Wriggly Toddlers and Winter Nights

[nicolejoy]

My two year old wriggles around at night and HATES blankets on her - she always has from the time she was a baby. In the past, for winter, I've snuggled her up in a Grobag kind of thing - but this year, she's in a big bed and needs her legs free to be able to safely get out of the bed so a Grobag is out of the question. I have a blanket for her but I doubt she'd keep it on herself. I'd definitely have to wait until she fell asleep and then cover her up anyway...

Does anyone else have similar issues with their toddlers? What solution do I have, other than just bundling her up in layers and forgetting about the blanket? Or should I be more insistent that she starts to use a blanket? In HK you might be able to get away without a blanket even year round if you dress warmly enough for bed, but it's a necessity in other places in the world so I know sooner or later she will NEED to use one...

Any thoughts/ideas??

[aussie mum]

Grobag do a first duvet set that zips onto the bottom sheet. Blankets can't fall off! It's really clever and I used it with my eldest when he first switched to a big bed. Pricey though!
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[OX Jess]

Hi nicolejoy,

I thought my son is the ONLY child on the earth hates being covered with blankets! But now I know he is not alone!

Well, my son doesn't like anything covering his legs and grobag works sometimes only. A couple of weeks ago when the weather was a lot colder, I wrapped him in a grobag and on top of which I put a thick blanket to make sure he was warm during the night but he ended up waking and crying a dozen of times one night simply because he couldn't kick his blanket off! Remember I was so worn out that night by dealing with him.

Now I tackle this problem with two things:
1) I bought a very light but very warm blanket (I dont' know what's the material called. Will check it out and let you know tomorrow). It's sort of like bathrobe texture. He doesn't kick this off as often as he did with other traditional blanket.
2) At cold nights, I would give him a thick undergarment and top it with loose winter pyjamas (thick too!) In that way, I don't need to give him a thick blanket which he hates, and even if he doesn't like any blanket I wouldn't worry about him getting cold... I remember last winter when it was really cold I made him wear mittens in bed.

And, of course, if the weather gets a lot colder, say, I would turn on the heater at home. Living in HK in winter time can be uncomfortably COLD if you don't have heater at home. Hope it helps.

[Frenchy]

Same problem with mine, and he is moving so much that nothing can keep him in the middle of the bed. So I bought this :
http://www.damart.fr/produits/pantin...e-p-O1238.html

from Damart in France. These pyjamas are just great and warm (well, they can be put on top of the pyjama as they will replace the Grobag).

Good luck !

[TNT]

We had this problem living in the UK (so a lot colder) and our daughter hated the grobags too. So we bought some big flleecy PJs and she just slept in those. Now at nearly 4 she still often kicks the blankets off (she gets hot at night like her mother) but will pull them back on when she needs to. Mind you she seems to sleep fine even when she feels like a block of ice!!!

[augustbump]

hi Nicolejoy

i recently bought 2 sleepbags from li yuen st in central which allows the feet of the child to be exposed.. if you can imagine a grobag which is all zipped up at the sides only but not at the feet ie bottom.. there is a little button in the middle at the legs which helps to keep the sleep bag in place..its not terribly warm as per the grobag but the material is made of flannel which is enough to keep the little one warm. i put her on a thicker set of pjs to be sure that she is warm enough.

just another idea for you.. hope it will help!

[nicolejoy]

Hey Augustbump - it sounds like a good idea. Just wondering, is it safe for walking up and down steps? Or does it keep the legs too close together for steps? My daughter's bed is quite high and she has a little step ladder thing in order to get in and out of bed...

[augustbump]

hi nicolejoy

i dont button the bottom bit and my 2 yo climbs up and down her bed everynight.. its loose fitting enough so it does not restrict her movement too much if you know what i mean.. its not as warm as a grobag but it suffice.

another interesting that i came across whilst in harbour city the other day was at Hallmark.,, the shop was selling sleeping bags/grobag which you can unzipped at the bottom bit where the feet dangles out for walking... it was not cheap but it was definitely warm.

you can check out the store.. when i was there..they were out of stock for 2 yo sizes. but showed me smaller size version...


good luck ok?