With changing seasons, parents are wondering how best to keep baby warm for sleep, while not overheating!
The best way to check if your little one is the correct temperature is to put your hand on their chest. Does their chest feel comfortable and warm? It should not be hot or cool to your touch. Touching your baby’s hands and feet is not a good way to determine if they are warm enough – it’s all about the core! Never dress baby in a hat for sleep, as this can cause overheating.
If baby is showing signs of sweat on their forehead or their chest feels warm, take a layer off. Never dress your baby in a hat for sleep, as this may cause overheating.
Now, let’s talk sleep bags…
This chart will give you a solid starting point when dressing your baby for sleep; however, always use your judgment about your individual babe.
We love a sleep bag for baby! But, when using one, it’s important to understand something called TOG (Thermal Overall Grade).
TOG is a unit of thickness or insulation, and you’ll find it on most baby sleep bags.
For most brands, TOGs range from 0.5 to 2.5, so it’s important to assess your child’s room temperature, and to keep in mind that each baby is an individual, so guidelines about what to dress your baby in under their sleep bag are just that – guidelines. You will need to determine what is right for your individual baby in your individual home.
And, if the temperature of your home changes throughout the day (which it does for most homes!), or from season to season, consider dressing baby for sleep in different clothes or different TOGs of sleep bags for daytime and nighttime sleep.
Again, always remember, you know your baby and the temperature regulation in your individual home best, so always use your parental judgement when dressing your individual babe for sleep.
