Newborns aren't able to keep a consistent body temperature as well as older babies. It takes time for their bodies to be able to regulate their temperature and prevent drastic temperature drops. Keeping your newborn's hands, feet, and core covered at night will help their body stay at the correct temperature.
"However, I don't recommend using them for longer than about two weeks. It's important for infants to use their hands to explore the world around them through their sense of touch and movement — whether it's putting their hands into their mouths, reaching for things, or learning what objects feel like.
Babies use their hands for self-soothing
Whether they grip something like your shirt or finger while nursing, or discover their thumb as a tool for sucking and falling asleep, hands can be important self-soothing tools for babies. Let them access their hands outside of sleepers or mittens that cover them.
If your baby's hands or feet feel cold, that is not necessarily a cause for alarm! Especially when baby's are brand new, their blood circulates in more “important” parts of the body that need development such as the brains and lungs.
Deciding if you should cover your baby's hands at night goes beyond hot or cold. It's about comfort. If you can cover them without the risk of overheating, you can do it. If you don't, that's also fine – in most cases, cold hands are a normal phase of your baby's development.
The answer is that it is perfectly safe to put mittens on your baby at night – and in fact, it can be a very good idea. Mittens help to prevent your baby from scratching their face or head during the night.
There are several reasons why hand mittens are helpful for newborns and their parents. Babies have sharp fingernails that can easily scratch their skin, especially if they need cutting or filing. Infants also tend to move their hands toward their face in jittery movements as they develop motor skills.
If you do decide to cover your baby's hands, don't use mittens, as they could pose a suffocation risk. Instead, get a sleeper with mitten cuffs like this one. Socks are somewhat of a different story. Socks are generally considered safe if your baby's feet are inside a swaddle or a sleep sack.
To keep your baby warm at night, start by dressing them in one layer appropriate for the season. When dressing your baby for sleep in cold weather, a long-sleeve onesie or a pair of footie pajamas would be appropriate. During warm months, long sleeves to cover your baby's arms aren't necessary unless the room is cold.
How Long Should a Baby Wear Mittens? Dr Stephanie Hemm, a paediatrician from Maryland, United States, thinks that it is better to let babies wear mittens for no longer than two weeks. After that, it is important for the baby to be able to use his bare hands to explore his environment.
Safe Sleep Guidelines for Your Baby
Anything that could potentially cover their mouth and nose could lead to suffocation for your infant. The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued safe sleep guidelines. This includes a strong recommendation against having blankets in your baby's crib.
While there is no set rule for the exact time to move through the transition from swaddle to arms-out sleeping, it typically starts between 3-6 months old. However, some babies may start earlier and some may take longer.
Their fists are clenched, with arms bent and legs held close to their body. This typically isn't anything to worry about — it's the natural fetal position they've been used to in the womb.
Q: Do babies' arms get cold in sleep sacks? A: It's possible, depending on the room temperature. If you need long sleeves in the bedroom or your baby's arms feel cool to the touch, then ensure your baby has long-sleeved pajamas underneath the sleep sack.
The risk for sudden infant death syndrome is higher during colder months, so parents and caregivers should be aware of this risk and take the necessary precautions, according to a press release from the NIH.
Babies tend to sleep better in a comfortably cool room. Because babies have a greater proportion of exposed surface area for their weight, it is easier for them to lose body heat.
HOT/COLD. The temperature can make your baby cry. They may cry because they are too hot or too cold. If your baby is fussy because of the temperature, there are signs that you can look for.
Usually, cold hands are not a problem as long as their back and neck are warm. If you are wondering how to keep baby's arm warm at night without a swaddle, try baby socks (not mittens) on their hand. Socks are snugly and warm, unlike mitten, babies won't be able to take them out.
Most SIDS deaths happen in babies between 1 month and 4 months of age, and the majority (90%) of SIDS deaths happen before a baby reaches 6 months of age. However, SIDS deaths can happen anytime during a baby's first year.
How Long Should Newborns Wear Baby Mittens? The next thing you might be wondering is how long your little one should wear mittens. It's recommended to only use mittens until Baby is up to 2 weeks old.
Health and development professionals recommend swaddling with your baby's arms on top of his or her chest. They suggest positioning your child's arms so the hands meet at the body's midline. This method has advantages over swaddling with your child's arms straight down at the sides.
Wrapping soothes some babies. It also cuts the risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), including SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents, because it keeps babies on their backs during sleep. Wrap babies from birth until they can roll onto their tummies (4-6 months).
Babies don't have to be swaddled. If your baby is happy without swaddling, don't bother. Always put your baby to sleep on his back. This is true no matter what, but is especially true if he is swaddled.