One of the safest ways for babies to hit the sack is to … well, be in a sack.
Infant sleeping bags — also known as sleep sacks — are wearable blankets designed to keep your baby comfortably toasty during the night. As far as bedtime garments go, it’s pretty darn adorable.
But a sleep sack isn’t a mere fashion statement. View it more as a layer of protection. A analysis found that infant sleep sacks “are as safe, if not safer, than other bedding” when it comes to preventing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Why are sleep sacks so effective? Pediatrician Heidi Szugye, DO, IBCLC, offers an explanation.
A sleep sack is basically a way to safely keep your child warm while they sleep. It truly is designed as a wearable blanket, with tour baby’s torso, legs, feet and teeny-tiny toes housed within the sack.
The garment should be sleeveless, allowing those little arms and hands to move freely without any restrictions. (More on that in a moment.)
A zipper, or a series of snaps, typically runs up the front of a sleep sack, making it extremely easy to get your baby dressed for bed. Anyone who has fought to get little limbs into footie pajamas will appreciate the simplicity.
An added bonus? Sleep sacks also make it a breeze to get to dirty diapers.
Sleep sacks offer a safer sleeping environment for your baby in several ways, all of which should help you rest easier. Benefits of sleep sacks include:
Your baby probably received many soft, fluffy blankets as gifts. A word of advice, though: Don’t plan on your infant using them when they sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends keeping loose bedding out of your baby’s crib until they’re at least 12 months old.
The reason? Blankets pose a suffocation and strangulation danger for infants if the blankets come loose and obstruct breathing. Sleep sacks, meanwhile, provide the warmth and comfort of a blanket without the risk.
“It’s best to save those blankets for when your kids are older,” advises Dr. Szugye. “If you really want to use them right away, take them out for a picnic or during tummy time when you’re supervising your child.”
There’s a safety reason behind most sleep sacks being sleeveless: “You really want to have your infant’s arms free, so if they do roll over onto their belly while in bed they can use their arms to roll themselves back,” explains Dr. Szugye.
The risk of suffocation and SIDS increases if a baby somehow ends up face down in bed. (Fast fact: Sleep sacks grew in popularity in the United States in the s as part of an effort to reduce cases of SIDS.)
The bagginess of a sleep sack gives babies room to kick their legs, which is good for their hips. Wrapping or swaddling a baby too tightly, meanwhile, can cause a hip dislocation or hip dysplasia.
Swaddling a newborn is extremely common. The idea is to completely wrap your baby from the neck down (arms included) in a light blanket. The snug feeling is supposed to mimic the feeling of being in the uterus.
Done correctly and with adult monitoring while in use, swaddling can be an effective technique to calm infants and promote sleep, according to the AAP.
Concerns grow, however, when babies begin to roll over at around 8 weeks old.
If a swaddled baby flips onto their belly, their pinned arms make it much more difficult for them to roll back over. As mentioned above, that increases the risk of SIDS and accidental suffocation.
The AAP recommends closely monitoring swaddled babies in case they roll onto their bellies. And stop swaddling your child for sleep as soon as they show signs of trying to roll over.
Sleeveless sleep sacks, meanwhile, don’t generate the same level of suffocation worry. Given that, they make a safe “next step” once newborns are ready to transition out of a swaddle, notes Dr. Szugye.
Sleep sacks can also be used by newborns. Just make sure the sizing is correct so the fabric doesn’t go over their head. (It’s always best to check manufacturer sizing guidelines.)
Most babies can use a sleep sack until they’re about 2 years old. Size, however, is more of an issue than age. Larger sleep sacks can comfortably fit infants up to about 30 pounds and 40 inches tall.
By the time your baby has outgrown sleep sacks, they should be able to safely use a blanket.
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Many parents turn to either swaddles or sleep sacks to keep their baby comfortable while sleeping. Swaddling also is used as a way to soothe a fussy newborn and promote sleep—especially as they adjust to life outside the womb.
“Swaddling is a traditional practice of wrapping a baby gently in a light blanket in a way that mimics the womb,” says Jessica Morse, MD, a newborn medicine pediatrician at Children's Health and assistant professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center, adding that there are different types of swaddle blankets, including breathable muslin or cotton blankets.
