What should a newborn wear to sleep?
It’s a common anxiety for new parents – you bring your baby home from the hospital and there’s just a bit of a ‘what do we do now’ feeling. The classic phrase “they don’t come with an instruction manual” reverberates around the house as you look at your little one and wonder if you’re going to be able to gauge what they need while their vocabulary is non-existent. The first days (and weeks, and months!) can feel like a bit of a guessing game to say the least and one of the many mysteries is how to dress a newborn for sleep.
So what should a newborn wear to sleep? It’s a common question that carries more weight than dressing a newborn for their wake-time activities – not only because newborns spend most of their time sleeping, but because there are safety aspects to consider. Learning how to dress a newborn for sleep is not only important for the comfort of your little one, but integral in decreasing the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). There’s a higher risk between the age of 0-1 years but 89% of SIDS cases happen in the first 6 months of a baby’s life so understanding how their bodies work and how to dress them is key.
Let’s talk temperatures
The current NHS guidelines for a baby’s normal, healthy temperature is around 36.4oC – of course some babies' natural temperatures will be a little higher or a little lower (and if you’re ever concerned, it’s always best to contact your healthcare provider) but this is the baseline we’re working with. The reason we have to think carefully about temperature is because our little one’s bodies do not regulate themselves the way an adult’s body does. They sweat a lot less when they’re too warm, meaning they’re more likely to hold onto heat and, therefore, overheat. To stop this from happening, there are some essential things you can do and we’ve listed them below to make it easy to reference.
Never put a hat on your baby for sleep – our little one’s heads are where they expel excess heat so covering this up can be dangerous.
Check the room temperature – the Lullaby Trust recommends that a baby’s room should be between 16-20oC. There are some great room thermometers out there – we’re particularly fond of the Tommee Tippee Gro Egg and it’s a good idea to keep an eye on room temperature during the summer as, no-brainer, it can rise above the recommended 20oC and be tricky to manage.
Avoid positioning your baby’s cot near a radiator or heater – for obvious reasons!
So now we know what not to do, let’s look at what you can do to help your baby get the restful night’s sleep they need.
Why positioning is important
The recommended positioning for a baby to sleep is ‘feet-to-foot’ – meaning your baby is positioned with their feet at the bottom of the cot and any blankets being used are firmly tucked down the sides of the mattress and below shoulder height to avoid the risk of your baby’s head being covered by loose bedding. Obviously, if you choose to use a baby sleeping bag, this won’t be a problem, but we’ll come on to that in a minute! The key is to put safety at the forefront of everything when it comes to your baby’s sleep and that goes for how they’re positioned to what they wear.
It’s all about layers
We recommend printing out a handy chart like this one from the Baby Centre to keep the guidelines on sleepwear close by at all times. We find it particularly helpful for questions like ‘what should a newborn wear in the summer?’ as it can feel rather strange to put your little one down in nothing more than a vest even if it is very warm outside.
In our opinion, baby sleeping bags are one of the best things to invest in for your baby’s sleep as they allow you to gauge the right tog for the temperature of the room – something that’s much trickier to do with blankets and sheets. An important thing to note with sleeping bags is that they should fit correctly to avoid the risk of your baby trying to wriggle out and ending up with the bag covering their heads – so always make sure your baby is always wearing the appropriate sized bag for their age.
As you can see from the chart, it’s all about the layers (or limiting the layers) depending on the temperature of the room. For warmer days, your little one might just need a sleepsuit or vest to be comfortable, whereas during the winter months layering a vest, sleepsuit and sleeping bag will make sure your baby is warm enough even as the temperature drops throughout the night.
Things to keep an eye out for
While we can work with the guidelines and do our best to dress our newborns appropriately for sleep, there will always be things to keep an eye out for, especially as little ones can’t tell us if they’re feeling unwell and, therefore, might have a temperature. We’ve rounded up some general signs that your baby might be too hot, though they may show signs that aren’t on the list so it’s always best to check anything unusual with your healthcare provider.
Crying or restlessness – of course this can occur for a number of reasons but it’s worth checking their temperature to rule it out.
One or both cheeks flushed – it could be teething too but, again, worth a check!
Hot chest or back – a baby’s extremities (their hands and feet) will always be cooler to touch so make sure to touch their chest or back as a more accurate guide.
Damp skin or hair – as we mentioned previously, babies sweat a lot less than adults so this isn’t always obvious but one to keep an eye on in any case.
Heat rash – red skin with raised spots are the telltale signs of heat rash but, as with any rash, make sure you check it’s not a sign of something more serious with your healthcare provider.
We hope this makes you feel better equipped for the continual mystery of your tinies and that you get some well-deserved rest from hereon in!