Question: What is a Baby Sleeper (or Blanket Sleeper)? Answer: An
infant or baby sleeper is a one-piece outfit for night-time that helps
keep baby warm and comfortable without blankets. Infant sleepers may
also be called stretch-suits, and thicker versions may be called blanket
sleepers. Thick blankets and bedding are not recommended for babies
because of the risk of suffocation, but newborn babies still need to be
protected from chilly night air. That's where the infant sleeper comes
in handy. These garments usually have long sleeves and long legs to
chase away chills. Often, sleepers even cover a baby's feet, and many
feature snaps at the legs to make diaper changes easier. Sleepers come
in a variety of materials, from airy cotton to thick fleece, which means
there is an infant sleeper for any season.
One of the most popular baby sleeper types is the Gerber Blanket Sleeper (Buy on Amazon.com), which is available in loads of patterns and colors for boys and girls from newborn through toddlers.
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How to Choose a Blanket Sleeper
When choosing a blanket
sleeper for your baby, there are a few things to consider. First is
night time diaper changes. Choose a blanket sleeper that opens fully at
the bottom so that you don't need to fight with it to take off a yucky
diaper. Baby and child pajamas are supposed to be tight fitting or made
of flame-retardant fabric to meet federal safety standards. If the
blanket sleeper is of the tight-fitting style, take an extra minute to
evaluate the diaper change situation! Zippers that open the front of the
sleeper fully and extend down one leg might work, but may also wake
your baby when they're opened and cooler air flows inside the whole
thing.
Make sure the fabric is easy to wash and dry. Nighttime diaper accidents and spit up can happen often in the first months. Quick clean up and non-fussy washing instructions
are essential. If the sleeper is intended to be worn alone, check to
see if there are any exposed zippers or snaps that might feel rough
against baby's skin, and see if the fabric is soft on the inside, as
well.
Keep in mind that your baby only needs to be a little warmer
than you do at night. The usual daytime advice is one layer more than
the adults are wearing. That means, unless you're sleeping outdoors in
the winter, your baby probably doesn't need three layers of ultra polar
fleece to be comfortable at night. Overly heavy blanket sleepers could
overheat your baby, which isn't healthy, and could result in a very
sweaty and miserable baby, too.
Wearable Blanket Style
A
newer style of blanket sleeper is the sleep sack or sleep bag. These
sleepers also take the place of a separate blanket for your baby, but
they are used over the top of regular lightweight pajamas. The bottom of
the sleep sack doesn't have separate leg compartments, but instead is
like an enclosed skirt. This style is also known as a wearable blanket. Some wearable blankets are also designed to swaddle your baby.
Sleepers for Older Babies
Sleepers
are a good choice for older babies and toddlers, too, especially those
who move around a lot and kick off their sheets or covers. For babies
who are mobile, the wearable blanket style might be hard to walk in if
your little one can get out of bed on his or her own. Make sure your
little one can walk easily in the sleeper if he or she is likely to
wander down the hall at night. If the sleeper has enclosed feet, be sure
there's non-slip coating on them to prevent those little feet from
skidding around in the dark.
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