Typically, for babies sleeping in a room that is regularly kept 20-22℃, a long sleeved onesie or pyjama top underneath a swaddle will suffice. If the room temperature is higher, you may want to try dressing your baby in a short sleeved onesie, or even just swaddling them in their nappy.
If your house is below 65F at night, a long-sleeve onesie or one-piece pajamas worn under the swaddle should be enough to keep your baby comfortable. But if your house temperature is over 65F at night, dressing your baby in a short-sleeved onesie for sleep should work fine.
It's important to stop using a swaddle as soon as your baby starts trying to roll over or fight their way out of it. There are various clothing options available to aid with this transition including footed pajamas, body suits, and sleep sacks. All of which keep your baby feeling cosy and secure.
4. Dress your baby appropriately: When swaddling your baby in the summer, it's important to dress them appropriately. Use lightweight, breathable clothing, and avoid overdressing your baby. You may also want to consider using a diaper with a breathable outer layer.
Swaddling can increase the chance your baby will overheat, so avoid letting your baby get too hot. The baby could be too hot if you notice sweating, damp hair, flushed cheeks, heat rash and rapid breathing. Consider using a pacifier for naps and bedtime.
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.
With a baby under 1 year of age, there should be no blankets or anything loose in the crib with him. So his clothes/pajamas and a swaddle or sleep sack are the only sources of warmth you should use. It can be tempting to put lots of thick layers on your baby to keep him warm, especially a newborn.
As a general rule of thumb, dress your baby in one more layer than you would wear. Swaddle for nighttime sleep and naps. Swaddling can help your baby sleep more soundly during the day and at night.
“With all the contradictory information regarding what a baby should wear to sleep, remember that less is more. Aim for lightweight clothing such as a onesie and a sleep sack to help the baby feel secure and cozy without over-bundling.” According to experts, wearable blankets or sleep sacks can be safe and effective.
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 general advice is to keep it simple ‒ light pajamas, a onesie, a light sleep sack, or a swaddle. If your baby is in a cold room, you can layer two or more of these options, such as light pajamas under a sleep sack. Skip the hats, socks, heavy pajamas or sleep sacks, and blankets (or any other loose bedding).
"But the symptoms may include flushed cheeks, sweating, or fussiness." Baker says when a baby is too hot, then his skin will usually feel very warm, especially early on, but if overheating progresses, babies "may actually get cool, pale, and appear ill."
Transitioning Your Baby Out of a Swaddle
If you do swaddle, experts recommend stopping when your baby starts trying to roll over, which may happen at about 2 months of age.
If possible, do the diaper change before (or even in the middle of) the feeding. Avoid unswaddling, when possible- If your baby will still take a good, full feeding while swaddled, keep them wrapped up throughout the feeding. However, for some babies, unswaddling is the key to a full feeding in the night.
Make sure the sleep sack is the right size for your baby. If it's too big, your baby can slip down inside the sack, which can make your baby overheat or suffocate. If it's too small, your baby may not be able to move their hips and legs freely, which can be dangerous, especially if they roll onto their tummy.
However, if the room is cold, it's possible for your baby to be cold in a sleep sack. To combat this, you can dress your child in a long-sleeved bodysuit, or put an extra layer on, and keep the room temperature between 68 and 72 degrees F.
Cozier Pajamas for Winter
In cold weather, you can dress your baby in footed pajamas and a wearable blanket, otherwise known as a sleep sack. You may want to combine multiple layers, such as a long-sleeved onesie together with a sleep sack. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against using blankets.
You can swaddle your baby all night long. I also swaddled for naps. The only thing to watch out for is that you aren't swaddling too tight around the hips over for a large portion of your 24 hours for weeks to months. One tiny study showed the possible increased risk of hip dysplasia.
Adding a layer like a swaddle or a sleep sack is a great substitute for a blanket. When using a sleep sack or swaddle, make sure to pay attention to the garment's TOG rating. TOG is a standard measurement used to determine how warm a piece of clothing is. The best sleep sacks usually state the TOG right on the tag.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents keep their babies swaddled for 12–20 hours per day for the first few weeks after birth. This relaxes babies. Swaddling a baby correctly also protects her from overheating, injuries and sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS.
Use materials such as a thin muslin or thin cot sheet, and never place any additional bedding over a swaddled baby as they could cause them to overheat. Do not use blankets to swaddle a baby.