In the United States alone, it estimated that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is responsible for 50 per 100,000 deaths of infants between 1 to 4 months old. Although the main cause of SIDS is still unknown, experts were able to identify those environmental stressors like type of bedding used, faulty design of cribs/beds, and overheating were major risk factors. Thus they recommend that mothers and caregivers must cautiously select safe baby sleeping gear.

Kids sleeping bags, also known as sleep sacks replace the traditional use of blankets to wrap babies and keep them warm. Sleep sacks avoids the unnecessary use of loose bedding that can bunch up around the infants' mouth and nose that put them on the risk of suffocation. However, choosing a safe sleeping sack is an additional precaution. Generally, a safe infant sleeping sack must be designed in such a way that the baby cannot slip inside the bag so that the face will not be covered. The baby's head should not pass through the neck hole.It is therefore important to choose the one with the correct size.

The sleep sack must allow the baby's feet to move comfortably inside the bag. It must have a fitted neck, arm holes or sleeves. These features allow ventilation even inside the bag. There are sleep sacks designed in such a way that the bags can be worn only up until the baby's underarm. In this case, the size must be of primary consideration. Do not use the ones with hoods.

The materials of kids sleeping bags must be considered for the baby's safety. Generally, cotton fabric is recommended due to ventilation advantages. Since cotton fiber lets the air to circulate, the baby's body heat can pass through the material thus leaving the baby warm and comfortable. However, mothers and caregivers must take into consideration the temperature around the baby. The baby's comfort inside the sleep sack must be of primary concern. Fleece and acrylic fibers for instance are artificial fibers that limit air circulation inside the sleep bag. The baby's sweat therefore stays inside that will make the baby feel hot and uncomfortable and thus are not recommended.

Choosing sleep sack made of cotton with at least three percent or more spandex material to allow stretching would be beneficial.

Sleep sack made of silk fibers may also be used without compromising safety and comfort. This is especially beneficial during cold weather. Sleep sacks with silk floss filling can add to your baby's comfort. The material must however be 100% natural and hypoallergenic, like all other fabric materials for babies, to avoid skin rashes and allergies.

There are already available sleep sacks made of organic cotton, Merino wool and silk that mothers can choose from. Although they usually cost more, you may consider health reasons over few dollars. You should keep in mind that sleep sacks are not intended to be used as dressing gown so you should choose the simplest, most comfortable and safest ones.