The Benefits of Baby Sleeping Bags

Why Baby Sleeping Bags Are a Parent’s Best Friend

 

baby sleeping bag

When a new baby arrives, they bring joy but also challenges such as trying to help them sleep well. One of the best ways to achieve this is through the use of a baby sleeping bag.

In this blog, we will look at the advantages that come with using baby sleeping bags and why they are a must-have for your little one.

What is a Baby Sleeping Bag?

A baby sleeping bag is a wearable blanket designed specifically to be worn by newborn babies and toddlers while they are asleep. They are a safe and comfortable alternative to sheets and blankets, which can pose a suffocation risk for very young children. They come in different sizes and designs and are usually made from soft, breathable materials like cotton or muslin.

  • Safe Sleeping

One of the most important things about using a baby sleeping bag is that it promotes safe sleep; by putting your baby to bed in a baby sleeping bag their head and face remain uncovered, ensuring that they can breathe easily while they sleep.

  • Regulating Body Temperature

Regulating your baby’s body temperature while they sleep is crucial for their safety and comfort. Babies have limited thermoregulation capacities which makes them susceptible to overheating or getting too cold. Maintaining the right temperature reduces the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and ensures a peaceful night’s sleep.

  • Warmth and Comfort

As your baby gets older and more mobile, kicking off their blankets at night could be a regular problem, exposing them to the cold and fluctuations in temperature. Baby sleeping bags are designed to give you the peace of mind that your baby is warm and comfortable when asleep. They are made from soft breathable materials that help regulate your baby’s body temperature to prevent them from overheating or being too cold. This is particularly important for infants since they cannot regulate their body temperatures.

  • Room Temperature

Aim to keep the room where your baby sleeps comfortably cool, ideally between 16°C and 20°C (61°F to 68°F). Use a room thermometer to monitor the temperature and adjust accordingly.

  •  Tog rating

The tog rating on baby sleeping bags plays a vital role in maintaining your baby’s comfort and safety during sleep. Tog rating measures the warmth and insulation of the sleeping bag, helping regulate y

our baby’s body temperature. Choose a sleeping bag with an appropriate tog rating based on the room temperature and season to ensure your baby stays comfortably warm without overheating.

room thermometer
  • Dress Appropriately

At the end of your bedtime routine dress your baby to bed in lightweight clothing suitable for the temperature of the room. A simple rule of thumb is to dress your baby in the same number of layers you find comfortable plus one extra layer.

It’s important to choose a baby sleeping bag that is the correct size for your little one. A sleeping bag that is too big can pose a safety risk, while one that is too small may be uncomfortable for your baby. Be sure to check the sizing guide and choose the appropriate size for your baby’s age and weight.

  • Touch Test

Feel your baby’s tummy, back, or neck with the back of your hand. These areas can give you a good indication of whether your baby is too hot or too cold. Remember babies’ hands and feet will typically be cooler than their core body temperature.

If your baby is too hot, remove one or more layers of bedclothes to help them cool down. It’s best to choose lightweight, breathable fabrics that allow for better airflow and temperature regulation.

  • Fever Management

If your baby is unwell with a fever, it’s essential to ensure they don’t overheat. Babies with a fever need fewer, not more, bedclothes. Remove layers until your baby feels more comfortable, and consult a healthcare professional if you’re concerned about their fever.

  • Sleeping well when travelling

Sleep is essential for your baby’s growth and development, and a comfortable sleeping environment can play a significant role in achieving this. Baby sleeping bags help to create a familiar and soothing space for your little one; packing your baby’s sleeping bag when you travel can help to provide a familiar and safe sleeping environment for your baby when sleeping away from home.

 

baby sleep

  • Transition from Swaddling

Many parents like to swaddle their newborns, however, as your baby grows, and before they start to roll, it’s time to transition them out of swaddling. This is where a baby sleeping bag comes in to provide a similar feeling of security and comfort as swaddling, making it an excellent transition from swaddling to a more independent sleeping arrangement.

  • Your baby becomes more mobile

Once your baby starts to crawl, stand and move around more, traditional blankets can become a hindrance. Little ones can easily get tangled in them or become cold and uncomfortable. With a baby sleeping bag, they can move around freely without getting tangled.

 

standing up in the cot

The benefits of using a baby sleeping bag speak for themselves. From safety and comfort to convenience and versatility, these innovative sleep solutions offer a host of advantages for both babies and parents alike. So, if you’re looking to make bedtime a breeze and ensure your little one gets the rest they need, investing in a baby sleeping bag could be one of the best decisions you make as a parent.

 

If you would like to speak to one of our sleep consultants about how you can guide your baby towards better sleep, please reach out today. We can chat with you about how we can help offer practical and gentle sleep strategies.

