The 8 Best Sleep Sacks of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Sleep Is Among the Most Important Areas of a Baby’s Life, and Many New Parents Think They’ve Got the Hang of Getting Their Baby to Sleep Through the Night...
Sleep is among the most important areas of a baby’s life, and many new parents think they’ve got the hang of getting their baby to sleep through the night during the newborn swaddling stage. But then the baby gets too big for a swaddle and can’t seem to sleep well anymore. Now what?
Thankfully, there’s a product on the market (and Anderson Cooper’s son Wyatt is among its many fans) that helps babies — and parents — get a full night's sleep.
“Sleep sacks help keep babies warm and comfy without the need for loose blankets, which can be a problem if they get unraveled and wrap around a baby’s face," pediatrician and baby sleep expert Dr. Harvey Karp tells PEOPLE Tested. "Sleep sacks help provide a gentle transition to swaddle-free snoozes for babies who spend their first months wrapped during sleep."
Dr. Karp explains that the "sweet spot" for sleep sacks is the first 6-12 months. “The sacks keep babies feeling cozy during the early months, and by 3-4 months — when babies can roll over — parents should use a sack that has arm holes so babies can push up and roll from stomach to back (back sleeping is the safe position for sleeping babies).”
Like most baby products on the market, there’s no shortage of options in the sleep sack department, so PEOPLE Tested put 19 baby sleep sacks to the test in order to find the best brands for our readers — both new parents and gift-givers alike.
Keep reading to discover the best sleep sacks.
Best Overall
Primary Muslin Sleep Sack
Primary
Soft, lightweight cotton fabric, which is great for summer
Inside zipper is covered by fabric so the baby won't feel it
Washes well and didn't shrink
Runs a bit small
This sleep sack got a perfect score in our tests, which was used on a toddler several times for sleeping. Said toddler loved the colors and was so excited about his rainbow sleep sack.
Highly comfortable, lightweight, and made of 100 percent cotton, this sleep sack is great for summer. We found it to be very soft against skin but also thin — it's more like a top sheet than a quilt if we were comparing it to adult blankets. The zipper runs the length of the sleep sack, from the bottom up to the neckline, and it's covered in fabric on the inside so the wearer won’t feel the zipper from the inside while rolling around in their sleep, which we thought was a nice touch.
The Primary Sleep Sack washed well in our testing and did not shrink. We found that it ran a bit small, so keep this in mind if your baby is on the longer side when choosing from the four size options. We think the price point is aligned with what we have seen for similar sleep sacks on the market.
Closure: Zipper | Colors: 1 | Material: 100% cotton muslin | Sizes: 0-6, 6-12, 12-18, 18-24
Related: The 5 Best Travel Strollers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed by Parents
Best Swaddle
HALO Micro-fleece SleepSack Swaddle
Amazon
Can be used as a swaddle or a sleep sack, with the option to keep one or both arms tucked in
Handy instructions sewn into the swaddle
This product is a great option for babies transitioning from swaddle to sleep sack because it’s essentially two products in one. It can be used as a swaddle for younger babies and a sleep sack as they get older, or an in-between sleeper, which keeps one of the baby’s arms tucked in with the other out.
We used this product three times daily on a baby who seemed very happy in this swaddle/sleep sack and slept well while wearing it. There is a silky instruction diagram sewn into the flap of the swaddle for any questions that come up for sleep-deprived caretakers. While the micro-fleece material is warm and cozy, it likely cannot be used year-round on warmer nights or in hot climates.
As the tester was transitioning their daughter from a swaddle to a sleep sack, they started her off with swaddling one arm and leaving one arm out, and this has so far been the only swaddle that she didn’t break out of, thanks to a very big velcro flap that keeps her arm in place. She now uses it as a sleep sack, with both arms out.
Thick and sturdy, it washed well, and we found it to be a great value at its $30 price point — particularly since it’s a product that grows with your child and has so much versatility.
Closure: Zipper and velcro | Colors: 21 | Material: Micro-fleece | Sizes: Preemie, Newborn, Small, Medium
