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For the first 12 months of a baby's life, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents keep blankets, toys, and other objects out of the crib to limit the risk of suffocation and of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
To ensure that the baby stays warm and safe without a blanket, many parents buy sleep sacks, which are essentially wearable blankets.
After much research and testing, we found the Halo SleepSack Wearable Blanket to be the best sleep sack for most parents' needs.
It's a trusted brand that offers a wide selection of choices to fit any season.
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When it comes to sleep, you're always worrying about your little one. From the time you take your baby home from the hospital, you keep track of their sleeping and eating cycles. You're filled with information about how to not let them sleep on their bellies or keep pillows or extra blankets in the crib.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents keep blankets, toys, and other objects out of the crib for the first 12 months to limit the risk of suffocation and of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Many parents decide to buy sleep sacks in lieu of blankets to keep their newborns warm and safe.
Sleep sacks are basically zippered cloth sacks with armholes. You don't have to worry about extra material blocking breathing or your baby becoming uncovered at night. Sleep sacks come in a variety of materials and sizes.
When I first started using them, I felt overwhelmed by the choices. Plus, you'll need different weights or Thermal Overall Grades (TOG), depending on the season and where you live. The TOG lets you know how much insulation is in the material.
When I looked at the best sleep sacks to keep your baby warm and safe, I evaluated each one based on material, design, and cost. I looked at hundreds of reviews, spoke to other parents, and used my own personal experience to select the best sleep sacks you can buy.
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HALO SleepSack Wearable Blanket is by far the most popular sleep sack you can buy. The material is soft and luxurious, and you can find a size and weight for any season. The bag has two-way zippers to make night diaper changes easier. At night, you don't have to worry about your baby kicking the blanket off or impairing the baby's breathing in any way.
The roomy design allows your little one plenty of room to move around. It doesn't constrict the hips, and the sack comes with a seal of approval from the Hip Dysplasia Institute. I started using these sleep sacks with my baby around the two-month mark. Before that, I swaddled my baby, but once he rolled over, I needed another solution. I fell in-love with HALO sleep sacks. HALO also makes a swaddle blanket that's soft and cozy, too.
My absolute favorite was the HALO Sleepsack Plush Dot Velboa Wearable Blanket. The plush dots are so soft and cozy that I loved snuggling my babies when they wore the blanket. The sleep sack comes at a TOG 1.0, which is suitable for fall or early winter. If you want a warmer winter sleep sack, I also used the winter weight HALO at a TOG 2.5 for cold winter nights. Also, you can dress your baby warmly if you're worried about them becoming cold.
The HALO sleep sack is by far the best choice you can make when it comes to wearable blankets. I'm not the only one who thinks so. What to Expect, The Bump, and Good Housekeeping rank the sleep sack as one of the best.
My only criticism is that you need multiple sacks to cover different temperatures and seasons. You also need to have two sacks of the same weight to cover accidents. But the sacks are affordable at around $21, and they're popular baby registry items for your loved ones to purchase for you.
Pros: Super soft, roomy and hip-friendly design, high-quality, safe
While I adore HALO sleep sacks, I absolutely love the Merino Kids Baby Sleep Bag for babies, too. My mother bought me one when she visited in the middle of winter. Otherwise, I may never have bought one because of the cost. Merino Kids sleep sacks run about $90 to $120, depending on the size, but the quality and long-term use of the sleep sack really does justify the cost.
With other sleep sacks, you'll need to buy at least two for every season, but with Merino Kids, you only need one sack for the first two years. It's an excellent value overall.
Wool regulates body temperature better than cotton or polyester. I never worried about either of my kiddos being too hot or too cold when they wore the Merino. And I'm one of those parents who is always concerned about their sleep comfort. When I slipped them into the Merino sleep sack, I knew they'd be safe and cozy. It's also fire resistant and certified safe.
Not only does the Merino regulates body temperature, but it's also exceptionally well-made. After almost three years of using the same sleep sack between two kiddos, it looks practically new. One reason for this is that you have to use specially formulated wool shampoo when you wash the sleep sack.
I used NikWax Wool Wash. You also have to line dry, otherwise, you can shrink the wool and remove the moisture-wicking ability of the sleep sack. But the odor-resistant qualities of wool, require you to wash it less. Your wool shampoo will last a long time.
The Merino sleep sack uses Australian merino wool and highly-loved by moms and dads. One verified purchaser on Amazon said, "This has been a great sleep sack. We got it for my son when he was a few months old, and he is almost 2 (so we are ordering the next size up)."
