Think that dressing your baby for sleep is as easy as getting them to sleep at night? Not quite. It’s imperative that one make a conscious decision related to what their baby needs to wear at night. This is because your baby that is not allowed those blankets or bedding of any kind (except those tight-fitted bed sheets, of course) needs to stay warm at night if they are indeed to get a decent amount of shuteye.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that babies must be dressed in clothes similar to the kind that adults would feel comfortable wearing, in the same temperature.
Did you ask yourself the question ‘How to dress baby for sleep?’ What’s the Ideal Sleeping Temperature for Babies?
When trying to zone in on the perfect baby sleepwear by temperature, one might first ask, what is even the ideal sleeping temperature for babies?
The thing is, babies are extremely susceptible to even small changes in temperature, because their fragile bodies are undergoing development rapidly. It is believed by researchers that by the time children are 11 weeks old, they reach their minimum body core temperature, of 97.5℉ (36.4℃).
That being said, the ideal room temperature for babies is up to 69oF (20.5oC).
Note: A room that is too hot or two warm, can increase the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). When dressing a baby for sleep, you need to ensure they are neither overdressed or underdressed. Keep them dressed in accordance with the room temperature, and make sure their face and head are uncovered.
4 Best Kinds of Clothing for your Sleeping Child
If you’re looking to select the right baby sleepwear by temperature, know this: you’re going to need a few! Here’s the best clothes for your sleeping child, come rain or shine!
- Footed Pajamas
- Mittens
- Socks
- Onesies
When dressing a baby for sleep in cooler weather, you want these! The best part is, they come in different fabrics, allowing you to customise them for your little one’s warmth needs. For example, cotton is the perfect fabric choice in warmer weather and terrycloth for the milder, fall weather. Remember to dress baby for sleep with footed pyjamas to maintain their feet temperature.
Needless to say, mittens are great for cold weather. But there’s one more benefit: they keep the baby from scratching their face, so you could use them in warmer months, too. Mittens are also one of the best ways to dress a baby for sleep.
In colder weather, if you’re prone to wearing your slippers around the house, the baby definitely needs a nice, warm pair of socks! Socks are one of the cosiest ways to dress a baby for sleep.
These come in long sleeves or short sleeves. Needless to say, you know which one to pick based on the outside temperature.
4 Baby Sleepwear by Temperature to Know About
Of course, that room temperature is going to fluctuate. The last thing you want is your blood pressure levels fluctuating, thinking of what baby needs to wear at those different temperatures!
- 77oF(25oC) Plus
- 73-76oF (22.8oC – 24.4oC)
- 62-67oF (16.7oC – 19.4oC)
- 62oF (16.7oC) Minus
It’s getting warm here! You want to be using that onesie only. In case your baby doesn’t sleep well without a swaddle or an appropriate blanket, you might wish to stick to only these, along with that diaper, of course.
That onesie, when coupled with that swaddle/blanket, is the perfect combination for this temperature. Most babies will find this warm and you certainly don’t need more than 2 layers for this temperature. 68-72oF (20oC – 22.2oC) This temperature range is ideal for babies looking to tuck in for the night. At the cooler end of this temperature range, along with that swaddle/blanket and onesie, it is recommended that your baby wear a footed sleeper, or perhaps even a pair of socks.
It’s getting cooler now. This might be the right time to get your baby to wear those mittens. Along with the clothes they need for the preceding temperature range, you might want to see if wearing socks underneath that footed sleeper is serving to make them more comfortable. Selecting baby clothes by temperature, entails keeping a tab on how the baby feels, at all times.
This isn’t that proverbial nip in the air; it’s a chill! At least, for your little one it is. Make sure they are wearing a long-sleeved onesie and a thick swaddle/blanket, along with a fleece footed sleeper, and ensure that you check in on them every now and then to ensure they aren’t feeling too cold.
Baby Sleepwear Tips by Season
Seasons change, as do the clothes we wear during their tenure. If you’re looking for baby sleepwear by temperature, you might wish to consider the following tips – season wise.
- Summertime
- Wintertime
Use new-born sleep clothes that don’t make baby’s skin feel hot or sticky
· Use fabrics that are lightweight and breathable, too. Best to make use of natural fabrics like cotton and muslin.
· Simply wearing a diaper and singlet is a great option this season.
· Use a ceiling or floor-fan to relieve your child if it gets too hot in summer.
· Warning: Make sure the fan plug point is well away from the baby – preferably on the other side of the room.
Adding layers is the rule of thumb, when things get cooler.
· Don’t use beanies or hats at bedtime, because these might just lead to overheating, and that’s the last thing you need. To that effect, you might even want to remove extra clothing when its Baby’s Day Out and they find themselves in a car, or if the weather is not that cold on some days.
· A full suit might just be one the perfect way to go for a baby, in this cold season.
· Bear in mind that a folded blanket constitutes two blankets, not one, when keeping a baby warm in winter.
Conclusion
Don’t all parents fuss over the temperature they like to sleep in, in their rooms at night? They simply have to make the right choice for their babies, who cannot express themselves, when it comes to choosing what they must wear in accordance with the weather at the given time. In this article you have learned just how you, as a parent, can help make that daily ritual of bedtime for your baby, a most comfortable affair. We hope to have answered the question ‘How to dress a baby for sleep?’
Visit EuroKids for more such information filled blogs to help your child in various other day to day activities.
Which of these cosy tips are you going to adopt to ease your baby’s sleep at night?
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