Winter has arrived.

The heaters are starting to be switched on night, I’m curling up with a warm rug on our couch and sipping tea. Just settling in for long cold nights ahead.

With winter upon us, I often worry if my tot is warm enough- particularly when she is moving up and down her cot each night like she is on a crazy funpark ride.

This is when sleeping bags are great. You know they will be warm enough, whatever funny position they find themselves in.

So where do you start?

Firstly, I thought I would share some of the great insights and recommendations parents have shared on Mamma Raj Says to help you when you are shopping around for a sleeping bag:

• Have a back up for when your sleeping bag gets dirty in the middle of the night, and/or are in the wash, the winter ones take a long time to dry and often cannot be tumble dried
• Don’t be put off by how long the sleeping bags look – it’s amazing how quickly babies grow!
• Shop around – the most expensive doesn’t always mean they are the best
• No buttons. One zip. Consider sleeves when your bub is younger (check the fit of arms always first before buying), without sleeves 1-2 years
• Buy different weights /TOGS for temperature variants
• Make sure the zipper at the top of the sleeping bag has a little cover to avoid the zipper scratching your baby/ distracting them going to sleep
• Consider the versatile bags (with a slot at the bottom) that can be use in car seats/ prams to help you transfer your tot without taking them out of the bag
• Make sure it is SIDS compliant – no hood!

And here are some recommended brands from our parents surveyed to help you put together a shortlist when shopping for your child’s sleeping bags:

1. GroBag

Overall this brand was the most recognised and recommended by parents.  Parents all agreed that GroBags are made of great quality although you pay for this with their high end price tag. If you’re finding it hard to choose which ones you need, you can grab a their night and day pack, which contain one lightweight and one winter weight bag in coordinating fabrics. They’re a great way to have both naptime and night time covered. Check out these products from our affiliate Baby Village.

2. Bonds

Made of soft stretchy fabric BONDS has a number of different sleeping bags for all ages/ seasons. This brand was a favourite with parents due to the price tag and quality. This also include cozy cuffs to help stop babies from scratching at night. To find out more and buy online, check out their website  http://www.bonds.com.au/baby/sleepwear/sleeping-bags.html

3. Ergobaby/ergoPouch Australia

Ergobaby have a sleeping bag to suit every season, made from natural fibres to help regulate your baby’s temperature throughout the night. Fillings are pure organic cotton or bamboo. Their ergoPouch baby sleeping bags are designed with unique stretch inserts at the sides and at the shoulder to allow your little one to move freely and comfortably while they sleep. Parents highly  recommended the great swaddles for newborns/infants to keep them all wrapped up and warm. Check out these products from our affiliate Baby Village

4. Woolbabe

Woolbabe has a great product called “3 -seasons” bags. These bags are super versatile and can be used in bedrooms 18 to 30 degrees. They have 2 layers of super soft merino/ cotton woolbabe fabric to help your tot stay just at the right temperature all night. In addition they have a many other products as well all made from 100% natural products with a practical design to boot. Check out their website: http://www.woolbabe.com/

So what is a TOG?

Once again I swear being a parent , I have come across another language. Before kids, I had no idea what a TOG was. What is this thing parents refer to as a “TOG”?

Basically the TOG indicates approximately how many blankets the sleeping bag is  equivilent to. the higher the TOG, the warmer the sleeping bag.

As a guide:

• Bags with rating 1.2 or below are for spring/summer use.
• Bags with rating 2-2.5 are for autumn/winter.

Right, moving on from TOG and onto my cup of tea for the night. Good night! Wish you sleep tonight!
Are you a lover of sleeping bags? Any that you would recommend that are not included on this list?