How to Change a Blanket Sleeper on an Infant or Child
Open the new blanket sleeper that you hope to transition the child into, so that you don't have to hassle with it when the child is ready and the transition is super-easy., Take off any additional blankets and blanket-like outer coverings that exist...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Open the new blanket sleeper that you hope to transition the child into
While most sleepers use zippers as the closure system, some undoubtedly will use buttons or snaps. , While most children's blanket sleepers have zippers that zip from neck to ankle, there are a few that only go from neck to waist and can make it harder on the parents to change.
However, most snaps or buttons will go from neck to waist. , If the child is tiny and/or small, you will need to pick them up and carry them over to the changing area.
At first, you won't need the new blanket sleeper (or at least not until the old blanket sleeper has been placed to the side. , Unzip or unbutton/unsnap the blanket sleeper from the top of the garment to as far down as allowable at the bottom; when the zipper stops you must stop and not before then or you could risk accidentally tearing the garment when taking the older garment off the child.
If the garment has a zipper-flap closure at the top of the garment, you'll need to unsnap this piece first.
These closures are used to intentionally stop the child from un-zippering the garment without the parent's consent (which can intentionally "mess-up" the child's thought process enough, thereby making them lose their concentration and quite possibly be able to stop them from undressing themselves at all from it). , If you have a chance, you can separate their legs outwards a little bit, pushing the blanket sleeper closer to the child's still-attached side and laying their leg down.
When the parent grabs the child's ankles, don't be too rough.
Keep a firm grip on the child's ankles to stop the child from fidgeting (especially in the case of a wiggly child who resists getting his/her sleeper changed).
Don't bend the child's knees backwards too far when pulling out the legs from the leggings.
If you do it too rough, you could easily break or fracture a bone in/near the child's knee.
If this zipper runs to waist-high height, you can't quite use this step.
You'll need to pull the arms out of the sleeves first instead, with the legs following with this step.
Pick up the child from behind and fold the blanket sleeper to a location underneath the child's back. , Reach into one of the sleeves and grab the child's arms from just above their elbow, and pull out their arm from the sleeve.
Repeat this process with the other arm once you have gotten arm number one out.
If the zipper or buttons were neck to waist, you had to complete this step in the step before and so you can skip this step and move on. , Reach far enough down into the legging that hasn't been pulled out yet so that you can grab the child's ankle and pull out this leg.
The child's knee will bend (as it naturally should), but as long as you don't push the knee so it stretches too much at an uncommon angle (to where the knee can't bend, and can snap/break), you shouldn't have a problem. ,, Have them lay so that their head and neck is just a hair above the neckline of the sleeper (you'll be able to readjust and resituate the child into the sleeper when you move it onto them).
If the child can't do this themselves, you may need to pick them up and carry them over to the new sleeper. , Take care of securing the legs followed by the arms.
If it's a neck to ankle closure, you can deal with the arms in between taking care of both of their legs,and finishing with the leg that didn't take much effort to pull out and placing it gently down into the sleeper. , Zipper up the zipper to the very top portion of the garment, or close up the buttons that run the length of the garment's closure system. , Snap the closure snap into place, if a zipper-stop flap is available (most will have this attached to the child's garment. , Dependent on what you choose to do with the child when they are dressed, you don't need to worry so much after they are dressed into their new sleeper.
Grab the child under their arms, and you'll be ready to continue the night.
Rest assured: your child is ready to spend their cozy night, all snugly and peaceful again, with a fresh new sleeper on. -
Step 2: so that you don't have to hassle with it when the child is ready and the transition is super-easy.
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Step 3: Take off any additional blankets and blanket-like outer coverings that exist on or near the child.
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Step 4: Take a look at the garment to find out which type of closure system the sleeper uses.
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Step 5: Determine how long the closure system is.
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Step 6: Communicate to the child that they must lay down in front of you.
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Step 7: Undo the closure system on their garment.
