How to dress your baby for safe and comfortable sleep

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What should your baby wear to sleep?

When it comes to dressing your baby for bedtime (or nap time) this is all determined by their age, room temperature and the weather. We have more specific guidelines to follow according to room temperature which we discuss more further down.

You can do some simple things to ensure your baby doesn't overheat, though. And it all comes down to knowing what temperature is best for your baby's room and how many layers your baby needs when sleeping.

As a general rule of thumb, this is how to dress your baby for sleep:

During summer

breathable, cotton, footless babygrow or sleepsuit with short sleeves
newborns can be swaddled but use a thin, breathable swaddle blanket
older babies can use a sleeping bag with a lower tog rating

During winter

breathable, cotton, footed babygrow or sleepsuit with long sleeves
newborns can be swaddled in a swaddle blanket
older babies can use a sleeping bag with a higher tog rating

Another thing to consider is to make sure they're wearing the right amount of layers. This can be achieved not just with clothing and a sleep bag but with bedding and blankets too.

During colder months, your baby may need some blankets and a sheet as well as wearing their sleepsuit. The blanket should be firmly secured into the sides of their cot (never above their shoulders) to prevent suffocation if the blanket was to shift onto their face.

In warmer months, and depending on the room temperature, your baby may only wear a vest and a tightly secured sheet over them.

Lightweight cotton is the way to go for any kind of layers your little one will be using as it's breathable and gentle on baby's skin.

Babies should never have toys, hot water bottles, pillows, electric blankets or heaters inside or next to their cot or bedside crib. Loose items in your baby's cot increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) if the item accidentally manages to cover your baby's face and nose whilst they sleep. Likewise, your baby can overheat with the use of heat-generated products.

Safe room temperatures for babies

Newborn babies are not able to regulate their body temperature as well as older children and adults can. They can be prone to overheating if they have on too many layers of clothing or if the room is too warm.

A room temperature of between 16ºC to 20ºC (60.8°F to 68ºF) is recommended. In fact, 18ºC (65ºF) is just right, say safe-sleep experts at the Lullaby Trust.

It's not easy to tell just by guessing how hot or cold a room is but there are some really good, and not too pricey, room thermometers out there which are well worth investing in.

Some of our favourite room thermometers are available here:

Layering Guide: How many layers does your baby need?

The layers your baby needs depend on the room temperature and what they're wearing to bed. During warmer months, you might be wondering how to dress your baby for sleep without a sleep sack. Your little one can wear a footless and sleeveless sleepsuit then a sheet and blanket should be enough for your baby.

You can refer to our chart guide below:

What about how to dress your baby for sleep in winter? If the weather is cold and they're wearing a fully covered babygrow to bed then you may need to double up on the blankets.

You can refer to our chart guide below:

How to dress a baby for sleep in different seasons

Dressing your baby for comfortable sleep in winter

When temperatures drop, you want your baby to be warm and safe at night. It might be tempting to cover them in lots of layers and crank the heating up but it's important to remember that babies can't regulate their body temperature in the same way adults can – so it's easy for them to get too hot, which is a risk factor in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Use light bedding or a lightweight, well-fitting baby sleep bag for your little one and add layers as needed (see below). You can adjust the amount of clothing according to the tog rating of the sleeping bag too.

Temperature charts COLD sleeping bag tog

Dressing your baby for comfortable sleep in summer

When it's really hot outside, it's hard to keep your baby's room at the ideal temperature, even if you open doors and windows (safely, of course) or maybe use a fan (not aimed directly at your baby). Tower fans can be a great way to keep cool in hot weather, which is why we put them to the test to create our list of the best tower fans with a focus on safety, value and efficiency.

In these circumstances, you'll need to lighten the layers of clothing your baby is wearing while they sleep, as well as lightening or reducing their bedding.

Signs your baby might be too cold or too hot

If you're feeling hot, your baby will likely be too. As a guide, think about what you'd be comfortable sleeping in, and add 1 extra layer for your baby.

In very hot conditions, your baby may not even need the sleepsuit and can sleep in just their nappy. You can always use our chart guides (above) to check what's appropriate according to the room temperature.

Signs that show your baby may be too hot:

sweating
damp skin or hair
flushed, red cheeks
heat rash
heavy breathing

If your baby is sweating or feeling hot to touch on their stomach then they might be too hot. Sweating is natural – it's a way for our bodies to cool us down. The dampness on our skin actually helps us to pick up the coolness from any moving air. But you'll find some babies sweat more than others. If your baby feels very sweaty, check to see how hot they are by feeling the back of their neck.

If your baby’s hot to the touch, wipe them down with a damp towel – on the face, neck, arms and legs – and open internal doors and windows, so a natural, flowing breeze is created.

It's also a good idea to try to keep your home cool throughout the day. In the UK, we tend to fling open curtains and windows the moment there's sunshine but, in Mediterranean countries, people keep the heat out with unopened curtains. This avoids a greenhouse effect, where the heat builds up and up inside.

Don't panic if your baby is sleeping more soundly than usual when it's hot. The heat can make us all lethargic, which is quite natural. Unless you have problems rousing your baby or they display odd behaviour they should be perfectly fine.

Signs that show your baby may be too cold:

feeling cold to touch on their stomach, back or neck
waking up frequently
pale, blotchy or blue skin
shivering (usually shows up in babies over 6 months)
slow movements or lethargy

If any of these occur, add some layers to your baby making sure that it's not too much to make them overheat. If they're awake, you can partly undress and hold your baby onto your bare chest and wrap the both of you in a blanket. Skin-to-skin contact is a great way to regulate your baby's body temperature.

Safety tips for dressing babies

We've mentioned above that there are well-established concerns that overheating can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). But that doesn't mean you should get overly anxious during hot spells: research suggests that babies are actually more likely to overheat when they're overdressed in cold weather.

Here are some things to consider when dressing your baby for safe and comfortable sleeping:

Check the back of your baby's neck

If you want to make sure you haven't got them in too many layers, the back of the neck, or tummy, give clearer indicators of whether your little one's overheating than their hands or feet do.

If your baby is too hot their skin will feel slightly clammy and sweaty, and you will need to remove some layers.

Don't put a hat on your baby indoors

You should never put a hat on a baby indoors, even when it's cold, because a bare head is important for maintaining body temperature and releasing heat.

Obviously, if you're taking your baby outside in cold weather, then a baby hat is an important way of keeping them warm.

Don't have the heating on high all night

In super cold weather, it's tempting to turn radiators up to full heat and leave them on as you sleep. But this isn't only expensive, it's not recommended for your baby.

The house could get too hot overnight while you're asleep. If you do feel you want the central heating on through the night, set it no higher than 20°C.

Even though it's cold, never put your baby's cot by the radiator

Never place your crib or cot next to a radiator as this could lead to overheating or possible burns if your baby reaches out of their cot and touches the hot radiator surface.

Also, as radiators are often under windows that may have blind cords, moving your baby's cot closer to an under-the-window radiator could present a risk of strangulation.

Pics: Getty

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Janet MtimaDigital Journalist

Janet is a Digital Journalist for MadeForMums and mother to a boy and girl both under 4. With a keen eye and passion for creating online media content, she enjoys sharing her own journey of motherhood, and providing encouragement for new mums.