Rolling over and Sleep Sacks

My son is 3 and wears a sleep sack still. It's either a 4T or a 5T and my youngest is in sleep sacks right now also. I have never had a problem with them.

I'm with Peg. My daughter is 2 and she still wears a sleep sack. It keeps her covered and she's free to move around, even walk in it, and it's 100% safe.
My child never climbed out of her crib either...I wonder if there is a connection with the sleep sack? I never thought about it before....

once they can roll over it is ok to leave them how ever they roll - they have developed the neck muscles to prevent suffocation at that point. The sleep sack is safer then blankets would be as blankets could strangle him if they got wrapped around him, so keep him in that.

And to the person who said "how would you like to be bound" - infants PREFER to have a tight binding (swaddling) while sleeping. They have many reflexes that randomly fire and binding/swaddling controls those. They also feel more secure swaddled/bound. Infants sleep better swaddled, it's a proven scientific fact (there are actual studies that compare swaddled to unswaddled). I know the original poster probably knows this but since this was brought up I felt the need to address it since others read this advice later.

Hi R.,
I've been using a sleep sack on my son since he was about six months with no problems. He rolls over on his stomach and can now stand in it as well (he's now 22 months old) so I don't think we'll be able to use it much longer. It's worked out great for us and is part of his nap and night time routine. Unless the sleep sack is extremely too large for your child I don't think it poses a risk of smothering. The package actually indicates that it reduces the risk of SIDS because you don't have loose bedding in the crib. I know it can be overwhelming trying to determine the safest solution so good luck.

I also, don't understand Patti's comment. Sleep sacks are meant to BE safe and prevent SIDS, that's the point.

R., your son will be just fine. Sleep sacks are meant to be used for babies and toddlers alike. It also, as a few have mentioned, prevents the child from climbing out of crib as he gets older. Our 7mth old son is very comfortable in it and understands it at part of the bedtime routine. We went from swaddling to sleep sack at about 4 or 5 months.

We have had our 10month old in a sleep sack since she was born and never had an issue. She can roll over, sleep on her stomach, sit and pull herself up while in the sack. I am not sure the age of your child. If there is a lot of extra fabric is perhaps the size too large? There shouldn't be a lot of extra fabric around the neck or shoulders I think it is still a very safe option since the baby can't get a sleep sack around her face or neck.

As long as the sleep sack isn't loose at the neck and arms it is OK!

R.
Both of my daughters wore sleep sacks until they were close to 3 years old. Crazy I know but they worked for us. We never had a problem with rolling over and the sleep sacks. Also my girls never tried to climb out of their cribs as they got older, probably because of the sleep sacks. I think you are safe with the sleep sack.

As long as the neck and arms fit well, i think you're okay still.... He may just prefer sleeping on his tummy. My children do, and no matter how much I put them on their backs they still roll and sleep on their tummies. Our daughter still sleeps in a sleep sack for the warmth and she has even figured out how to stand up in it (she is 7mos). We haven't had any problems.

I don't understand Patti M's concern at all. Sleep sacks are not binding and they are safe if you have the correct size or even close, it would have to be huge to ride up enough to be a problem. If you have no loose bedding and no soft plush overlay on the mattress rolling onto stomach shouldn't be a problem.

All 3 of my kids used a sleep sack. Love them!!! They also never crawled out of their cribs..b/c of the sacks. my son is almost 2 1/2 and he still uses, in fact he asks for it at bedtime!

The whole point of a sleep sack is that it IS safe. They can't ride up to get trapped in front of a baby's face like a blanket. (Unless you're using one that is enormously too big)

PS thank you for letting your child roll and stay rolled--once they can do it on their own, with control, SIDS risk drops dramatically.

Ms. R., you didn't state how your baby was. If he is really young, I would not recommend the sleep sack for the main reason if he can roll over, there is a high rish for SIDS... and another thing, how would you like to be "bound" in a sack while you were sleeping?