Cocoon Swaddle Bag 2.5 TOG Picnic

In the early days after birth, a newborn will experience a startle reflex. This reflex causes the hands and body to jerk during sleep, and this action can often wake or unsettle them. Using a swaddle can help contain this sudden movement and prevent waking. Swaddling can also soothe and settle them to sleep by providing a feeling of containment, similar to their experience in the confined space of a womb. Our Cocoon Swaddle Bag also has the following benefits:

• Keeping baby’s body warm in the early stages when their ability to regulate body temperature is still developing.
• A hug! A baby would love to spend the whole night bundled up in their parent’s warm arms so swaddles help create that sensation of being hugged.
• Can help a baby focus on feeding by keeping their arms and legs out of the way.
• Prevents baby from scratching themselves with their nails.
• Swaddling = a longer sleep for everyone!

You would choose a suitable TOG based on the temperature of the room your baby is sleeping in.

To take the guesswork out of dressing your little one for sleep, please check our room temperature and What to Wear Guide to help you decide the right TOG rating, and how to layer underneath

It is important that you choose the right size for your baby’s weight. Please do not be tempted to upsize, to get more wear out of the swaddle. You can follow our Size Guideto see what size will be best suited for your baby. If you are pregnant, we suggested buying one Newborn size, and one 0-3 months size.

We recommend that you start with at least two Cocoon Swaddle Bags, one to wear and one in the wash. A baby can be a messy creature with leaking nappies and spitting up milk! If you are tacking different room temperatures in the day, opt for two in each TOG rating

1. Open the Cocoon and lay on a low, flat surface
2. Lay your baby on top, and zip up from the bottom. You can choose to have their arms down at their side, or across their chest when you zip up based on sleeping preference.
3. To change their nappy, zip up from the bottom to release their legs and lower torso. You do not need to fully upzip the Cocoon, or release their arms, for this.
4. To transition to arms-out sleeping, open the arm-poppers at the shoulders before dressing your child in the Cocoon.
5. Sleep your child in their Cocoon Swaddle Bag with their feet touching the end of their bassinet or cot.

Our swaddles are made from a stretchy fabric to allow for natural arm movement, but a baby won't be able to get their arms all the way up to the sides of their head in an ergoPouch Cocoon Swaddle Bag when in the 'arms-in' position. If your newborn baby prefers to sleep arms-out or hands-up by their face (i.e. not swaddled) – that’s OK! Simply open the arm poppers of the Cocoon Swaddle Bag to let their arms out. You can keep them like this, or dress them in a Butterfly Cardi over the top of their Cocoon Swaddle Bag if they still have a strong startle reflext, but like their hands positioned near their face during sleep. Not matter which you choose to have their arms, the Cocoon Swaddle Bag is still the warmest, safest solution for non-swaddled newborn babies during sleep.

The neck must be fitted to avoid a baby’s head slipping down into the swaddle. To check for correct fit, you should be able to fit two fingers in the neck hole when being worn.
Swaddles should be firm across the torso whilst still allow for full chest expansion when breathing, as those little ribs are still very soft and bendy so an overly enthusiastic swaddle has the potential to be too tight across the chest.
The swaddle should be loose around the hips and legs, allowing them to flop outwards in a frog-like position while the baby sleeps. Tight swaddling across the hips that hold the legs together is thought to contribute to and increase risk of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).
Babies don’t regulate their body heat very well and rely on their coverings to keep them warm but not hot. Do not overdress a baby underneath their swaddle and never cover their head at sleep time (e.g. with a hat or beanie). Chose a TOG rated swaddle such as our Cocoon Swaddle Bag to avoid using loose blankets in baby's sleep space, as they are bulky and have the potential to overheat a baby or cause suffocation. Remove any other suffocation hazards such as toys or cot bumpers from the sleep space.
Swaddling needs to be secure, without any chance of fabric draping over the baby’s face.