Buying guide
How to choose a sleeping bag for your baby
What TOG means, what thickness to choose by room temperature, how to check the size at the neck and what to dress your baby in underneath, so they don’t overheat.
In short
- A sleeping bag replaces the blanket – it can’t end up over your child’s face and can’t be kicked off.
- Thickness is measured in TOG and chosen by the temperature in the room, not by the season outside.
- Check the size at the neck and the arms. Your child’s head must not be able to slip inside.
- Two of the same thickness are enough. Avoid weighted bags and ones with a hood.
The sleeping bag is the simple answer to a question every parent asks on the first night: what do I cover them with? The safe sleep rules call for an empty cot, with no blankets or duvets, and the bag does their job without their risks. It is a cheap item, but if chosen wrongly – too thick or too big – it loses its whole point.
We start from the same recommendations as in the guide to cots: sleep on the back, on a firm surface, with nothing soft around and no overheating.
What thickness to choose
Bag thickness is expressed in TOG. You choose by the temperature in the room where your child sleeps, measured with a room thermometer, not by what it’s like outside.
| Room temperature | Approximate TOG | What to dress them in underneath |
|---|---|---|
| Over 24 °C | 0.5 | Short-sleeved bodysuit or just a nappy |
| 20–24 °C | 1.0 | Short- or long-sleeved bodysuit |
| 18–20 °C | 2.5 | Long-sleeved bodysuit or thin pyjamas |
| 16–18 °C | 2.5 | Bodysuit and full pyjamas |
For sleep, a cool room is better than a warm one: ideally 16–20 °C. The table is a starting point (see also our advice on layering in newborn clothes and baby outdoors in summer and winter). Children differ, homes differ. The real check is done with your palm, on the nape or chest: warm and dry is fine; hot or sweaty means one layer less.
For most flats in Romania, heated in winter to 21–23 °C, a 1.0 TOG bag covers a large part of the year, and a 0.5 TOG one the summers without air conditioning. The 2.5 TOG bag makes sense if the bedroom is really cool.
Size: check it at the neck
A sleeping bag isn’t bought “so it’ll still fit next year”. One that is too big is the only way a bag becomes dangerous: your child can slip down into it, with their head under the neck opening.
- The neck. With the bag fastened, one or two fingers fit between the fabric and your child’s neck, no more. The head must not be able to pass back through the opening.
- The arms. The armholes are snug enough that they can’t pull an arm inside.
- The length. Their legs have room to move and bend like a frog; the bag isn’t tight on the hips.
- The minimum weight. Many bags in the 0–6 months size are declared only from 3.5–4 kg. For a small newborn, look for the newborn size or ask the manufacturer.
What else to check
- No hood and no high collar. The head stays uncovered during sleep.
- No sleeves or with detachable sleeves. Free arms help the body lose heat. Bags with sleeves are for cold rooms.
- Protected zip, with a flap at the top end, so it doesn’t touch the chin. One that opens from the bottom makes night changes simpler.
- Cotton or another breathable material, outside and in the lining.
- Conformity to EN 16781, the European standard for children’s sleeping bags.
- A slot for the harness, if you want to use it in the pushchair too. In the car seat, the harness is tightened over thin clothes, not over a thick bag.
Swaddling and swaddle bags
Some newborns sleep more peacefully swaddled, with their arms held in. If you choose this, a few things are non-negotiable: your baby sleeps only on their back, the swaddle is loose on the hips, and at the first signs they are trying to roll over you stop and switch to a bag with free arms. Ask your paediatrician if you have doubts.
How many you need
Two, of the same thickness, in the current size: one on your child, one in the wash or as a spare for a night with an accident. Add a third, of a different thickness, when the season changes. Bags are easy to find second-hand and are a good choice, if the zip works and the fabric isn’t worn thin.
Our recommendation
For a newborn in an ordinary flat: two 1.0 TOG bags, in cotton, without sleeves and without a hood, in their current size, and a room thermometer. Check the neck with two fingers and the nape with your palm. The rest – patterns, colours, brands – matters far less than these two gestures.
Frequently asked questions
What does TOG mean on a sleeping bag?
TOG is a unit of measurement for the thermal insulation of a textile. The higher the value, the warmer the bag. Baby sleeping bags are usually between 0.5 TOG (summer, warm rooms) and 2.5 TOG (cool rooms). Above 2.5 TOG is rarely needed in a heated home.
How do I know whether my baby is too hot or too cold?
Put your palm on your child’s nape or chest. If the skin is hot or sweaty, take off a layer. Cold hands and feet are not a reliable sign – in babies they are often cold even when the body is at the right temperature.
Are weighted sleeping bags safe?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends not using weighted sleeping bags, swaddles or blankets for babies. There is no evidence that they are safe, and weight on the chest can make breathing harder. Choose an ordinary bag, in your child’s size.
Think it could help someone else?
Send the guide to your partner or to a friend who is expecting a baby.