Baby sleep sacks, also known as wearable blankets, have been an essential parenting item ever since the American Academy of Pediatrics cautioned against leaving loose blankets in your baby’s crib. To make sure you know everything about keeping your little one safe while slumbering, we spoke to the expert on baby sleep health, Dr. Harvey Karp, M.D., author of The Happiest Baby on the Block.
WHAT TO CONSIDER
According to Karp, “There’s nothing wrong with using a blanket to swaddle your baby — parents have been swaddling from scratch for centuries! But using a simple, zip-up sleep sack can make the origami-like task of baby-wrapping a whole lot easier for sleep-deprived parents.”
Fit
Parents and Karp understand that “sacks add a little extra parental peace of mind, since they can’t unravel and accidentally get wrapped around the baby’s face,” which is why they should fit properly. Alas, there’s no universal sizing, so you have to check and double-check.
He adds that “like blankets, baby sleep sacks are designed to hold the arms nice and snug, while still allowing the baby’s hips enough room for full motion. This is important because if parents inadvertently wrap the blanket too tightly, it can actually hurt the baby’s developing hip joint.”
Ease for Parents
And let’s not forget, it’s a baby that’s wearing this. Baby sleep sacks should be easy to open for diaper changes, such as the Primary sleep sack, and easy to clean when the inevitable leak or blowout happens, like the TILLYOU sleep sack. Price is important too, but you’ll find that some of the pricier sleep sacks offer features like shaped arms and natural fibers.
HOW WE CHOSE
I spoke to parents, retailers, and manufacturers to find the easiest, best, and safest sleep sacks on the market. They were evaluated for ease of opening, ease of cleaning, value, and how long it takes babies to get out of each baby sleep sack. (It will happen eventually, and sadly, duct tape is frowned upon.)
It should be noted that all of these sleep sacks are in compliance with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) recent guidance regarding safe baby sleeping that discourages the use of any type of weighted sleeper.
- Sizes Available: 5 to 25 pounds
- Material: Organic cotton
Treat your babe’s delicate skin to this 100% organic cotton sleep sack from Burt’s Bees. The inverted zipper, accessible from both the top and the bottom of the sack, means quick-and-easy diaper changes.
Adorned with sweet little bees, this cozy insulated sack will keep the chill out and the warmth in for a comfortable, blanket-free night’s rest.
- Sizes Available: 2 months to 2 years
- Material: Merino wool
Your baby will be absolutely obsessed with the plush softness of this merino wool-lined sleeping sack from Woolino.
Breathable and designed to be worn all the way up to 2 years old, the Woolino sleeping sack keeps your babe’s temperature regulated throughout the seasons without the hassle of blankets. Your babe can move from the crib to the car and back again with the easy-to-use seatbelt slots on the front.
- Sizes Available: Newborn to 28 pounds
- Material: Polyester micro-fleece
The Halo SleepSack is made of cozy micro-fleece, and it’s the only swaddle that adjusts three ways to fit your baby as they grow.
Your baby can keep their arms in or out, so it will never feel too constricting. Then, when your baby gets bigger, it can be used as a wearable blanket.
- Sizes Available: 5 to 24 pounds
- Materials: Cotton and elastane
Since some babies like to sleep with their hands up in the air and near their faces, the Love to Dream Swaddle Up allows your baby to safely place their hands and arms in a comfortable position while limiting their Moro reflex.
As your newborn is getting used to sleeping outside of the womb, this swaddle sleep sack encourages them to embrace self-soothing by giving their tiny hands free rein. Parents love how this gives them the option to immobilize their little ones without them knowing it.
- Sizes Available: 5 through 28 pounds
- Materials: Polyester fleece
This extra-roomy sleep sack is the perfect blanket replacement for a baby who’s totally anti-swaddle. Made of soft and breathable micro-fleece material, your little angel will feel cozy from summer to winter.
It’s one of Amazon’s most popular sleep sacks — and parents just love how durable it is. You can wash and dry this a million times, and it just gets softer.
Reviewers also love how big the bottom of this sleep sack is, noting that babies have plenty of space to kick around, and even pull themselves up as they learn to stand.
- Sizes Available: Newborn to 36 months
- Materials: Cotton exterior, polyester interior
Your baby isn’t old enough for sleepovers just yet, so for now, zip her up in this quilted sleep nest that looks just like a sleeping bag. The handy shoulder snaps make getting them into the bag a total snap. It’s perfect for camping and cool nights, too.
- Sizes Available: Newborn to 9 months
- Materials: Polyester
Babies keep toasty and safe with this pair of affordable sleep sacks from Carter’s. The adorable animal print sleeper is essentially a blanket with sleeves, making it wonderful for cooler environments or babies who don’t love wearing anything under their sleeper.
This is pure convenience. Throw it over a diaper and you’re good. Parents love how much use they get out of these, because they’re really a one-step sleep sack with a clever bottom-up zipper for easy diaper changes.