Written by Mandy Gurney RGN.RM.Dip HV.

Founder Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic

How to Improve Your Child’s Sleep with a Sleep Diary

Understanding and Improving Your Child’s Sleep Patterns

Do you know when and how long your baby or child sleeps both during the day and at night? Are you aware of the factors that influence or interfere with your child’s sleep patterns? Do these patterns repeat consistently over days or weeks?

These might seem like straightforward questions, but many parents struggle to answer them accurately, especially when they are busy and overtired. However, gathering this basic information is crucial to determining whether your child has a sleep problem and identifying the best course of action.

Keeping a Sleep Diary

One of the most effective ways to record your child’s sleep patterns is by maintaining a sleep diary for two weeks. It can be a simple document, but the data it provides can help address a wide range of sleep issues.

When to Start?

The best time to start keeping a sleep diary is today. Even if you haven’t decided on a specific approach to managing your child’s sleep, any information you gather now will give you a head start in determining the best strategy. Additionally, noting your aims on the diary page can keep you focused on your goals, especially when tiredness and emotions threaten to derail your efforts.

Benefits of a Sleep Diary

A simple daily diary can teach you a lot and guide your child towards better sleep.

Here’s how a sleep diary can help:

  • Assess Sleep Adequacy: Determine if your child is getting enough sleep and if it’s occurring at the best times.
  • Track Progress: Whether you’re introducing a structured sleep program or making small adjustments to meal and nap times, a diary helps you see the impact of these changes.
  • Objectivity: With the bare facts, it’s easier to spot patterns and address them quickly, minimizing emotional bias.
  • Identify External Influences: See how activities outside sleep times affect your child’s sleep.
  • Evaluate Responses: Understand how your responses to your child’s sleep habits may help or hinder the situation.
  • Baseline Information: Use this data to assess changes in your child’s behaviour and your management of those changes.
  • Consistency: Helps you maintain consistency, which is crucial for establishing a routine.
  • Motivation: Small improvements in sleep habits can increase your motivation to continue with changes.
  • Professional Consultation: Provides valuable information for health professionals if you seek their advice.

Starting a sleep diary today can make a significant difference in understanding and improving your child’s sleep patterns.

This simple tool can provide insights, track progress, and help you remain objective and consistent in your approach, ultimately guiding your child towards better sleep and a healthier routine.

Written by Mandy Gurney RGN.RM.DipHV

Unveiling the Relationship Between Neurodiversity and Children’s Sleep

 

SEND and sleep

 

Having a child with sleep difficulties is exhausting, but as a parent of a child with neurodiversities your child is more likely to be struggling with their sleep! Research shows about 80% of children with autism have problems sleeping.

Why your child may be struggling with their sleep

  • Children with autism often have difficulties winding down and going to sleep. They may repeatedly get out of bed and refuse to go to sleep unless you are close by.
  • They may also have problems staying asleep and be awake for many hours during the night, perhaps coming into your room or going to other parts of your home.
  • They often find it hard to relax and can have high levels of anxiety, meaning emotional upsets at bedtime and taking a long time to go to sleep.
  • Social cueing difficulties can mean your child finds it hard to make connections in terms of pre bedtime activities and understanding that it’s bedtime. They may have developed a series of nightly rituals and routines that potentially delay bedtime.
  • They can have a poor concept of time and not realise it’s bedtime or recognise tired signs.
  • Research shows many children with autism have irregular secretion of the sleep hormone melatonin, impacting their ability to go to sleep.
  • Your child may have sensory difficulties such as sensitivities to smells, sounds, touch and light that could prevent them both falling asleep and staying asleep.
  • They may also have medical conditions affecting their sleep such as sleep apnoea, epilepsy, restless leg syndrome, allergies and gastrointestinal problems such as reflux.

 

What can you do to help your child sleep?

  • As most child sleep problems are multifaceted it will help you get a good understanding of your child’s sleeping pattern by filling in a sleep diary for a week or two. This information could also be invaluable when discussing your child’s sleep with health professionals.
  • A visit to your GP may be needed to explore underlying medical concerns, as well as a possible referral to a dietician.
  • Review your child’s sugar and food to ensure they are having sleep inducing foods rather than high sugar snacks in the evening.
  • To help your child understand sleep and the steps of their bedtime routine, visual aids showing their bedtime routine in picture form can really help. You may like to make a booklet or laminate cards and create a Velcro wall chart that you go through with them on the lead up to bedtime each evening.
  • You may also wish to create a social story for your child that you read to them each evening that describes their bedtime routine and makes them the centre of the story. Social stories were created by Carol Gray in 1991 and are meaningful short descriptions of activities and specific actions to help children understand and know what to expect.

