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Questions and answers about safe sleeping and using our Curly Tops Sleeping bags
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What is a Baby sleeping bag?
A sleeping bag is a unique cross between a baby blanket and a traditional sleeping bag. It has the softness and the fabric weight of a traditional baby blanket, but is constructed much the same way as a sleeping bag with arm holes. |
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Why would I buy a sleeping bag instead of blankets?
The real question here is, why would you not want to use one? Sleeping bags and sleep suits have been tried and tested overseas for many years now, and are just beginning to increase in popularity here in Australia. They allow you to have peace of mind that your precious baby is sleeping in a safe environment, that they are consistently at the correct temperature, they don't have their legs dangling out the side of the cot, and they have not lost their blanket. The last thing you need at 3am in the morning is a baby screaming because they have lost their blanket and cannot get warm!!!
The benefits are endless! Remember, sleeping baby means happy parents
Why are the sleeping bags so long?
Don't worry your eyes are not deceiving you. The sleeping bags have been specifically designed to ensure that they have enough length for your baby to grow into them. Babies also love to kick, play and stand up in their cots, and the extra length at the bottom allows enough freedom of movement as would a normal blanket except you don't have the added worry of it falling off, or covering your baby's face.
Why don't you supply bags with sleeves?
It is essential that babies do not overheat during sleep, and therefore the sleeveless design allows for extra ventilation and ensures that the risk of overheating is kept at a minimum.
As an adult, if we get warm when we are sleeping we subconsciously move our arms so that they are outside of our quilt or blanket. We usually do this without even knowing. Babies also get hot and imagine how frustrating it would be if you could not get your arms out to cool down? |
How do I dress my baby and be confident that they are at the right temperature?
The rule of thumb here is to dress your baby just as you would dress yourself. PLEASE DO NOT OVERHEAT YOUR BABY as it can be extremely dangerous. It is suggested that you buy an inexpensive nursery thermometer and keep the babies room at a temperature of approximately 17 to 20 degrees Celsius. If the nursery temperature is kept at this level then we suggest that you dress your child in whatever is suitable for the season. For example, a Bonds Wondersuit or a pair of cotton pyjama's is perfect. If you feel that your baby might be cold then just add an extra layer of clothing. A quick way of checking to see if your baby is too hot or cold is to put your hand underneath their clothing either on their back or stomach. This is much more reliable than checking their hands because babies hands are not a good indication of temperature because the blood flow to this area is limited in the first few years.
In the warmer months it is suggested that your baby sleeps in a light weight summer bag, and depending on the temperature of the nursery the baby should be dressed in either short sleeves and shorts or a sleeveless and legless jumpsuit. If your baby feels clammy or sweaty then ensure that you remove a layer of clothing.
read more about our TOG ratings
When can I start using a sleeping bag or sleep suit?
Most maternal health care nurses in Australia suggest that your baby is swaddled (or wrapped) for the first 12 weeks.
Once your baby is 12 weeks, and happy to have more freedom we suggest going straight to a sleeping bag. It is not recommended that you use the sleeping bags until your baby is at least 3 months old.
How do I know what size to buy?
Always choose the appropriate size for your baby, making sure that they can not slip in or out of their bag. If you choose a larger size to save money you may be sacrificing a proper safe fit.
The most important aspect to consider when choosing sizes is to check the size of the neck. It is important that is neither too tight, or too loose. If you can pull the bag over the babies head when they are in the bag then you have chosen a size that is too big for your baby. All our sizes have been graded according to the average weight and height of Australian babies. So if your baby is particularly small or exceptionally large for its age group then choose the size that best fits your baby.
Never compromise on your baby's safety!
Please go to the PRODUCTS section of this website to see a full listing of available sizes. |
When do I stop using a sleeping bag?
You can use your sleeping bag right up to the time when you move your child from a cot into a bed.
How do your sleeping bags compare with your competitors?
All our sleeping bags have upside down YKK zips, quilted inside to stop the filling from moving after washing (quilted weights only), and are extra long to ensure that you get plenty of use out of your sleeping bags. Our quality is fantastic and our prices are extremely competitive. All our bags have been strictly tested for shrinkage, pilling, zip strength and colourfastness as per Australian standard.
Why is the use of a sleeping bag recommended for babies?
Sleeping bags are recommended predominantly for safety reasons. Worldwide health organisations, paediatricians, maternity hospitals and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) associations have been recommending the use of sleeping bags because of the danger of suffocation in soft, conventional bedding. Also the following should not be used for babies under 1 year:
blankets, duvets, pillows, cot bumpers, sheepskins, stuffed animals or any other loose bedding
Why are sleeping bags safe?
The special design ensures that your baby cannot:
become entangled, or slip down under, loose coverings and suffocate;
overheat baby's temperature is easy to control in the correct sleeping bag;
suffer leg injuries by getting caught between the cot railings.
Apart from safety, what are the other benefits of a baby sleeping bag?
You will be surprised that there are so many advantages:
Unlike blankets, which are frequently kicked off during sleep, the baby sleeping bag can neither be kicked off nor slip off yet allows plenty of room for kicking and wriggling. Hence baby remains warm and cosy and won't wake up from feeling cold, so no constant tucking in - a definite plus for the whole household in the middle of the night!
