If you're new to the concept, imagine a burrito with a baby poking out! ‘Baby swaddling is when you wrap your baby up tight in a light muslin or cotton sheet, so they feel snug and safe,’ says Nicole Ratcliffe, Family Sleep Coach at The Baby Show. If I’m being honest, I wouldn’t change anything about this product – I couldn’t fault it at all and my baby was very happy when using it. A big thank you to The Gro Company! Tested by mum Liz for the Mother & Baby awards 2018:

We asked a group of real mums what they used to swaddle their baby and what they liked and disliked about it. Wrapping or swaddling a baby in this super soft cotton rich fabric helps mimic the closeness of the womb. Swaddling baby in a baby sleeping bag can suppress the startle reflex that sometimes wakes a baby up, so newborns and parents can both enjoy more sleep. If it feels chilly, give them a cuddle and pop them into a long sleeved baby-grow. Whereas, if it feels a bit hot then remove one of their layers, suggests Ratcliffe. 'If they are swaddled they might have too much on underneath so loosen the swaddle,' Never swaddle too tightly: 'Don’t use a blanket,' says Ratcliffe. 'Instead use a thin muslin cloth or a light cotton sheet and wrap loosely around the hips to avoid hip dysplasia.' I would highly recommend a sleeping bag as it takes away any worry about sheets and blankets getting over the babies face. We didn't use one for dc1 as we didn't realise they could be used from birth - he was swaddled instead. With dc2 we found a sleeping bag by Babasac (from John Lewis) which was ok from 3.4kg - grobags are from 4kg I think. (As it happened we could have used a grobag as dc2 was nearly 10lb!!)

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Always ensure that your child is dressed correctly for the TOG of the garment and the temperature of the room. It makes it much easier to swaddle my baby without having to battle with a blanket. My baby is also an escape artist and will try to wiggle out of a swaddle at any given opportunity, so this product is perfect, especially as I am not somebody who is particularly talented in the art of swaddling! The Tommee Tippee Baby Sleep Bag for Newborns helps young babies to feel cosy and secure. The Original Grobag Swaddle Bag improves the quality of their natural sleep. The Grosnug combines an easy swaddle with a newborn Grobag. . You don’t need to know how to swaddle your baby, just place them inside and zip them in. It has poppers which allow you to swaddle your baby arms in or arms out – whichever they prefer, allowing them to move onto a Grobag Baby Sleep Bag when they’re ready. If you choose to swaddle your baby with their arms free as they get older, you may want to adjust their clothing. In the recommended nursery temperature of 61-68°F (16-20°C) we advise using a cotton long-sleeved sleepsuit or both a bodysuit and long-sleeved sleepsuit.

The Groswaddle is our traditional wrap, a shaped swaddle with exactly the right amount of fabric for a safe swaddle – with no risk of overwrapping. You can use it to swaddle your baby arms in or arms out, by using different wrapping techniques. Once your baby is happy with under-arm swaddling and wants to move around a little more, this is an ideal time to start using a Grobag Baby Sleep Bag. You can start using a Grobag Baby Sleep Bag when your baby weighs 4kg (8.8lbs). If your baby is below the recommended weight for the sleeping bag you may need to use sheets and blankets for a few weeks.Just like when they were in mummy’s tummy, our Swaddlebag helps young babies to feel cosy and secure to improve the quality of their natural sleep. Wrapping or swaddling baby with their arms inside soft fabric helps mimic the closeness of the womb and suppresses the startle reflex which can wake babies up. With this easy-to-use Swaddlebag you can use the poppers on the armholes to either swaddle your baby with arms in for total snugness or arms out to allow them to stretch. For super comfortable arms-in swaddling with no complicated wrapping or fastenings, simply lay your baby onto the Swaddlebag and zip them in. As we said, every baby is different and some may prefer to stretch out after only a few days or weeks, while others will enjoy the cosy feeling for longer. Experiment and see what works for your little one. Slim fitting through the chest to enable full freedom of movement without restriction or excess bulk with a roomy, hip-healthy bottom. Sleep, temperature, and comfort are closely intertwined, and behaviours geared towards creating a comfortable sleep environment are present in all mammals – from the little mouse curling up in its burrow to the person buying bedding for their home. If we can keep baby at a nice and comfy temperature throughout the night, we can avoid any unnecessary wake ups due to them being too hot or too cold. Providing your child with a comfortable sleep environment is one of the best things you can do, to help your baby sleep better and for longer, night after night. The Groswaddle looks and feels beautiful and has been desgined by The Gro Company to make swaddling simple. Our mums loved the material and the design, and how easy it was to swaddle even the most wriggly baby, yet wished it had slots to make it easier to wrap their baby in their car seat or pushchair. What they say:

dc1 went into sleeping bags from around 4 months, and we used them until he was nearly 3. There's no issues with the child becoming uncovered overnight, and it also means they can't climb over the cot rails!!No. Your Groswaddle is designed to be used instead of blankets and sheets. The only other bedding you need for your baby is a bottom sheet. Never use a Groswaddle with a quilt, comforter or blankets.

Avoid co-sleeping: 'Never swaddle your baby when bed-sharing as they could overheat,' Ratcliffe warns. It helps my baby sleep through the night by giving them the feeling of being swaddled. It also helps give me peace of mind as a parent, as it's unlikely that they can get lost under the blanket and so I feel much calmer about leaving my baby in bed and get on with jobs around the house.When testing swaddles we consider a number of factors including ease of use, material, comfort and value for money. Made from soft, fluorescent-free 100% cotton-rich jersey fabric with Aloekind™ breathable mesh panels which are infused with naturally soothing Aloe Vera. Newborn babies usually like to be swaddled over-arm. This gives them the secure feeling that they were used to in the womb, which can help them to settle to sleep better. You will probably find that anywhere between 3 and 6 weeks of age, your baby prefers to sleep with their arms out, but still with the nice comfortable wrap around their tummy. But all babies are different, and you will soon get to know what suits your little one best. Anyway dc2 has slept brilliantly in his sleeping bag. He usually wears a vest and babygro underneath, unless its especially warm when I'd just put him in one layer. For a September baby you would need a 2.5 tog - if you decide on a babasac they have a lining that can be removed to make it a 1 tog as well. In hotter weather a 1 tog may be useful.