 

Children love routine

  • Time your child’s bedtime routine so you have a consistent start time each evening and even more importantly, a consistent wake time in the morning.
  • Aim to avoid all screens an hour before bed- just 4 minutes of light at the wrong time of the evening can suppress the sleep hormone melatonin.
  • Start their bedtime routine with about 10 to 15 minutes of quiet fine motor such as colouring-in, fuzzy felts, sticking or puzzles. Or your child may prefer a relaxing story at this time.
  • To help your child unwind, from this point on it’s best not to chat too much. Instead use simple sentences or their visual aid booklet to guide and instruct them.
  • Then go for a short relaxing bath in warm water.
  • Go straight into the room they sleep in to get dressed for bed.
  • To stop your child becoming distracted or loosing focus with the routine it’s best to keep everything around the bedroom and bathroom area.
  • Once they are tucked up in bed, read then a bedtime story, at this time of night its best to be to too lively or stimulating.
  • Some children find a massage and or soothing music will help them to go sleep. Do whatever you feel is right for your child’s sensory needs.

Check their bedroom environment

  • Your child may have their own specific sensory differences that you need to consider.
  • Is their bedroom dark, cool and quiet?
  • Do they find it more relaxing to have gentle sleep sounds playing and a small amber night light?
  • Are there smells that they find upsetting, can you minimise smells from the kitchen and would scented oils help them relax?

 

If you would like help with your child’s sleep please don’t hesitate to call us to discuss how we can help you and your child.

 

 

Clock Change Tips: Adjusting Your Child’s Sleep Schedule

How to Help Your Child Adjust to the End of Daylight Saving Time

At 2 a.m. on Sunday,October 27th, 2024, the clocks in the UK will go back one hour, marking the end of Daylight Saving Time. While many look forward to an extra hour of sleep, parents of young children might find this change a little more challenging. Just when you’ve finally got your little one sleeping until 6 a.m., the clock change can throw off their routine.

So, how can tired parents ensure they also get to enjoy that extra hour in bed? Here are some tried-and-tested strategies to help you manage your child’s body clock during the time change.

Clock change tips for children's sleep

How to Help Your Child Adjust to the Clock Change

Tip 1: Gradually adjust bedtime ahead of the clock change

Start preparing your child’s body clock about 10 to 12 days before the clock changes. Shift their bedtime 15 minutes later every three nights. For example, if they normally go to bed at 7:30 p.m., move it to 7:45 p.m. After three days, shift it again to 8:00 p.m. Initially your child may still wake at the same time, but this gradual change will help their body adjust to the new time without sudden disruptions. Don’t forget to adjust naps, meals, and milk feeds along with bedtime.

Tip 2: Use natural light to your advantage

Natural light is one of the biggest influences on our circadian rhythm (body clock). Encourage your child to spend time outdoors, especially in the afternoon. Exposure to natural light will help them stay awake longer, making it easier to adjust to the new bedtime.

Tip 3: Create a calming bedtime wind-down

In the hour leading up to bedtime, it’s important to help your child wind down. Aim for quiet activities like reading a book or singing soft lullabies. Avoid screens during this time—research shows that the blue light from screens can delay melatonin production, making it harder for your child to fall asleep.

Tip 4: Stick to a consistent bedtime routine

Consistency is key for a smooth bedtime. Around 30 minutes before your child’s new bedtime, start a calming routine.

A suggested bedtime routine might include:

  • A warm bath: Keep it short (about 10 minutes), and avoid playtime to prevent overstimulation.
  • Dim the bedroom lights: Lower the lights in the room to stimulate melatonin production.
  • Quiet story time: Read one or two stories or sing a soft lullaby. Afterwards, cuddle your child, kiss them goodnight, and tuck them in with their favourite toy.
  • Time to sleep: Leave the room when they’re drowsy to encourage independent sleep. Ideally, they should fall asleep within 15 minutes.

Tip 5: Adjust meals and morning feeds gradually

Just as you adjust bedtime, it’s important to delay your child’s meals and morning milk feeds by 15 minutes every few days. This will prevent them from waking up early expecting food and help them adapt to the new schedule.

Tip 6: Set up a visual wake-up cue

To help your child understand when it’s time to wake up, try setting up a lamp on a timer in their bedroom. Set the light to turn on 15 minutes later than their current wake-up time, and explain that they should stay in bed until the light comes on. Praise them for staying in bed, and gradually adjust the light to come on later as bedtime shifts.

 

By taking these small, gradual steps, you can help make the transition to the end of daylight saving time smoother for both you and your child. Instead of dreading the clock change, you might just be able to enjoy that extra hour of rest!

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