How to Dress Baby for Sleep

Bringing your baby home as a new mom or dad can be exciting. But with the joy comes questions. One of such questions is about how to dress your baby for sleep. Many questions arise in parents’ minds on the right type of clothing for their babies because of their size.

You wouldn’t want them to be too cold or too warm; you need them at a comfortable temperature. This is why we have taken our time to provide you the right tips to help you know how to dress baby for sleep.

Some Tips for Baby Sleeping Clothes

All parents want their babies not to feel too cold or hot, but finding the right temperature for them can be challenging. Here are some tips that should help make the selection process easier.

Know the Difference Between Winter and Summer Clothes

The Thermal-Overall-Grade indicates the number of blankets to which a sleep sack equates to. Having the TOG detail will help you dress your baby so that they are safe and comfortable when sleeping.

Avoid Hats

Even though hats may not seem like a bad idea for your baby while sleeping during winter, they could be harmful to the baby. Hats may cause your baby to overheat, and if the hat gets displaced at night, it could be dangerous.

Swaddling

Babies love to get wrapped in comfortable materials. Babies spend a long time in the womb, and swaddling them tight may well remind them of the good old times! Swaddling also has unique advantages, such as preventing the arms from jerking up while they sleep. This will improve the quality of their sleep.

Sleeping Sacks

Sleeping sacks are a good option for swaddling as soon as your child can move. Once the child does not suffer from the Moro reflex, you can start using a sleep sack. With these sacks, you can easily have the baby bundled up and set for sleep in a blanket.

In the sack, the baby will feel free and secure.

Standard Guide to Dressing your Baby for Sleep

There are certain things you must know when dressing up your child. Some points to note include doubling the layer you would use for yourself for the baby. Also, ensure the room temperature is just right.

Getting the Right Room Temperature

Identifying the ideal temperature for your baby isn’t easy because they are smaller than grownups. This is why they have to be kept in a warm and cozy state. Keeping the room too warm can also have negative effects on the child. This makes one wonder what is too cold or too hot.

What you should know is that there isn’t a perfect temperature for your room. But temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees are recommended by experts. For preterm babies, you should keep the temperature warmer. Such babies may not be able to regulate their temperatures well. There is no one size fits all, so you should check the baby’s chest to see if it is not hot but just warm.

Confirm the Temperature of the Baby

The ideal temperature for your child should be between 98 and 100.3 degrees F. When you observe a temperature that is beyond 100.4 F, the child may be suffering from fever. You can test this yourself by placing the back of your hand on the stomach of the child.

When taking readings through oral or underarm means for a child, note that such readings are often a degree cooler than what they should be. This makes rectum temperature readings the best.

Are Blankets Advisable?

Ideally, you should only use a swaddle to keep your baby cozy and warm. If you want to use a blanket to swaddle the child, make sure you tuck the ends well. This is to ensure that the child does not get injured in improperly set bedding.

How Do I Know my Baby is Comfy?

Babies aren’t the most vocal beings. Hence, parents have to figure out every action of theirs. Mothers get it right sometimes, but there are times when they aren’t too lucky. But as time goes on, parents become more familiar with every reaction of their infant.

If you dress up and feed your baby before bed and he or she still acts uncomfortable, you need to find out why. Search for rashes, wetness, and breath speed as indicators of temperature discomfort.

If you are not sure, you may check the baby’s chest, neck, or stomach. If they are too sweaty or hot, you should take quick action to get them cool. If the baby’s hand has a blue coloration, you may need to put on some extra blankets for the baby.

Final Thoughts

Babies are delicate, so you need to handle them with care. Knowing how to dress a baby to sleep will determine if you will have a good night’s rest or need to wake up to check the baby. With the points in this article, you can hardly go wrong!