Recently an expecting mom asked me what my least favorite baby product was. Initially, I thought “I don’t really have a least favorite” and then it occurred to me. My least favorite baby product is any swaddle other than the Halo Sleepsack Swaddle. Other swaddles were just not convenient, didn’t fit well, and were too complicated to figure out at 2 am when everyone’s exhausted. I also never got the whole muslin blanket obsession. They’re expensive (for a thin blanket) and completely DIY. Again, not user-friendly at 2 am. Seriously, they all suck except Halo. I love Halo. Halo Swaddles are hands down the best swaddle to get baby to sleep!
Best Swaddle to Get Baby to Sleep: Halo SleepSack Swaddle
When registering, I really didn’t have any clue what to look for in a swaddle so I registered for a few different options. We received several thin blanket swaddles, 2 Summer Infant SwaddleMe Original Swaddles, and a fleece Halo SleepSack Swaddle. We also received a Halo Swaddle in the hospital so that was our first introduction to them. We used both blankets and a Halo Swaddle in the hospital and were comfortable with both though you’re still waking up every couple hours to nurse so the actual effectiveness was yet to be seen.
When we got home from the hospital we continued using a variety and I tried using the SwaddleMe Original Swaddle for the first time. Keyword tried. I was completely lost. Still to this day I have a hard time putting it on. There is just something about the location of the Velcro on the sack that didn’t work for me or our son. With a tiny baby they just really don’t fit well. The Velcro on the sac was near his feet and it just didn’t all come together easily in my sleep deprived haze.
Tips for Finding the Best Swaddle Sacks
As time went on and our son was able to sleep longer between feedings a good swaddle became critical to our survival (at least it felt like it at the time). This is when I stopped using a blanket and got real about the convenience of a swaddling sack. They’re just so much easier when you can hardly see straight. I also did a little more research on swaddles in the first couple weeks to find the best swaddle to get baby to sleep. A few key points I used to pick the best swaddle sacks.
Best Swaddle Sacks to get Baby to Sleep
- Room in the hips and legs for movement is important for proper knee and hip joint development. Some swaddles are tight all the way down and this can cause hip dysplasia in infants.
- Oversized Velcro fasteners are key for extending use. Babies grow quickly. You want to be able to use a swaddle as they get larger and not have to buy a new swaddle every few weeks.
- Bottom open zippers allow for quick diaper changes.
- Variations in how you can use the swaddle allow for transitioning and for extended use. Arms in, hands to face, 1 arm out, and both arms out are all necessary for swaddle transitioning.
- Proper weight for the season is important so baby doesn’t get too cold or overheat (Halo offers Muslin, Cotton, Fleece, Velboa)
My first point greatly limits the number of healthy swaddles. It also rules out blanket swaddling since that is often tight from head to toe. After doing the research it was clear, the best swaddle to get baby to sleep is the Halo Sleepsack Swaddle. It hits ever point listed above and comes in several fabrics for every season. I ordered an extra because blowouts happen, day and night.
Halo Sleepsack Swaddle Wrap Options
We swaddled our little guy arms in using the Halo Swaddle for the first several weeks. He was waking up a few times a night to eat at this point. We started doing hands to the face around 6 weeks when he started sucking his hands and self-soothing and he progressed to waking up once or twice a night to eat. He eventually started breaking free from hands to the face (though not waking himself up) so we started swaddling arms out at 2 months. He was a wonderful sleeper getting 8-10 hours of sleep each night. It was glorious.
Halo SleepSack Swaddle Arms Out for Rolling Babies
At 3.5 months we encountered the dreaded 4-month sleep regression. Since we were already swaddling arms out we didn’t want to go backward with the Halo so we decided to try the Baby Merlin Magic Sleepsuit to get him to sleep through the night again. It worked wonders! Read my Baby Merlin Magic Sleepsuit Review on the blog as well. After a few weeks of exclusively using the Baby Merlin, we started transitioning to the Halo Swaddle during daytime naps. I knew the Baby Merlin would be short lived because it was only a matter of time before he was rolling over. Sure enough at around 5 months, he was rolling both tummy to back and back to tummy so we had to scrap the Merlin and transition back to the Halo.
The Halo Sleepsack Swaddle for Transitioning out of the Baby Merlin Magic Sleepsuit
We’re currently using the Halo SleepSack Swaddle to “hug” our little guy, arms out, during naps and for bedtime. The first day completely without the Merlin he napped for 3 hours straight. THREE HOURS! That night he slept through the night only waking for a short time to find his pacifier. I was so nervous we were going to get no sleep and I couldn’t have been happier. The wrap on the swaddle helps keep him cozy but having arms out makes it safe (according to my pediatrician) for a rolling baby. It’s just the best swaddle to get baby to sleep. We’ll continue using the swaddle for a few more weeks and eventually transition him to a Halo SleepSack Wearable Blanket just to keep him warm enough at night.
Halo SleepSack Swaddles are the Only Swaddles Worth Buying
I mean really, the pricing, especially if purchasing on Amazon, is pretty reasonable (as low as $15). It’s worth it, in the end, to save your sleep and sanity by just using the Halo SleepSack Swaddles. When they are the proper size and used correctly they are safe for baby and make them so snuggled they’ll sleep like a dream! They are hands down the best swaddle to get baby to sleep!
Are you a Halo SleepSack Swaddle Lover?
Share your best baby swaddle reviews in the comments below!
Until next time,
XO,
Meg