Nappy changing is easy with a sleeping bag you simply unzip it, swiftly deal with the change, and zip it up again, with hardly any change in temperature for your baby.
Night-time feeding is helped along by being able to lift your baby out of the cot in the sleeping bag which keeps her cosy throughout feeding and changing, and returning her to the cot with little change in temperature.
Babies soon associate the cosiness of their sleeping bags with sleep time and quickly settle down in their comfort zone in the same way as toddlers often consider a cot blanket as their comforter. This familiar association is particularly helpful when on holiday or for day-time naps.
Sleeping soundly in a cosy sleeping bag often extends the time between feeds.
How many sleeping bags do I need?
It will be easier with at least two sleeping bags, that is, one to wear, and one in the wash.
What is the difference between the Summer and Winter weighted sleeping bags?
The winter sleeping bags are quilted and allow for cosy sleeping all year round. They are a perfect weight and are quilted with a Dacron fill, which is great for allergy sufferers also.
The Summer sleeping bags do not have quilting inside. The extermal fabric is like T-shirt material so is beautifully soft to touch. The lining is 100% cotton fabric which allows for easy breathing to ensure that your baby does not overheat. If the temperature of the bedroom seems hotter than usual, then you can just put your baby in a nappy underneath. This is great as it ensures that on those balmy evenings, that you do not get up to find your baby without their nappy on (something they all learn how to do)!
It is a great idea to invest in both a quilted sleeping bag and a summer sleeping bag, especially for those more unpredictable climates. Just think how often you find yourself sleeping without your quilt......not very often I bet! |
When do I stop swaddling my baby? and how do I get them used to using a sleeping bag?
"Swaddling" means to wrap your baby snugly in a blanket for warmth and security. Some research suggests that swaddling your baby will help her to settle. This is because she will feel secure with the wrap containing her as the womb did before birth.
Swaddling can also keep your baby from being disturbed by his or her own startle reflex. It may also help keep your baby warm for the first few days of life until his internal thermostat kicks in.
At around 4 months of age you will find that your babies startle reflex slows down and that they may start to escape from their wrap during sleep. My little girl became 'houdini' at around this age, and I became very frightened that she would wake up with the wrap over her face. This is the perfect time to introduce a baby sleeping bag to the equation.
To ease the transition from being wrapped, to being in a sleeping bag, I wrapped her for a few nights with just one arm free. After one or two sleeps she got used to having one arm out, I then wrapped her with both her arms free for a day. I then popped her into her sleeping bag and never looked back!
Can I use any other bedding with my sleeping bag?
You should not use your Curly Tops baby sleeping bag with blankets and sheets. Sleeping bags are designed to replace the need for loose sheets and blankets and we do not reccommend that you use any other bedding in your babies cot.
The only other bedding required is a fitted sheet.
If your baby feels cold at night time, we suggest that you add an additional layer of clothing (ie singlet etc) underneath the sleeping bag, but always ensure that your child is at a comfortable temperature and that you do not overheat them!
Are your products low fire danger?
All of our products conform with Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1249:2003. This standard relates specifically to Children's nightware and is strictly monitored. Note that most of the clothes that your children wear are not monitored by these standards, and this is why you will see the labelling mainly on children's nightware - even if the fabrics used in producing these garments are the same.
Our pyjamas are labelled as 'low fire danger', Our sleeping bags are labelled as 'High Fire danger'. This labelling complies with the standards set by Standards Australia, and it must be noted that the standard has been revised to specifically include how we label baby sleeping bags. Most sleeping bags are classified as 'category 4' and MUST carry the high fire danger labels if they are permanently closed at the bottom by their inherent deign..
Be aware of manufacturers who claim that they have reduced fire hazard for their sleeping bags or label their sleeping bags 'styled to reduce fire hazard' - this is not part of the Australian standard AS/NZS 1249:2003, and most of these bags still need to carry the High Fire danger labels regardless of the fancy wording that they place on their garments or packaging.
Note that 100% cotton is a natural cellulose class of fibre, and all burn readily unless they are given adequate flame retardant chemical treatments. Because sleeping bags are a free flowing garment, and are not tightly fitting like most nightware garments such as sleep suits or pyjama's, means that they are classified as a category 4 garment and therefore must carry the 'High Fire danger label'.
Please note that we would like to remind our customers, especially in winter, not to put their children near heaters, open fire places, gas stove burners or electric hotplates, especially if they are wearing loose or flowing garments (daywear or nightware!). Our sleeping bags are intended for use in the cot only - they are not to be used as a dressing gown or as daywear.
Can I wash my Curly Tops sleeping bag?
Yes, our sleeping bags can be washed on a gentle cycle in your washing machine. Our bags can be tumble dried on a low heat setting if required (our labels state not to tumble dry but it is safe as long as you do so on a low setting). As with all 100% cotton products please allow for some shrinkage. To avoid shrinkage wash your Sleeping bag in cold water and hang to dry. We also recommend that you wash your baby sleeping bag prior to the first use. |
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