Another popular woolsack is the Woolino 4 Season Sleep Sack and it's definitely a runner-up in this category.
Pros: Regulates temperature perfectly, high-quality, grows with your baby, only need one sleep sack, works for all seasons, super soft and cozy
Cons: Expensive, logo right on the front of the sleep sack, need a special wash
The best for summer
The Nested Bean Zen Sack Classic mimics a parent's touch with its lightly weighted center that makes fussy babies feel right at home in the heat of summer.
The Nested Bean Zen Sack Classic comes in soft, breathable cotton, making it perfect for hot summer nights. At a .05 TOG, you won't find a sleep sack lighter than this weight. The bag can also be used year-round depending on clothing and house temperature.
The most unique design feature is a gently weighted pressure pad on the center of the chest to give the sensation of a parent's touch. Before greeting the world, babies spend nine months snug in the womb, and once outside, they need constant contact. The Nested Bean tricks them into believing their caregiver is nearby and lulls them into a deep slumber.
The smart design also has two-way zippers to make a quick middle of the night change easier, adjustable straps to fit your baby, and reversible for tummy sleepers. While the back is best until your baby rolls over, once they do, your baby might prefer the tummy frog position. For those with swaddling needs, Nested Bean also the Zen Swaddle Classic in a similar design and material.
Most parents genuinely love the Nested Bean Zen Sack Classic. It's a best seller on Amazon in the Baby Wearable Blanket category. On Nested Bean's website, there are more than 1,700 reviews.
Pros: Light and soft material, mimics a loving touch, adjustable straps, reversible, two-way zippers
Cons: Expensive, need more than one as your baby grows
The best for winter
The Baby Deedee Sleep Nest Sleeping Sack is by far the coziest, warmest sleep sack, and it keeps hands, feet, and toes toasty all through the cold winter months.
The winter weight 2.5 TOG Baby Deedee Sleep Nest Sleeping Sack keeps your baby super warm at night. You'll rest easy knowing your baby can't kick off the sack and will never be cold. The quilted duvet material adds an extra layer of warmth to the 100% cotton exterior. It will be hard to find a winter-weight sleep sack better than the Baby Deedee.
Not only is the sleep sack super warm, but the fabric is also breathable, so you don't have to worry about your baby sweating. Once you slip her in the comforting cocoon, she's all secure until morning.
Putting a baby in the cocoon-like design is more comfortable with its equally smart shoulder straps. The straps lay flat, making it easier for you to place your baby in the sack and the snap the shoulder straps together. You don't have to lift up the arms and move them through the holes, possibly waking up your baby.
From the high-quality materials to the smart and warm design, you can't go wrong with the Baby Deedee from the first winter storm to the smell of spring. The company also has a Sleep Nest Travel sack for camping or outside use. Both bags are highly rated on Amazon with 4.5 out of 5-stars.
Pros: High-quality, breathable, soft material, perfect for winter
Cons: Pricier than other sacks, not for all seasons, big head opening
Burt's Bees Baby Beekeeper Wearable Blanket is made with 100% certified organic cotton. It's certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). GOTS makes sure that a textile product can really claim to be natural and the Beekeeper Wearable Blanket meets its standards.
You can really feel the softness of this sleep sack's material. It feels luxurious and seems to melt in your hands. The design features a bottom zipper to allow for quick diaper changes and an interior zipper guard and snap tab zipper pull for safety. You won't have to worry about accidentally zipping up your baby's skin.
One design feature different than other sleep sacks is that the Beekeeper has arms. Most sacks don't have sleeves, and this used to drive me crazy. I worried that my baby's arms would become cold. But a baby's temperature runs higher than adults, and not having extra material on their arms helps regulate temperature in some cases. However, if you're worried about your baby's arms being cold, the Beekeeper gives you an added sense of security.
At a TOG of .05, the Beekeeper is perfect for the warmer months, yet with the arms, it adds an extra layer of warmth for the fall.
Burt's Bees products are highly rated and sold widely as a top-notch organic choice for more environmentally minded parents. Plus, all the super cute design options for the sleep sacks, you might not only fall in love, but your baby's sleeping in style.
Pros: 100% organic, gentle on sensitive skin, comes with sleeves, zipper guard, cute designs
Cons: Has sleeves (some parents prefer no sleeves for heat regulation), not for all seasons, need more than one