What Is a Sleepsack?

Origins

• Sleepsacks for adults may have evolved from the original sleeping bags. According to the BBC, the Euklisia rug may have been the first mass produced sleeping bag. Designed by Sir Pryce Jones in 1876, the Euklisia rug was a folded, woolen rug with fasteners to keep it closed.

  Sleepsacks for children may have developed from the practice of swaddling, which was meant to keep a fussy child still and support a newborn's developing body after birth, according to the Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood in History and Society. Their use in the United States has increased along with parental concern about SIDS, according to Healthychildren.org.

Design

• Infant sleepsacks resemble a one-piece jumpsuit with no leg openings. They are usually made out of blanket material and are buttoned at the shoulders but lack sleeves. They may also have a zipper down the front to more easily put them on a child. They are designed with wide neck openings to keep a child warm while preventing the bedding from gathering near a child's mouth.

  Toddler sleepsacks are often made with leg openings or attached leggings.

Use

• European hostels prefer to provide sleepsacks to their guests rather than allow potentially dirty or bug infested sleeping bags on their beds, according to Reids Guides. Hostels will allow guests to use their own sleepsacks as long as they don't have a thick pile.

  The American Academy of Pediatrics, recommends parents use child sleepsacks as an alternative to blankets or other bedding in a crib since traditional bedding may block a child's airway while they sleep. Blocked airways are thought to be one cause of SIDS.

  Sleepsacks are recommended for use until the child is 1-year-old. Some manufacturers sell sleepsacks for toddlers as well.

How to Make a Sleepsack

• Adult sleepsacks are traditionally made from silk, cotton or other bed sheet material. To make an adult sleepsack, fold a bed sheet in half lengthwise. Sew it across one short side and two-thirds of the way up the open, long side.

  Use a baby blanket or sheet to make sleepsacks for children. Trim the material to the needed width and length so that it will fit a baby's body with enough room at the top for the child to pass through.

  Sew the bottom closed. Sew up the sides up to where the lower part of the armholes begin. Trim the material around the neckline into a half circle to get rid of excess material that may cover the child's face, but leave enough material to create a hem.

  Hem the armholes and neck opening. Using Velcro, snaps or buttons, create closures at the shoulders for the sleepsack.

Where to Buy

• Adult or travel sleepsacks can be purchased from travel outfitters or camping goods stores. They range in price from $19.99 to more than $100 (2010 prices).

  Child sleepsacks may be purchased in any baby goods store or online. The cost of a child sleepsack ranges from $9 to $75 (2010 prices).