While advertised as a year-round product, some find the Woolino too warm to use during the summer months. The Burt's Bees Baby Beekeeper is a lighter-weight fabric and could be a better fit for warmer climates. Because Woolino is a one-size-fits-all product, many parents feel there is too much fabric for younger infants and prefer to use it once their baby is older. One tester stated, “I feel like it swallowed my small baby.” It's machine washable, but you must follow special washing instructions to keep the thin, delicate wool in good condition. Last, it is expensive, sporting one of the highest price tags in this review. However, thanks to its high quality and multi-age fit, you only have to purchase one or two until your baby is ready to sleep with ordinary blankets. We believe that most families will be happy investing in the Woolino 4 Season Ulitmate sleep sack.
Like a traditional swaddle, diaper changes can be cumbersome. Our tester remarked, “I wish I could change a diaper without removing the entire blanket.” It's simpler than a conventional swaddle but more involved than zipper swaddles. The Ergobaby Swaddler allows for easier diaper changes without sacrificing a secure wrap. Due to the non-adjustable leg pocket at the bottom, extra-tall babies tend to outgrow the Miracle Blanket before the 14-week suggested age limit. Lastly, the arm flaps can end up under the baby's back, and all of the extra fabric can become lumpy under the baby's back. Some users find the material too light, but others like the flexibility to add layers rather than risk overheating with a heavier swaddle. Overall, we were impressed with the Miracle Blanket and would happily recommend it to anyone.
Unfortunately, the fabric is considerably thin and doesn't provide adequate warmth in colder environments. Our tester reported, “I can see how this might be too thin for colder climates or air-conditioned nurseries.” If temperature is a concern, consider the Burt's Bees warmer quilted option. This sleep sack also lacks convenient shoulder snaps, like those found on the Woolino 4 Season Ultimate, making it not quite as easy to put on. While the quality of the fabric is excellent, there are occasional complaints about loose threads and seams that come undone after a few washes. Because of the extra length, smaller babies may swim in the excess fabric, so be sure to take a look at the size guide to achieve a proper fit. Aside from this, we think that Burt's Bees makes an excellent organic sleep sack that will keep your baby happy.
Although we appreciate the ease of a Velcro system, some users mention that this hook-and-loop system lacks strength, particularly over time. Our tester noted, “In my experience, Velcro is less effective over time after frequent washing or the hooks getting clogged with fibers.” Also, there's a learning curve when first swaddling your baby. This product even comes with an instruction manual. A more straightforward option is the Love to Dream Swaddle UP, but not all babies will find the arms up position comfortable. With practice, we think you'll be a master of the Ergobaby Swaddler in no time. It's a great contender if you seek an ergonomic design and handy leg pocket for diaper changes.
The Love to Dream may not provide enough compression to soothe the youngest newborns, and some babies may not like the arms-up position or the zipper near their chin. If your newborn needs more soothing, the HALO SleepSack Swaddle is a great alternative. Additionally, some testers found the Love to Dream too snug — one said, “Sometimes I worry about the zipper catching on my baby's skin because of how tight the fit is. There's also not a lot of room for layering or a growing baby.” Love to Dream offers thicker fabric options for temperatures down to 61°F, but as your baby grows, you'll have to size up. Still, if ease of use is your top priority, most families will love the Swaddle UP.
We love these blankets, but you have to trust your swaddling skills. You don't want the wrap to come loose, an issue that is not present when using zippered swaddles. Our tester stated, “I struggled to create a tight swaddle that stayed put all night.” The Copper Pearl Swaddle is a stretchier fabric that makes it easier to create a snug-fitting swaddle, but it still requires some practice to master. The Aden + Anais is pricey, but we think it's worth it, considering its longevity, versatility, and the fact that you get multiple (which lowers the cost per blanket considerably). We love the Aden + Anais Classic Swaddle and would recommend it to anyone looking for a general-use blanket in addition to a swaddle.
We researched more than 25 potential contenders before narrowing it down to the top 14 swaddles and sleep sacks in this review. We considered popular choices and those with highly regarded design choices, like organic fabrics. We tested each product side-by-side to determine the best option for each stage of life and lifestyle choice. We considered quality, design, comfort, and features. We also enlisted multiple children from 2 to 13 months to help us test our products for fit, comfort, and durability.
Our review team is well versed in best baby sleep practices, and each member has contributed hours of research and hands-on experience. Our review is led by a board-certified pediatrician and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Juliet Spurrier, MD, who is also a mother of two. Dr. Spurrier applies her knowledge as a pediatrician to guide our selection process and research methods, focusing on the best safe sleep practices for babies. Senior Review Editor and mother of two, Wendy Schmitz, has applied her expertise to BabyGearLab reviews since .