A sleep sack, on the other hand, is an alternative to traditional swaddling and is a specially-designed baby garment for secure sleeping. But deciding which is best for your baby isn't always simple. For this reason, we spoke with pediatric experts to find out the benefits and risks of swaddles vs. sleep sacks and how to determine which is right for you.
Swaddling refers to snugly wrapping your baby’s arms near their chest to recreate the sensation they had in the womb, explains Stephanie Napolitano, MD, a neonatologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Swaddling your infant can help soothe them by giving them boundaries that they developed inside the birthing parent.”
Traditionally, swaddling is done with a blanket, says Dr. Napolitano. “However, when we swaddle with a blanket and leave infants unobserved during sleep, it can become loose and unwrap as the baby moves, and the loose blanket can create a suffocation risk for an infant.”
For this reason, pre-made swaddles or wearable blankets were developed to provide infants that containment but with blankets that will wrap and secure, generally with wings or straps and Velcro.
“A pre-made swaddle is generally more convenient than using a blanket that needs to be specially wrapped and folded, but both serve the same purpose,” adds Rebekah Diamond, MD, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Columbia University, and the author of Parent Like a Pediatrician.
Swaddling an infant provides that tactile feedback needed to soothe or calm them in the safest way during sleep, says Dr. Napolitano. That said, there are some drawbacks to using a swaddle as well. Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of swaddling.
Typically, it’s recommended that you stop swaddling your baby when they show signs of being ready to roll over. Generally, this occurs around 3 to 4 months of age or older—though every infant is different.
“Once this is the case, babies should never be swaddled with their arms inside,” says Dr. Diamond. “Swaddles can still be used after this age if both of the baby's arms are free."
When you are using a swaddle, also make sure that the swaddle isn’t near your baby’s face or too tight around their chest or hips, adds Dr. Napolitano. “[Their] hips should have ample space to move and develop.”
There also is some evidence that swaddling may make it more challenging for babies to wake from a deeper sleep. And, while this extended snoozing may be attractive for sleep-deprived parents, this can interfere with breastfeeding and nutrition, as well as increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). There also is a risk of overheating–especially if you notice damp hair, flushed cheeks, or even a heat rash.
You can reduce the risk of overheating by dressing your baby appropriately, says Dr. Napolitano. “A good rule of thumb is generally what you’re comfortable wearing, plus one layer.”
A sleep sack is similar to a swaddle, but much less restrictive, explains Robert Quillin, MD, a board-certified pediatrician and medical director at Pediatrix Medical Group. “Sleep sacks have unrestricted arm movement, which can be sleeved or sleeveless [and] the lower portion is looser and allows your baby to move their legs more freely.”
Sleep sacks also don’t have the same ability to wrap tightly around a baby's torso and arms but instead has a pouch-like shape that babies can be zipped into, says Dr. Diamond. "A blanket or any loose cloth is unsafe for infant sleep, so sleep sacks replace blankets for added warmth and comfort."
Because blankets pose a risk of suffocation for babies younger than 24 months, a sleep sack is a safer option, says Maria Lopez, a sleep expert and director of Sleep Sense en Espanol. “A sleep sack also keeps your child warm all night.”
Here are some of the benefits and drawbacks of using a sleep sack:
According to Dr. Quillin, the same safety considerations that apply to a swaddle also apply to a sleep sack. “The weight or thickness of the blanket may really be the only potential safety concern when used correctly.”
That said, when you choose a sleep sack, make sure that it's roomy enough for free movement, especially if your child can sit or stand up, says Lopez. “As with swaddles, do not use weighted sleep sacks, and avoid overdressing your child when using one. Make sure the fabric is appropriate for the weather to prevent overheating.”
Choosing between a swaddle and a sleep sack when your baby is under 3 to 4 months of age—and they’re not yet rolling over—really comes down to personal preference and your goals.
If you have a fussy baby who needs comfort and security during naps, you may want to swaddle them from time to time. But if your baby enjoys moving their arms and kicking their legs—even if they can’t roll over—they may prefer a sleep sack.
The weather and temperature of the room also should be considered. Swaddling in a warm room or during hot weather may cause your baby to overheat due to the restrictive nature of the swaddle. In these situations, a lightweight sleep sack might be a better option for nighttime sleeping—as long as you don’t overdress them.
Ultimately, though, Lopez recommends using age as the primary decision maker. “I do not recommend swaddling babies over 4 months, regardless of whether or not they have learned to roll over.”
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