Kids' Pajamas

Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Questions

Footed PJs for toddler who kicks the blankets off

May 2004

When do others switch from regular crib bedding-sheet only, spreading blankets on top-to regular sheets and blankets? My 20- month old tends to kick off blankets when she is flipping over, and she ends up in all sorts of odd positions, frequently on top of her blankets. It's getting a little more difficult to find footed sleepers in her size, which seems to be the solution for now, but I wonder if it could help if she had blankets tucked into the side of the crib. Or would that make it worse? And what are favorite places for footed pj's (I checked the archives,and it seems like Lands End is a favorite, but there MUST be someplace cheaper out there)? What's the deal with companies selling only footless pj's once you get to size 2? Didn't we all have footed pj's till we were about 8? janet

Kmart in Pinole has good footed PJs for about $5.99, and I think they go up to at least 2T or 3T, maybe bigger. M

The Children's Place has nice, very inexpensive footed pjs for the cooler months. I don't know if they carry them for warmer weather. I know they go up to at least a 4T. With our daughter, I do tuck in a blanket at the foot of her toddler bed. Since I get up a couple of times a night anyway (for myself), I tend to pop in on her and pull the blanket on her. Having it tucked in at the foot seems to help somewhat without driving her crazy (like tucking it in all around would do). sleep

Regarding footed PJs, I've seen them at the Carter's outlets in very large sizes. My 3 1/2 year old still wears them and I hope will continue to wear them, as she, too, kicks off the blankets every night. If you don't want to travel to an outlet, we found GAP footed PJs on ebay (new with tags) for a good price. Shoshana

To answer your question about sleepers, it is the wrong season for footed sleepers in the stores. Starting in August, you will see footed sleepers starting to come back into the stores. They will be everywhere: mervyn's, target, sears, penny's, etc. Meanwhile, you might be able to find them at used clothing stores. As far as the bedding, I think that once you are past the concern for SIDS, you can do what you think will be comfy for your child. anon

We have the same issue with our toddler tossing and turning in his crib and ending up outside of his blanket, but he doesn't seem to get cold like I would.

Baby Gap has cotton footed sleepers in sizes up to 5T. They often have some on sale, particularly out-of-season prints (we got him some cute snowman ones in April, for example). But we also use unfooted sleepers along with socks--have you considered that option? We also put an undershirt under the sleeper for extra warmth. N. Harris

I hear you. My daughter is 17 months and tosses around and moves to the point that a blanket is useless. So I've been on a mission to find footed sleepers in size 2T in varying weights for summer and winter. I've searched the internet and just about every store in the Bay Area. I've had the best success with Children's Place. They have both summer and winter weight varieties up to 3T and you can get 3 sleepers for $24. I've also found some Carters sleepers at Sears (hit or miss though) in 2T - sold as a long sleeve shirt that snaps onto footed pajama bottoms. Lastly - this website has been reliable http://www.kidsurplus.com/index.html. I like their footed gerber sleepers. Camille

Hooded Fleece Pajamas for Camping w/ Baby

July 2001

We are going to be taking our 1yearold camping in the mountains this summer and fall, and are looking for warm nightware for him. Some of the older postings on the website mention using hooded, fleece sleepers to keep babies warm while camping, but I can't seem to find any in stores or online. Any suggestions as to where to buy this kind of thing? Or what else might work as a substitute? thanks, Heather

REI has a good selection Alexandra

We recently went camping with our one year-old. We put her in a blanket sleeper with light cotton pajamas underneath and had her sleep in a hat. That worked well and it was in the 40's at night. We do have a hooded fleece snowsuit that I bought online from LL Bean, but I think that would have been too warm. Hardin

Try REI online or instore...I've used them for my little one and they are great. Liz

Look on http://www.landsend.com. They sell a hooded polartec fleece bunting for infants and toddlers that is $44.50. Just search the site for bunting and you should find it. -- Ilana

