As a general rule, parents and caregivers should dress a baby with only one more layer than an adult would need to stay warm in that same bedroom. This rule can help avoid over-bundling, which can lead to safety risks from overheating. According to experts, wearable blankets or sleep sacks can be safe and effective.
The general rule of thumb is to make sure baby wears one additional layer than what you're comfortable wearing—if you're feeling chilly, your baby probably is too.
As a guide, dress your baby in the same number of layers you're wearing, plus one extra layer for warmth. Although it's important to keep newborns warm, it's just as important that your baby doesn't overheat, especially during sleep.
Keeping your baby warm
A good rule of thumb is to give your baby one extra layer of clothing than what you're wearing (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2016).
If your baby is too cold or uncomfortable, they will likely cry to let you know!
If they're cold, your baby is likely chilly. (Try a little skin-to-skin cuddling to gently warm them up, dress your baby in a lightly insulated swaddle, like Comforter Sleepea, and make sure their room is at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit.) If your baby's ears feel hot to the touch, your lovebug might be burning up, too.
As a general rule, if the room temperature is around 18-20 degrees Celsius, put your newborn or older baby to bed in a vest and bodysuit or gown.
Layering up
The NHS recommends layering lightweight baby blankets when it is cold rather than using a single thick blanket. Cellular blankets are ideal for this purpose though do remember, a folded blanket counts as two layers. It's important that your baby doesn't overheat.
A multi-layered approach
It's a good idea to check what you're wearing and put them in one more layer (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2016). So, if you're in a shirt, sweater and jacket, your baby might need a vest, sleepsuit, jumper and coat (plus hat and gloves as needed).
As a general rule, parents and caregivers should dress a baby with only one more layer than an adult would need to stay warm in that same bedroom. This rule can help avoid over-bundling, which can lead to safety risks from overheating. According to experts, wearable blankets or sleep sacks can be safe and effective.
Excessive Clothing and Bedding: Dressing a baby in too many layers or using heavy blankets and bedding can lead to overheating. Room Temperature: Keeping the baby's sleeping environment too warm can contribute to overheating.
Colic is often defined by the “rule of three”: crying for more than three hours per day, for more than three days per week, and for longer than three weeks in an infant who is well-fed and otherwise healthy.
Babies that are too cold will not exert the energy it takes to cry, and may be uninterested in feeding. Their energy is being consumed by trying to stay warm. A baby that is dangerously chilled will have cold hands and feet and even baby's chest will be cold under his or her clothes.
If the room is warm (24 degrees), then baby should be in a 1.0 tog sleeping bag and wear a short-sleeved bodysuit. If the room is warm (22 degrees), then baby should be in a 1.0 tog sleeping bag and wear a long-sleeved bodysuit.
Although your baby's hands and face may feel cold, this may differ from their core body temperature. To give you a better idea if they are warm or cold, feel the skin on their tummy and back. Their skin should feel warm and not too hot or cold.
The best way to gauge whether or not a baby is overdressed or not is by touching a baby's toes, Mark Windome, professor of pediatrics at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine told CNN. If the toes are a little cool, but not cold and the baby's belly is warm the baby is dressed warmly enough.
Usually one layer of clothing under the appropriate TOG of the sleep sack is sufficient! However, if you have a 1.0 TOG sleep bag and it is colder than 69°F in the room, you can add an extra layer of clothing, like a onesie and a footie if needed instead of purchasing a 2.5 TOG sleep sack.
You can find toddler-size sleepers with some sort of grip on the bottom of the feet and they are great for a toddler who has started to walk. So, do babies wear onesies under sleepers? The answer is yes, they do. However, it is not necessary to put an onesie under a sleeper.
A cotton sleepsuit should be enough for your baby to sleep in if it's warm; if it's especially hot, a vest may be OK on its own. If the temperature in your baby's room is around the 16 - 20 degree sweet spot, your baby should be fine to sleep in a vest and sleepsuit.
Room under 16 degrees: Use a 2.5 tog bag with a cotton bodysuit and sleepsuit. Room at 17-21 degrees: Use a 2.5 tog with a cotton bodysuit. Room at 22 to 25 degrees: Use a lightweight 1.5 tog with a cotton bodysuit. Room above 25 degrees: Use a 0.5 tog sheet or muslin bag and a short-sleeved bodysuit.
21-23 degrees – short or long sleeved vest and 1 tog sleeping bag. 17 -20 degrees – babygro and 2.5 tog sleeping bag. Below 16 degrees – Babygro, vest and 2.5 tog sleeping bag.
Expect your baby's sleep patterns to change when the weather is hot. They may be sleepier in the hotter parts of the day, and have bursts of energy when it cools down.
A baby's arms can feel cold without the baby being cold; the best way to check whether your little one is warm enough is to touch the skin of their torso or neck. However, if the room is cold, it's possible for your baby to be cold in a sleep sack.