Dress your baby as you would dress yourself for the temperature of the room – comfortably warm, not too hot, not too cold. The right sleepwear can help keep baby comfortable and safe.
The easiest way to tell if your baby is too hot or too cold is by feeling the nape of the neck to see if it's sweaty or cold to the touch. When babies are too warm, they may have flushed cheeks and look like they're sweating.
That same study found that babies in room temperatures that did not exceed 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 Celsius) did not experience heightened difficulty of waking. So, we recommend that you keep the baby's room temperature between 69 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (20.5 – 24 Celcius).
Dress your baby in layers of fitted clothing rather than just thick pyjamas. You can add or take away layers as the temperature changes. Babies cool themselves down by releasing heat from their heads and faces. Babies can quickly overheat if they fall asleep wearing hats or beanies.
The air in babe's room is too cold.
Even if babe is super warm, if they are breathing in cold air, it can wake them up. This is often the cause for early morning waking - as a baby who has gone to bed in a cold room wakes up as the temp drops suddenly in the early hours.
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.
When the colder winter months come around, it's sufficient to put your baby in a Long Sleeve 1.0 TOG or 0.2 TOG Long Sleeve Layer and place a 2.5 TOG Cocoon Swaddle Bag or 1.0 TOG Cocoon Swaddle Bag on top (room temp dependant). This will ensure your baby comfortable and won't overheat.
The Optimal Temperature for a Baby's Room in Australia
So much so that any changes in room temperature can make them fussy. That's why, according to The Sleep Store Australia, your baby's room shouldn't be either too hot or too cold. It should be somewhere between 18 to 22 degrees Celsius.
When dressing your newborn for bed, follow this rule of thumb: dress the infant in one additional layer than what you'd be comfortable wearing at night in that room. Consider a onesie, sleep sack, or lightweight swaddle in warmer months. In colder months, opt for a long-sleeved onesie or a heavier sleepsack or swaddle.
Babies do not necessarily sleep more in winter, though it can be easier to care for them when the weather is cool. Like adults, babies like to feel warm and cosy.
It is important to make sure that your baby is a comfortable temperature – not too hot or too cold. The chance of SIDS is higher in babies who get too hot. A room temperature of 16-20°C – with light bedding or a lightweight, well-fitting baby sleep bag– is comfortable and safe for sleeping babies.
By around 11 weeks, though, babies' bodies start to regulate their temperature at night just like older humans do. Within four hours of bedtime, babies reach a minimum core body temperature of 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Instead of adding blankets, add a layer of clothing. For example, you may want to consider whether your baby may benefit from a wearing vest under his or her baby-grow or pajamas. You may prefer to put your baby in a baby-grow/onesie with feet when it is cold, but without at warmer times of the year.
Whenever you put your baby down to sleep, day or night, give them a safe place to sleep. Always put baby to sleep on their back. Baby should sleep in their own cot, in your room, for the first twelve months.
In warmer weather, you can dress baby in a sleeveless and legless onesies, or just a nappy and singlet. For cooler weather, a full suit will keep baby warm. If you are using a sleeping bag, select the TOG that matches the temperature of the room.
Use a fitted cotton sheet and layers of cotton blankets to keep your baby warm in bed. You can add or remove layers of blankets depending on if your baby is too hot or too cold. Alternatively you may choose to buy a baby sleeping bag or sleep-sack.
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).
Choose a fitted sheet and layers of cotton blankets for your baby's cot, not a duvet. Keep plenty of extras on hand for changes, too. Soft, one-piece, footed cotton sleepsuits help your baby stay warm all night by keeping him toasty from head to toe.
Here are some indicators a baby is too hot: Warm to the touch. Flushed or red skin. Rapid heartbeat.
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.
Q: Can cold weather make a baby get sick? A: We're so happy you asked this question so we can set the record straight once and for all: To catch a cold, you need to be exposed to a virus. Simply being out in cold weather can't trigger the sniffles.
The best way to check if your little one is the correct temperature is to put your hand on the child's 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 your child is warm enough.
SIDS is most common at 2-4 months of age when the cardiorespiratory system of all infants is in rapid transition and therefore unstable. So, all infants in this age range are at risk for dysfunction of neurological control of breathing.