct contact with baby’s skin, we recommend choosing the most natural materials possible. Wherever you can, avoid synthetic materials. Also make sure that your sleeping bag has not come into contact with a whole host of chemicals that are potentially harmful to baby during its production. Nothing could be simpler: make sure your sleeping bag is Oeko-Tex certified. This increasingly widespread label guarantees the absence of chemicals that are potentially dangerous for baby. Ideally, you could even go for organic products. The GOTS label, in particular, guarantees the organic origin of the raw materials used.

At Premiers Moments, all the fabrics in our baby sleeping bags are made exclusively of organic cotton and carry both the Oeko-Tex and GOTS labels. You can be sure you won’t go wrong!

What should baby wear under their sleeping bag?

There you go, you now know how to match your baby’s sleeping bag to the right season and the right temperature! But you are probably still wondering how to dress your baby underneath it. In summer, you can put them in a short-sleeved bodysuit. In spring or autumn, dress them in a long-sleeved bodysuit and add a sleepsuit or not, depending on the temperature at the time. Finally, in winter, baby will usually need to wear a bodysuit together with a warm sleepsuit to stay nice and cosy.

There you have it, baby sleeping bags hold no more secrets for you! Now you know which sleeping bag to choose for your little one – they’ll look good enough to eat in it!

Dylan
Proud dad of three little ones and founder of Premiers Moments. Together with the whole team, I share our parenting tips here to support you, from pregnancy through your child's first years.