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I’m the lucky mama of two daughters, and watching them go from infants to little kids has been a true privilege. But with it comes plenty of waste. Over the past few years, we’ve quickly used and discarded everything from receiving blankets and bottles to piles of toys.
But it comes with the territory. Babies, by nature, grow quickly and most of their things have a naturally short shelf life. This is usually either because they literally outgrow it — a bassinet, for example, may only be used for weeks or months until they start rolling over or pushing up — or they destroy it. After all, kids aren’t really known for being precious with their belongings.
It’s hard to convince myself to buy things that will be useless in a month, and in no place have I felt that more than clothing — especially pajamas. As a result, I’ve tended to drag my feet when buying new clothes; I often prefer hand-me-downs, or opt for budget-friendly brands where I’ve had to sacrifice quality. That is, until I discovered Little Sleepies — and I’ve never had to buy another brand of pajamas for the last four years.
What Are Little Sleepies Pajamas?
Little Sleepies is a children’s brand that makes clothing for babies, toddlers, and kids. They’re especially well-known for their wide range of pajamas, which come in fun themed prints, although they also make play-friendly clothes including tops, bottoms, sweaters, hoodies, jackets, and dresses.
I first came across the brand when my oldest was around a year old. I was frustrated by how much money I was spending on new pajamas each month as she stopped fitting into new pairs nearly immediately. Plus, with her sensitive skin, many of the cheaper, budget brands I chose seemed to irritate her, or were too hot for the warm desert climate where we live. I needed something thin enough so it wouldn’t be sweltering, while still offering full coverage at night so she wouldn’t be chilly, either.
Searching for something soft and thin, I came across Little Sleepies pajamas, which are made from a blend of 95% viscose bamboo and 5% spandex, and promised to be soft, stretchy, and hypoallergenic. The price was much higher than I was used to, but after hearing good reviews from fellow parents, I decided to give them a shot.
We started with the Long Sleeve Zippies, which are onesie-style PJs, and come in size preemie up to 3T (larger sizes are available in the kids’ line). They were buttery soft, neither too thin nor too thick, and seemed stretchy enough to last a while. In fact, I was so impressed that I later purchased the Short Sleeve Zippies for summer, as well as a few two-piece sets in both short and long sleeve options.
Why I Love Little Sleepies Pajamas
When I say Little Sleepies is stretchy, I really mean it. I bought my daughter three pairs of size 12-18 months when she was around a year old. She’s 4 years old right now, and they still fit. The bamboo material isn’t just soft — it’s practically magical, stretching to fit growing bodies with ease, and never feeling tight or constrictive.
The unique design also includes cuffs on the arms and legs. These are strategic, as they allow the pajamas to be worn footie-style, which is preferable with babies on chilly nights. Or the cuffs can be folded aside and worn footless, which greatly extends how long the pajamas fit. Likewise, the arm cuffs have built-in optional mittens, which can help prevent babies from scratching themselves as infants, and they may also be folded up if they’re oversized and gently unrolled as kids grow.
These pajamas last so long that this year I decided to formally retire our oldest pair. While, yes, my preschooler could technically fit into her 12-18-month size pajamas, the stretching — still not tight, by the way — was starting to border on sheer with slight tugging around the zipper. It was finally time.
But even now, as she’s weeks away from turning five, she’s still easily wearing her size 3T jammies with no sign of stopping, while her younger 2-year-old sister has no problem fitting into 6-12 months or 18-24 month sizes. And even after so much wear, all of our Little Sleepies have held up great to repeat loads in the washer and dryer. While we did stretch some to the max, I’ve only ever encountered one hole, and that was a pair used for four-plus years, which is well past when it was intended to be worn.
I also adore the color choices the pajamas come in, which include gorgeous prints and hues. We own everything from vivid florals and tie-dye to fun prints themed after arcade games and movies like Star Wars. Just keep in mind that many options are seasonal or limited, so if you see one you love, grab it; it likely won’t be there later.
Little Sleepies admittedly do cost a lot more than any other pajamas I’ve purchased, typically between $36 to $40 for zippies, depending on the print. But considering one pair can be worn for actual years, it probably works out to be the same as or even cheaper than buying several pairs over that same timespan.
Now, years later, they’re still the best pajamas we’ve ever tried, and my kids are still wearing them regularly. The quality is so high and the value is so incredible that I buy a pair for every single person I know who has a baby. I’ve given probably close to a dozen friends and family members a pair, along with the note, “My 4-year-old still wears these PJs in size 18 months. I promise it will be the most-used clothing item your child ever wears.”