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Step 8: Grab and pull the child's ankle upward from the side of the sleeper that has the zipper in it.
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Step 9: Deal with the child's arms
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Step 10: if the sleeper was neck-to-ankle zip.
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Step 11: Deal with removing the other leg from the garment.
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Step 12: Place the new sleeper down onto the changing surface.
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Step 13: Communicate to the child that you want them to move to the side of the surface where the new sleeper lays.
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Step 14: Reverse the process that you used before.
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Step 15: Close up the sleeper.
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Step 16: Prevent little hands from messing with the zipper and fold and close up the zipper-stop flap (if available).
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Step 17: Continue with the normal process of life.
Detailed Guide
While most sleepers use zippers as the closure system, some undoubtedly will use buttons or snaps. , While most children's blanket sleepers have zippers that zip from neck to ankle, there are a few that only go from neck to waist and can make it harder on the parents to change.
However, most snaps or buttons will go from neck to waist. , If the child is tiny and/or small, you will need to pick them up and carry them over to the changing area.
At first, you won't need the new blanket sleeper (or at least not until the old blanket sleeper has been placed to the side. , Unzip or unbutton/unsnap the blanket sleeper from the top of the garment to as far down as allowable at the bottom; when the zipper stops you must stop and not before then or you could risk accidentally tearing the garment when taking the older garment off the child.
If the garment has a zipper-flap closure at the top of the garment, you'll need to unsnap this piece first.
These closures are used to intentionally stop the child from un-zippering the garment without the parent's consent (which can intentionally "mess-up" the child's thought process enough, thereby making them lose their concentration and quite possibly be able to stop them from undressing themselves at all from it). , If you have a chance, you can separate their legs outwards a little bit, pushing the blanket sleeper closer to the child's still-attached side and laying their leg down.
When the parent grabs the child's ankles, don't be too rough.
Keep a firm grip on the child's ankles to stop the child from fidgeting (especially in the case of a wiggly child who resists getting his/her sleeper changed).
Don't bend the child's knees backwards too far when pulling out the legs from the leggings.
If you do it too rough, you could easily break or fracture a bone in/near the child's knee.
If this zipper runs to waist-high height, you can't quite use this step.
You'll need to pull the arms out of the sleeves first instead, with the legs following with this step.
Pick up the child from behind and fold the blanket sleeper to a location underneath the child's back. , Reach into one of the sleeves and grab the child's arms from just above their elbow, and pull out their arm from the sleeve.
Repeat this process with the other arm once you have gotten arm number one out.
If the zipper or buttons were neck to waist, you had to complete this step in the step before and so you can skip this step and move on. , Reach far enough down into the legging that hasn't been pulled out yet so that you can grab the child's ankle and pull out this leg.
The child's knee will bend (as it naturally should), but as long as you don't push the knee so it stretches too much at an uncommon angle (to where the knee can't bend, and can snap/break), you shouldn't have a problem. ,, Have them lay so that their head and neck is just a hair above the neckline of the sleeper (you'll be able to readjust and resituate the child into the sleeper when you move it onto them).
If the child can't do this themselves, you may need to pick them up and carry them over to the new sleeper. , Take care of securing the legs followed by the arms.
If it's a neck to ankle closure, you can deal with the arms in between taking care of both of their legs,and finishing with the leg that didn't take much effort to pull out and placing it gently down into the sleeper. , Zipper up the zipper to the very top portion of the garment, or close up the buttons that run the length of the garment's closure system. , Snap the closure snap into place, if a zipper-stop flap is available (most will have this attached to the child's garment. , Dependent on what you choose to do with the child when they are dressed, you don't need to worry so much after they are dressed into their new sleeper.
Grab the child under their arms, and you'll be ready to continue the night.
Rest assured: your child is ready to spend their cozy night, all snugly and peaceful again, with a fresh new sleeper on.
About the Author
Christina King
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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