How to swaddle a baby using the Cocoon Swaddle Sack

Included in your Cocoon Swaddle Sack packaging is a Room Thermometer and Dressing Guide. Place the thermometer in your baby's sleep environment to check room temperature. Once room temperature is established, use the table to guide you on the correct TOG and under-Layers combination. The Cocoon Swaddle Sack comes in three different TOGs to ensure your baby is comfortable no matter the room temperature. Our organic cotton fibers are excellent at keeping your baby warm, while being breathable to maintain a comfortable and safe sleeping temperature.

It is normal for a newborn baby's extremities to feel cold to the touch during sleep, as their circulatory system develops. Their body is prioritizing blood flow to keep the core warm and supply blood to vital organs. A better test for your baby's warmth is to put your hand to the skin on their nape or chest. If their skin feels warm and dry to touch in these areas, your baby is warm enough during sleep despite cold hands. If your baby feels cool to touch on the nape or chest, they are too cold and may need to go up a TOG in the swaddle, or need extra layers underneath. If they feel sticky or hot to touch, they are overheating and require less layers or a lower TOG rating for their swaddle.

Absolutely! The Cocoon Swaddle Sack is designed to be worn arms in or out. Not all babies like to be swaddled, and if your baby is fussy when putting the swaddle on or fighting it during sleep, try releasing their arms using the snap closures. Your newborn will still be sleeping safely in a TOG-rated sleep sack that is appropriate for their age and stage.

When the correct size for your child's weight is used, the Cocoon Swaddle Sack should be a firm fit to control the startle reflex, but should not cause chest compression. Every Cocoon Swaddle Sack is made with stretchy elastane for both comfort and to enable unrestricted breathing when used with arms in or out.

When using the Cocoon Swaddle Sack as an arms in swaddle, it is safe to use until your baby shows signs of rolling over. Once your little one shows signs of rolling, it’s time to transition to arms out sleeping for their safety. Simply open the snap closures and transition one arm out at a time over several days. As an arms out sleep sack, the Cocoon Swaddle Sack can be used as a safe sleep sack up to 12 months old; simply follow our Size Guide to ensure you are using the correct size for your baby's weight.

This is optional, but the short answer is no. Your baby can remain swaddled for a feed, but you may wish to unswaddle for comfort and burping. You do not need to remove the swaddle for diaper changes. Simply unzip the swaddle from the bottom to release the legs and change a diaper.

The Cocoon Swaddle Sack can be worn if sleeping in a bassinet-style stroller attachment or travel bassinet/crib, but cannot be used in a five point harness. Please do not put your baby in a car seat wearing the Cocoon Swaddle Sack.

baby won't be able to get their arms all the way up to the sides of their head in an ergoPouch Cocoon Swaddle Sack. Instead, our swaddles are made from a stretchy fabric to allow for natural arm movement around the body. We find that babies will wriggle their arms and hands into a position that is most comfortable for them. The sack is stretchy enough for your baby to bring their hand to their mouth for self-soothing if they are inclined. If your newborn baby prefers to sleep arms out (i.e. not swaddled) – that’s OK! Simply open the snap closures to let their arms out. The Cocoon Swaddle Sack is still the warmest, safest solution for non-swaddled newborn babies during sleep.

We recommend that you start with at least two Cocoon Swaddle Sacks, one to wear and one in the wash. A baby can be a messy creature with leaking diapers and spitting up milk constantly! If baby's room is warmer during the day and cooler overnight, opt for two swaddles in each TOG rating. For example, two 1.0 TOG swaddles and two 2.5 TOG swaddles during cooler months, or two 0.2 TOG swaddles and two 1.0 TOG swaddles in warmer months. You can use the cooler TOG rating for day sleeps, and the warmer TOG rating for night sleeps.

The Cocoon Swaddle Sack does not come in a higher tog than a 2.5 TOG. This is reduce the risk of overheating, by dressing a baby too warmly for sleep. A young baby cannot regulate their body temperature like an older child or adult does, and has not yet developed the ability to sweat if they are too hot. If you are finding your baby is waking by being too cold, consider increasing their Layers underneath, or using a light layer such as the Baby Tuck Sheet on top (for babies not yet rolling).

Once your baby is sleeping arms out and older than 12 weeks, a 3.5 TOG pouch may be suitable for them. You might also consider a sleeveless 2.5 TOG pouch with Arm Warmers over top.