I have a Baby Bag I don't need, it's like a sleeping bag with legs and a zipper up the front, so you can easily clip infant into car seat or stroller in it. It looks very warm and cosy, we never used it (our kids didn't see snow till they were three!). Carrie

Both REI and Patagonia make nice hooded fleece suits. I don't see them on rei.com but we have one purchased at REI in the past year. The baby bunting at patagonia.com isn't cheap but we liked that the zip allowed baby's legs to be separate (for the car seat) or together in a sack (warmer for sleeping). -Charis - An aside- we've found the suggestion on the website about using an adult down parka as a baby sleeping bag a very good one for camping.

I don't think there are hooded pajamas but I bet you could use a fleece snow suit thing with regular PJ's underneath. This time of year you may have a harder time finding them but try your luck at REI or other mountain stores. Try Patagonia on line too. Also, second hand store often carry things out of season. Hadley

For our coldest trips--October at high elevations, outside temps certainly below freezing--we kept our daughter (under 2.5 at the time) in the hooded/footed fleece suits you can likely get at REI. (Just did a quick scan at REI.com and didn't find them, but did find something, labeled PolarTec bunting at Landsend.com: http://www.landsend.com/cd/fp/prod/0,2503,1_2_474_16383_3083_3083_5:vi ew=-1,00.html?sid=0993666261264) (But most of the time, even in the mountains, we found that, in regular winter pajamas she stayed very warm between us, with our sleeping bags zipped together.) We also took along (and still do, with our younger son) an extra little fleece blanket, which we also got at REI (and has a little fleece pouch, so it doubles as a pillow). We use(d) the fleece blanket to cover the gap where our bags (mummies) won't zip up all the way because of all three of us being together. And, when/if she/he squirmed away from us (usually up above our heads), there was something to cover her/him with. judy

One of my friends bought our baby an Old Navy hooded fleece coverall (hood, long sleeves, goes to ankles, but feet stick out; fastened with zipper). We haven't had a chance to use it yet because our first camping trip was to a very warm place! I believe she purchased it at the Old Navy outlet in Vacaville, but it was about 3 or even 4 months ago. You could call them or go online to see if they're still available. Lisa

100% Cotton Footed Sleepers

Feb 2000

I'm looking for 100% cotton (or terry) long-sleeved, footed rompers (?) for my 13 month old and I can't find them anywhere! Does anyone know of a store in the Bay Area or in cyberspace that carries them? Thanks! Laurel Laurel

Do you mean sleepers If you're looking for 100% cotton, footed sleepers or play ware you should go to Cotton & Co. on College or their store in Lafayette. If you want 100% cotton footed sleepers - I always get them at BabyGap. You can also go to Baby Gap on-line at http://www.gap.com/onlinestore/babygap/ or try Hanna Anderson at http://www.hannaandersson.com/ Kristi

Try Biobottoms Catalog. I have bought some 100% cotton footed rompers from them in the past. Personally, I don't like them much, because 1) the kid grows out of them too soon, and 2) my child slid around a lot on the slick cotton bottoms; I always had to put shoes on her for better traction. But they certainly are warm and cozy! Good luck!

Hope they [Biobottoms] still have some [long sleeve footed rompers] for you. There is also a company, called Melissa's _____________ (forgot the full name--something like Kid's Consignments, perhaps?), that does kid's remainders. One of the big companies that they do is Biobottoms. Periodically, they will have a huge sale up at the Marin Civic Center--that huge round building along 101. They sell the Biobottoms at about 30 to 75% off catalog prices. That's where I got hers a couple years ago--I think they were 12.99 for a 30-month size, which fit her from about 18mos to about 2 1/4. The best deal I got there was her Fairytale Coat, which I got for $17.99 (they are normally around $50.00!). I'm afraid I don't know when the next one might be, but you might call information and see if they have a number listed to call. And if they have a Biobottoms sale anywhere other than Marin (south of there), I'd love to know. I live in San Leandro, and it's a long drive to get up there. I first heard about the sale on KCBS, so you might keep an ear out there. Dawn