Abriah Wofford and Lissette Velasquez also make up the swaddle team. Since joining BabyGearLab in , Senior Review Editor Abriah has tested hundreds of baby products and brings to the table experience as a nanny. Review Editor Lissette is a mother of two little ones and has spent countless sleepless hours optimizing her baby's nighttime routine to find the perfect swaddle and sleep sack for a full night of peaceful sleep.
Most babies love being swaddled. It can help newborns and infants fall asleep faster and help prevent the Moro reflex, which causes accidental waking at night. Sometimes, even after a baby outgrows the swaddling stage, they still enjoy being lightly cuddled by their sleepwear. Our review covers the details and differences between swaddles and sleepsacks and helps you decide when the right time to make the transition is. We can help you find the perfect swaddle for your infant or sleep sack for your growing toddler.
Quality materials and construction can set products apart and enable them to endure years of use, possibly through multiple children. Swaddle products are only used during the first 2-3 months of a baby's life, so they are usually much less expensive. Our favorite swaddles, the Ergobaby Swaddler and Miracle Blanket, offer a good balance between price and quality.
Sleep sacks are products that your child may potentially use until their later toddler years. With that in mind, it's a good idea to invest in a sleep sack that will fit your baby for an extended period and is durable enough to last. With the Woolino 4 Season Baby, your child can use it from two months up to two years and during all seasons. The Burt's Bees Baby Beekeeper is one of the most affordable sleep sacks we tested but still maintains a quality feel; however, you will have to buy different sizes to use as your baby grows and varying weights to use during different seasons.
Your baby's comfort should be the first consideration when choosing a sleep sack or swaddle. You want your little one to be as cozy as possible so everyone can get a good night's sleep.
Since we can't ask our 2-month-old testers how comfortable they are in a swaddle, we rely on observations such as the softness and breathability of the fabric. We also ensure there is adequate room for the baby's hips and legs to move freely. The presence of zippers and Velcro are less significant, but if they are near the baby's face or bare skin at any point, we give it a lower score.
The highest score is earned by the Aden+Anais Classic Swaddle and Copper Pearl Swaddle. Both of these options are free of Velcro, zippers, and seams that may cause any discomfort. As a traditional swaddle, they are fully adjustable, so you can tailor the wrap to suit your baby's size. The Aden + Anais cotton muslin gets softer over time, while the Copper Pearl's polyester/spandex blend is buttery smooth out of the box.
The least comfortable product we encountered is the Summer Infant SwaddleMe Pod. It is a lightweight fabric that does not provide much warmth, and the shape is narrow from shoulders to toes, not allowing much room in the leg area. The 2-way zipper is excellent for parent convenience, but the baby will have a zipper pull tab in their face all night.
We think it is good practice to know what you're putting near your baby's skin, especially when it's something they'll be wearing for 8+ hours a day. Our favorite swaddles and sleep sacks are made of natural materials such as cotton or wool and get more points if they are organic, like the Burt's Bees, Love to Dream, Woolino, and Happiest Baby.
Most swaddles and sleep sacks come with a temperature guide and recommendations for dressing your baby. Typically, this information is on the company's website or provided in the product's instructions. How you dress your baby will depend on the garment's weight and the nursery temperature. You should always choose the swaddle or sleep sack that best fits your situation and nursery. Some parents tuck their baby inside the product with nothing but a diaper to make nighttime diaper changes more straightforward, while others prefer to have a onesie underneath.
The different materials of the swaddles and sleep sacks also provide varying levels of warmth, and most manufacturers give a TOG rating for their products. A TOG is a measurement commonly used in the textile industry to measure a product's warmth. Sleepsacks with a rating of 0.5 are relatively lightweight and best for babies who live in mild climates or sleep in warm nurseries. These include the Burt's Bees, Ergobaby, Summer Infant, and Happiest Baby. The highest recommended TOG for baby sleepwear is 4.0, but a maximum rating of 2.5 should be sufficient in most homes.
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The Woolino 4 Season Baby is the only wearable blanket in this review with a wool lining. Wool is a breathable temperature-regulating fabric that helps keep the baby's body temperature stable and does not have a fixed TOG rating. This property makes it ideal for use in a variety of temperatures.
Many of the swaddles and sleep sacks in this review are more manageable than a traditional swath of fabric where you fold or wrap the swaddle yourself. They achieve this by using zippers, snaps, and even Velcro in various combinations to create a wearable blanket that is easier to use and takes little practice to master.
