Can babies use blankets?

[Obiwan]

Thanks!! I think I'll try letting her sleep without the swaddling blanket. Haven't tried that, not sure if the hand movement will startle her and wake her up mid sleep.

She was struggling out of the blanket until we got the Kiddopotamus swaddling blanket with the velcro. That kept her in snug and happy

 

[FutureHKmom]

miriam228 - I ended up buying a long sleep sleeping bag from Hallmark Babies in Ocean Terminal this weekend for my son for when it gets really cold. He really likes sleeping in his sleeveless sleeping bag so I hope he likes his long sleeve sleeping bag!

 

[kyojee]

Hi LeahH, am looking into the merinokids site, and am keen to get a couple for my daughter too. This is our first winter in Hong Kong, I wonder if you manage the Jan/Feb nights with a standard (recommended for 18-30 degree celsius) or a duvet (recommended for 18 and below)? I do notice that apartments in HK get rather chilly in the night, and I intend to go without the heater if possible as it dries up the air so badly! Thanks! Your advice would be appreciated. =)

 

[Shenzhennifer]

Kyojee - last winter we used a humidifier when my son was sleeping to help with the dryness.
The winter nights are cold cold cold in these apartments. well below 18C. You might want to reconsider using a heater.
The only problem with the heater for us is that my baby is now crawling and loves trying to pull himself up on appliances. Might be a very cold winter for us indeed!

 

[southside852]

My son was in a grobag until 16 months. Then we switched to a blanket.

 

[starbucks2]

The grobag website has a very helpful temperature guide for what clothing the baby should wear depending on the temperature of the room and the "tog" rating of the bag. The other brands (other than grobag) use the same tog rating so the grobag clothing guide is helpful even if you are using another brand.

See below under the Question "What should my baby wear under a Grobag Baby Sleep Bag?"

Frequently asked questions

We used the swaddle and an aircell (spelling?) blanket from Mothercare when our baby was first born (Feb/March in Hong Kong) then just a swaddle until he was 6 months then moved to a grobag sleeping bag. The aircell blankets have holes in them so are supposed to be safer if they end up over the face of a little baby.

We go by the grobag guide for clothing and in winter used a 2.5 tog bag (still sleeveless). If you feel the back of their neck then that is a good guide of temperature - not hands. My son is now 21 months and is all over his cot, sideways with legs up the side, upside down, on tummy, on back, on side. A blanket would be no good for him at the moment and we'll keep using the grobag type sleeping bags until he moves to a big bed.

SB2

 

[LeahH]

Hi Kyojee

I use the standard weight go go bag for summer and the duvet weight for winter. In Jan and Feb on really cold nights I usually have a heater on low in the room as well (with a bowl of water but might get a humidifier this year).

Shenzhennifer is so right, the apartments here have zero insulation so even though the temperature is not as cold as home, it feels freezing inside!

The kids wear one piece, long sleeve, footed cotton suits inside the duvet bag in winter.

Short sleeve, no legs suits in the summer and long sleeve no legs suits in spring and autumn in the standard bag.

 

[kyojee]

Hi LeahH & Shenzhennifer,

Thank you for sharing your experience! Seems like a heater would be quite essential! We are managing with a bodysuit + sleepsuit now without a sleeping bag. Maybe she's been waking at night a little chilled. I have a 1 tog which I use on some cooler nights, but it definitely won't be enough for the colder months ahead. Was a little undecided between a 2.5tog sleeping bag or the merino ones, will give the woolie ones a shot. =)

Cheers!

 

[starbucks2]

Would strongly suggest that you check the grobag website for the clothing suggestions for the different tog rated bags for various room temperatures. We never used a heater in the baby's room but instead put more clothes on. Nothing worse for a baby (especially a little baby) than being too hot.

 

[lucmas]

I have found that there are some brands (i.e. Hallmark, which can be found in Sogo and Ocean Terminal, and Enfant, which can be found in Wing On) have really thick one piece outfits that babies could wear to bed. I was thinking of putting my baby in one of those outfits and then a sleeping bag if it gets really cold.