the natural baby catalog has footed creepers, 100% cotton for $13.95 sizes 3-24 mos. comes in prints and solids (item #169510) natural baby catalog: 1 800 388 BABY call for a catalog or to order i've never checked the website but it's listed as: kidstuff.com also try ecobaby catalog, they have footies in 3,6,12,18 and 24 mos. organic 100% cotton, iten #PIM508 for $29.95. or footed playsuits up to size 4t for $27.95. ( more for rainbow print). ecobaby has lots and lots of 100% cotton stuff including just footed bottoms. 1800 596-7450 haven't checked this website either, but it's www.ecobaby.com we've ordered from both sites and have been happy with the quality of the merchandise. susan

Two-piece Longsleave Pajamas

Does anyone know where I can buy a two-piece, long sleeve, long pants, size 3 or 4 pyjama for under $20 at this point in time? My daughter just potty-trained herself for the night and I need to get another two-piece pyjama, because she independently pees at night and goes back to sleep without our involvement. I only see the short summer versions in the stores and our place does not get hot enough for that. Mailorder seems to be $30 and up. Maybe I'm spoiled with Costco prices, but I don't think I need to pay this much. Heike

For inexpensive (new) Sara's Prints pajamas, there's an outlet in San Leandro. (This is also on the ucbparents website under slippers.) Jane

I was in a child's consignment store this morning and they had new, long sleeved cotton pajamas. They had a variety of colors and sizes in both 2 and 1 piece styles. I think they were either $12 or $17 a pair. The store is called Cracker Jack. They are just off Piedmont Ave near 40th. Walking distance from Kaiser hospital. MWishbone

I went to Kmart or Wallmart and got leggings for around $3.00 a piece. This took care of the bottom part. For the top I use t-shirts. Veronica

I just discovered an on-line catalog company called www.bluefly.com. They have Sara's Prints pajamas in different sizes for children at a discount. I saw a couple different patterns of long-sleeve types that were about $17. I haven't ordered from them before, so I can't give you information about their delivery times, but they offer a 90-day money-back guarantee (less shipping charges). I've seen new long-sleeved pajamas at Darla's in El Cerrito recently but don't recall if they have small sizes that you're looking for. Good Luck, Denise

Dawn
My most recent CostCo magazine gave a listing of when various products would hit their shelves. The winter clothes should show up in June or July. Don't know if you can wait that long, though! But at least you don't have to wait till Fall!

Try Target. They sell long underwear that also serves well as pj's. Approx $8.00 a set. David

Look for Sara's Prints (I think they're called) at stores that also sell used clothing -- Tiddly Winks on Gilman for sure, and I think Lauren's Closet on College. Not under $20, but about $22-23. I also pick up long underwear whenever I find them (I buy them used); waffle-weave at night is never too hot in our part of town. My kid also sleeps willingly in soft t-shirts and sweatpants. Letitia

I'm pretty sure that anything labeled pajamas has to be treated with fire-retardant, and it's not that easy to find all-cotton ones. But places like Old Navy and the various cotton clothing places (see ads in East Bay Express and elsewhere) have large selections of mix-n-match cotton tops and leggings which work great as PJs. Nicole

Carter's used to make long underwear which looked suspicously like pajamas to me. I bought them at Mervyn's. The reason it's hard to find all cotton pajamas is that the law very recently changed: Pajamas had to be made of flame retardent material, now the law is if they are loose fitting they have to be made of flame retardent material, but if they are close fitting (too small) than they can be made of all cotton. See: http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/frnotices/fr96/frsleeplg.html for more information than you are interested in about the CPSC position on loungewear. That being said, many vendors sell all cotton pajamas as long under wear and tell you it is not intended as sleepwear.