The present invention relates to a novel wearable bedding garment. The invention has particular utility in providing practical comfort and warmth to young children who may kick a lot in the night discarding conventional bed clothes, yet due to their age are not able reliably to regulate their own body temperature and so need to be insulated from temperatures well below normal body temperature by being covered by bedding.

Wearable bedding for small children is known. One example is the Grobag ^® marketed by The Gro ^® Company Limited. These prior art bags consist of a bag section into which a child's body and legs are placed, and strap sections which extend over the child's shoulders and are fastened in place to retain the bag on the child when sleeping. The bag section has a perimeter zip for ease of access to lay a child on place or access the bag, for example to change the child's nappy.

Grobag ^® s are available in tog ratings to suit different ambient temperatures. They have proven particularly practical for babies who toss and turn a lot at night, however, they become impractical and potential dangerous for children of about 6 months or older who become mobile. The bags can hinder a child's ability to crawl and also can prevent a hazard to children who try to stand up, walk or climb in their bags (as some are prone to do when waking in a cot in their own room).

A further disadvantage with the Grobag ^® design is that it becomes impractical when travelling with a sleeping child. A typical child's car seat or pushchair harness includes traps which pass over the shoulders, around the waste and between the legs. Such safety harnesses cannot properly and safely be fastened around a child in

Grobag ^® due to the lack of separation of material between the legs.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved form of wearable bedding garment. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a wearable bedding garment comprised from a unitary piece of soft fabric and including arm and neck opening, a full body length fastener for providing access to the garment and two separate leg sections for receiving the legs of a person.

The leg sections may optionally be enclosed to cover the feet. Alternatively (and more preferably), the leg sections terminate in an ankle gripping section leaving the feet exposed and their movement unhindered by the bag. The ankle gripping section may, for example, comprise a ribbed material. Other options may include a tightening strap arrangement or elasticated arrangement.

The leg sections desirably have a wide width and bowed shape to provide ample air circulation within the suit and particularly around the bottom.

The body length fastener is conveniently provided in the form of a zip which reaches from adjacent the neck opening to a point where the leg sections meet the main body section of the garment. Alternatives to a zip include Velcro ^® , buttons, press studs and hook and eye arrangements. The fastener may extend down the centre of the body or may extend across the body in a diagonal-like orientation. Optionally, the fastener further extends down the inner side of one or both of the leg sections.

The garment may optionally incorporate sleeves which may extend down part of or the whole of the arm. Desirably any arm length sleeve Includes a wrist gripping section akin to the ankle gripping section already described.

Additional fastening means may, optionally be provided in the shoulder portions of the garment to allow the suit to be slipped into or removed like trousers.

The garment is desirably formed at least in part from a quilted fabric which extends along both the leg portions and onto the main body section of the suit. Optionally the garment is formed from a quilted fabric. Optionally the fabric of the garment is fibre filled. More specifically, the fabric desirably comprises two layers each of a cotton or polyester cotton sandwiching a filling of synthetic fibres. Desirably at least a portion of the fabric is quilted. It is to be understood that other soft fabrics, whether natural, synthetic or a blend could also be used.

Optionally, the body section of the garment is shaped or otherwise configured to provide a snugger fit around the waist region compared to around the bottom and legs.

The garment can be provided in a range of sizes from small baby to adult but most practically is sized to suit babies and children from the age of zero to about 7 years.

The design is advantageous in that it provides the comfort and warmth of conventional bedding, yet provides for a small child to be strapped into, for example a car seat or pushchair having a between leg harness strap. The design is safe for small children to attempt to stand or walk in and does not constrain their leg movements during sleeping, This improved freedom of movement is expected to reduce the incidence of stomach cramps caused by wind which can lead to much leg movement during a child's sleep. The design further enables a child freedom to be mobile and then put themselves to sleep in their own time without need for interference from parent to tuck them under conventional bedding or place and enclose them into a sleeping bag. This can be advantageous with children who are still ion the habit of day time naps.

By way of example, an embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying Figures in which:

Figure 1 shows a front view of one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a rear view of the embodiment of Figure 1 As can be seen from Figure 1 a wearable bedding garment in accordance with the invention comprises an all in one suit having a neck opening 1 arm openings 2 and leg portions 3. The suit is divided into an upper plain fabric portion 4 and a lower quilted portion 5 separated by a band 6, typically located close to the natural waistline. Extending the length of the suit from the neck opening 1 to a point where the two leg portions 3 separate, is a zip fastener 7.

The leg portions 3 have a bowed shape allowing ease of movement and ample air circulation within the suit for added comfort and dryness of a child's bottom. The legs have openings 8 at the ankle to allow feet to pass through. The ankle openings are defined by ribbed collars 9 which grip the ankle to prevent the suit from preventing a trip hazard and providing for free use of the feet when the wearer attempts to walk or climb in the suit.

The upper plain fabric portion 4 typically comprises two layers of cotton or poly- cotton fabric enclosing non allergenic or hypo allergenic fibres. The lower quilted portion 5 comprises typically a similar material construction which has been quilted to better retain heat. The band 6 assists in holding the crotch part of the suit in place to aid mobility in the suit.

The suit may be provided in attractive printed fabrics to complement decor or appeal to parent and child alike.