Dressing Baby for Safe Sleep as The Weather Cools

You’ve finally made it to the finish line of your pregnancy, and now you’ve got your precious baby home and in your arms. Blissful, exhausting, overwhelming... the myriad of feelings, experiences, and emotions is like nothing you’ve ever felt before. It’s perfectly natural to have a some uncertainties or a million questions as it comes to your brand new baby. Most new parents are in the exact same boat. 

One topic that tends to come up a lot for new parents is sleep safety - namely the topic of dressing baby for sleep.

We want to ensure our babies are as safe as possible while snoozing away.. and there are certainly measures we can take to make that so. I want to share this with you so that you have one less thing to worry about as it comes to your baby and new parenthood. Below I’ve outlined safe dressing for baby sleep as the cooler weather in the north approaches over the next few months.  

During the chillier months, we might feel tempted to bundle our babies right up. But, before you do that, there are some things to consider. While ensuring ur baby is not too cold while they sleep, we also want to ensure they don’t become too HOT.

This is because overheating is a SIDS risk. 

So, how can we strike the happy medium of sleeping both comfortably AND safely in the chillier months?

Rather than increasing the room temperature, use layers!

For example, if your baby was sleeping in a fitted sleeper and a sleep sack in the summertime, adding a cotton t-shirt onesie layered underneath the fitted sleeper is a great way to safely add a little extra warmth. 

But, what should the room temperature be, anyways?

We want the temperature of the room baby is sleeping in to ideally be around 20-22 degrees Celsius / 68-72 degrees fahrenheit. Don’t stress over a small fluctuation in and around this range, many homes differ here slightly, especially in different parts of the world. Just try to be mindful to err on the side of cooler, to avoid baby overheating. Added bonus of a comfortably cool room is that the cool temperature actually aids in the natural cooling process that occurs in the body as it prepares for sleep!

What about a blanket… is it recommended?

For safety reasons, it is not recommended by the AAP to use a blanket while your infant (0-12 months) sleeps. This is because a blanket could pose a suffocation risk if it were to move and over your baby’s mouth or nose. 

A swaddle during the newborn phase, or a sleep sack beyond this age, is a really great alternative to a blanket. This will provide the same level of warmth and coziness as a blanket, without the risk. If you are worried that your sleep sack is not quite warm enough, you can increase the thickness (i.e., TOG rating) of your sleep sack.  For example, if you prefer not to layer a onesie under your baby’s fitted sleeper, you might then choose to move from 0.5 TOG to 1.0+ TOG instead. This will increase he thickness and warmth, 

Does your baby need a hat during sleep?

The answer is no! Beyond the initial hospital stay, and after you’ve arrived home, t’s actually recommended to allow baby to sleep with nothing on their head, for safety reasons. Babies cool themselves down as necessary by releasing heat from their head and face. A hat or a beanie could actually slip down over their nose or face while they’re sleeping, causing a suffocation risk. 

So, you’ve taken all the measures to adjust your room temperature and dress baby accordingly… but what if you’re still a little unsure if they are too hot or cold?

Do a temperature check-in!

Your baby’s hands and feet might feel cool, but this isn’t a good indicator of their core temperature. You can check how hot your baby really is by feeling the back of their neck, back, or tummy. It should feel warm and dry. It should not feel hot or clammy. If you ever do a check-in and baby feels hot or clammy, immediately remove a layer and reassess the room temperature. 

Happy Sleeping!