Do sleepsacks restrict mobility?

[BabyBsMommy]

This question is posed to those of you whose lo's sleep in a sleepsack/grobag and have gotten to the point where they are mobile through the day (pulling self into sitting position, pulling up, crawling, even beginning to walk).  I am wondering what you have found has happened in the crib when your lo is in their sack?  My ds is almost 8 mos, doing the worm all over the house and sitting very well...  I am wondering if he will be able to move around in his crib within his grobag or not and whether that is a good thing or not in either situation.

[Shdef]

Well, the advise Penelope Leach gave on that topic is... If your bubba is used to a grobag don't take it away when LO gets mobile. It reduces the movements and can calm down because they can't climb out the cot etc... If you haven't used one before don't introduce it to a baby that gets mobile.

We always used one and still are and DS sleeps better since he has got mobile... So if you use it now keep using it

Good luck

[branwen]

We started with the grobag at 7 months.  I think it does limit them, but my dd can stand, pull up, roll, etc.  I don't think she can walk though in it.   I'm not sure it has limited her exactly??  we love it, and I just moved her to the toddler bag, thru 36 months.  She doesn't seem to mind the restriction?  She has been trying to unzip herself lately though, and will ask to see her feet when she wakes from a nap. 

[Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)]

I have dd in one since she was about 6 months. They do limit in a certain way, as in they can still sit up, remember doing a whole nap time of putting her back down  , they can roll around as much as they want and I used to find dd at either end of the bed at any time.  DD can now stand up in hers but she has been walking for almost 10 months and it's only in the last few she can stand up in it or at least decided to. The best part of it though is that she can stand but she can't lift that leg up to try and climb out  so I will keep her in it as long as possible. She is in a 6-36 months one so has hopefully another year in it if she doesn't move to a big bed. Oh yes, she too would like to unzip it but it zips from top to bottom so bit difficult for her. Branwen when I take it off she says hi to her feet  and we have to kiss them before they go into the bag

[BabyBsMommy]

Thanks for your feedback so far.  I guess I wasn't so concerned about them not being able to move around as much so much as if it caused extra problems with sleep times when they wanted to move around.  DS has been in a sleep sack since around 6 mos as well when we transitioned to it from the swaddle.  He is at the point where he is sitting independently and worming around on the floor so I know big leaps in mobility are coming fast and just wanted a bit of an idea of what to expect with him being in the sleepsack after hearing all of the stories of babies taking ages to go to sleep because they are crawling all over or pulling up and can't get back down.  I never thought about whether they'd be able to climb out but I guess not which is a good thing since my little beetle bug is already quite an active little monkey!

[jasmynesmum]

This is very interesting to me.  Right now LO is sleeping only in pajamas, but we are going 'home' to England for 3 weeks and was contemplating buying sleep sack due to the change in climate.  We currently live in Florida.  I know you have all mentioned not introducing them if they have not slept in one before....  Branwen - did your LO resist bag at first introduction?

[Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)]

Jaysmnesmum, I put dd into hers at about 6.5 months and she did fine with it, think she was in a half swaddle under arms until then. Like you I did it when we went to Ireland and the weather was a good bit colder and she did fine. I think I started with her nap time as opposed to nighttime the first time I used it.

[jasmynesmum]

OK thanks Leahsmom!

[BabyBsMommy]

I would definitely try it out before you go to make sure she will sleep in it and I agree that naps are always the best time to try!

[BabyBsMommy]

   Ah yes, the roll.....   Brenden has just realized he can roll from his back to his tummy in his sleep sack but he hates to sleep on his tummy and ends up worming his way around his crib until he gets stuck and can't get back onto his back to go to sleep so he gets mad and starts to scream.  Two nights ago we dealt with this for 1.5 hours at bedtime before he finally went to sleep followed by another 1.5 hour session that lasted from 3:00am-4:30am. Last night he only rolled once and then again about half way but got stuck at the side of the crib so he must have realized it just wasn't worth it and was asleep withing 25 min of us putting him down.  Yesterday we were bracing for the same at naptime but he didn't do it, in fact went to sleep quieter than he has in weeks and same with this morning but he had been down for about 20 min for his afternoon nap just now when I heard squeals and went in and he was playing on his tummy again!     Rolled him back and he's asleep now!  Funny but annoying at the same time!