The difference in ease of use between swaddles can vary significantly. Classic square swaddle blankets take the most time to master but can become useful later on for other purposes, especially if you choose a high-quality and durable product. However, when you first learn how to wrap your baby, it can be confusing and frustrating. For this reason, the Aden + Anais Classic Swaddle earned the lowest score for this metric.
The Miracle Blanket and Ergobaby Swaddler have arm pockets that take some getting used to, but the learning curve is short, and the benefit is a more secure swaddle for Houdini babies. Using a zipper/wrap combination such as the HALO SleepSack Swaddle and Sleepea is easier to use, but some users complain that the swaddle is easier to break out of. If you choose a zipper-only swaddle like the Love to Dream or Summer Infant, the process is even more straightforward, though you will have to purchase several sizes to keep up with your fast-growing baby.
All the wearable blankets in this review have a zipper closure. Most have a reverse zipper that starts at the top and ends at the bottom, but some have a 2-way zipper that allows you to unzip from either end. While it seems like a small detail, we think you will appreciate this feature when you can perform midnight diaper changes without undressing your baby.
The Woolino 4 Season Ultimate is one of the easiest sleep sacks to use. The zipper is located on the side, which keeps it away from the baby's face and stomach. Additionally, it has a snap system and a handful of other features, such as a seatbelt opening that allows for easy transfers between the stroller, car seat, and crib.
Shoulder snaps come in handy when trying to dress a sleeping baby without waking them. You can lay your baby flat on the garment and wrap, zip, and snap around them rather than trying to force their arms through tiny armholes. Armpit snaps also allow one-size sleep sacks to grow with the baby, keeping the armholes snug but not too snug as they grow.
If having a simple laundry routine is higher up on your checklist, you will want to pay close attention to washing instructions. These are usually material-dependent, but most sleep sacks will stay in better condition if you zip them and turn them inside out before washing. Most wool and some cotton sacks need to be washed on a delicate or cold cycle and air-dried to avoid shrinking. Suppose you want to throw the blanket in the wash with the rest of the clothes and not add special instructions to your list of a million other things to worry about. In that case, products like the Burt's Bees Baby Beekeeper or the Miracle Blanket are excellent choices.
The amount of use your swaddle and sleep sack will receive can vary depending on your baby. If your baby is a light sleeper and will typically only stay asleep when following a strict routine, your swaddle will have to be able to withstand daily use and washings.
The Aden + Anais Classic Swaddle earned the highest score in this metric. It's high-quality, very durable, and can be used for a longer time. It also has more flexibility for uses outside of swaddling.
If you are looking for a product for occasional use, this metric may be less of a consideration for you. If you are in a pinch, Comfy Cubs Swaddle Blankets are the least durable, but they have a hard-to-beat price. The Summer Infant SwaddleMe Pod also didn't impress in this metric, but its price is compatible with the lower quality and might meet your needs depending on your goals.
Babies are not very good at regulating their temperature, especially in the first year of life. The ideal room temperature for a newborn is between 68° F and 72° F, and if you put a baby in multiple layers, they can be too warm. Most parents use sleep sacks and swaddles over clothing, and many come with instructions on how to dress a baby underneath, depending on the room temperature. A good rule of thumb is to add one more layer than you need to feel comfortable. Take care not to overdress the baby, though, as overheating can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
.General safe sleep practices should be followed for every sleep.
These are just basic safe sleep guidelines. Many additional tips and more in-depth explanations are available on how to protect your infant from SIDS and other causes of sleep-related deaths.
Finding the right swaddle or sleep sack can feel overwhelming when you aren't familiar with this kind of product. While you can swaddle your little one without considering all the options, products designed specifically for different situations, ages, and baby skill levels can make life easier. There are a few questions to ask before picking the best option, and the best option will change as your little one gets older or develops new skills.
Infants and young babies can be wrapped more securely in a swaddle, while bigger babies and those that can roll are better suited for a sleep sack where they have more mobility. As little one's age, their hip development can be affected by a tight swaddle, but newborns feel more secure when swaddled. This is why your journey starts with size, age, and ability. This helps cut the field in half. Do you need a swaddle or a sack?
Some of the products are for warmer climates, and some assume your home is a bit cooler. What option you choose should consider the climate of your baby's nursery and the time of year in your area. You don't want babies to be overheated or too cold, so you should choose based on temperature.
Features like a reversible zipper or the ability to more securely tuck arms inside might be useful depending on your situation or your baby. If you have a Houdini of a child, then you might need an option that is harder to wiggle out of. If you want to simplify overnight changes, a zipper that pulls up from the bottom so changes can be made without removing the swaddle or sack can be super useful.
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