There's no better way to keep your child as in a cosy little cocoon! The baby sleeping bag keeps the little ones out of draughts and cold in their bed and sometimes even in their pushchair. How to choose it? Our advice.
Adopted for many years, the sleeping bag is one of Baby's must-haves: it plays a protective role, especially during sleep.
What is a baby sleeping bag for?
Some people call it "la turbulette", others "la gigoteuse", but make no mistake, it is the same thing. The Turbulette keeps Baby warm and safe in his bed, bassinet and sometimes even in his pushchair and car seat when you don't have a suitable baby carrier. In bed, it is indispensable from birth until about 2 years of age. Baby must sleep on a fitted sheet in a turbulette, without a blanket, duvet or pillow and, of course, without a bed bumper. This is an essential precaution to prevent cot death. The difference between a turbulette and an angel's nest? The turbulette has armholes to keep Baby's arms out. In his sleeping bag, the toddler is free to move freely, both up and down his arms and legs.
The different types of baby sleeping bags
There are many models to protect your baby : sleeping bag with or without sleeves, swaddling bag, decorated, with hood... The turbulettes are available in fleece, padded and warm fabric, as well as in fine and fresh fabric. As you can see, the Baby sleeping bag is ideal to protect Baby during his sleep, but to make it comfortable, it is better that it is also adapted to the seasons and to the ambient temperature. While the winter sleeping bag is made of warm, fleecey fabric, the summer sleeping bag is very airy and often cotton, cotton voile and linen are preferred in its composition.
How do I choose my baby sleeping bag?
First of all, choose a sleeping bag adapted to your baby's size and age. In a model which is too big, the neckline will be too wide and Baby could slip into the bottom and choke. In order to choose the sleeping bag which will best protect our toddler, we must take into account the temperature of his room (paediatricians recommend keeping it between 18° and 20° degrees) and the clothes he will keep under the sleeping bag. Most sleeping bags meet the TOG index, the heat index of the turbulette. The higher the TOG rating, the thicker, warmer and more protective the sleeping bag will be. Depending on the brand, the TOG rating ranges from 0.5 to 5. In general, a turbule can be considered rather warm from TOG 2 upwards. For Baby's comfort, if the TOG is to be taken into account, we also pay attention to the quality of the materials and fabrics. The Oeko-Tex label is a reliable guarantee of quality. In addition, natural and breathable materials such as cotton, linen and bamboo, which are in direct contact with the skin, are more comfortable than synthetic fabrics, all the more so if Baby tends to perspire easily. We also pay attention to the finishing touches: buttons that stick out too much, a poorly sewn zip, raised decorations, a hard and thick neckband ... could irritate Baby's fragile skin.
Useful every day, it's best to have a practical baby sleeping bag to slip baby into it quickly. Make sure it opens fully, either at the front or at the side, and preferably on the shoulders. A zip closes more easily than snaps that can come off when Baby is moving around too much. A good idea: the zip in the middle of the sleeping bag which opens at both ends. This way, you can change Baby without discovering him/her completely, by opening the sleeping bag from the bottom only. If you want to use the sleeping bag in the pram, it is essential that it allows the safety harness to pass through. In this case, an evolutionary sleeping bag with a foot passage at the bottom is preferred. Some sleeping bags can also be converted into a trouser suit with separate legs so that the child can stand and walk.
How many turbulettes to buy?
There's no need to buy tons, especially as they will need to be changed as your baby grows. Two or three sleeping bags are enough to ensure regular maintenance and to change Baby in case of bed-wetting or small vomitos.
How much does a sleeping bag cost?
Sophisticated or rather classic, baby sleeping bags are easy to find on the Internet (Kiabi baby sleeping bag, Vertbaudet baby sleeping bag...), in specialised childcare shops and even on the shelves of some supermarkets. Sleeping bags are for all budgets: if you need between 30 and 80 € for a baby sleeping bag, it's better to plan between 40 and 90 € for a baby sleeping bag.
