How to Dress Baby for Sleep

While kids and adults usually need no more than a pair of pyjamas to be worn when sleeping, dressing baby for sleep is not as straightforward as it seems. Right from the type of sleepwear, to the material used, to the weather around you, some factors play a key role in a baby’s unbroken sleep.

How to Choose Sleep Wear for Baby?

Whether dressing baby for bed in winter, summer or any other season, the choice of appropriate sleepwear is extremely important. Many parents tend to wrap their infants in multiple layers of clothing to protect them from the cold. However, it ends up being irritating and may even increase the risk of SIDS.

Opting for full-length comfortable clothes in winter is a good way to get started. The same can then be paired with multiple light shirts or pyjamas for summers since the body needs to breathe a lot more then. Monsoons and late winters can affect your child’s skin extensively, so picking out the right clothes for those times is a necessity, too.

Avoid any kind of synthetic material for your babies. Going with clothes made from natural fibres or even pure cotton is the best bet. Not only are they better on the skin, but they also absorb sweat easily, allow the body to breathe, and even help in regulating the body heat correctly. Natural wool, linen and silk are great choices for your little one.

Understanding your baby’s skin and body is important as well. If his hands and feet tend to get colder than usual, you can invest in gloves and booties for the winters. At times, babies may sweat a lot, which can result in rashes under the neck or on the back as well. Reduce the layers of clothing and invest in cotton shirts that can absorb the sweat well.

How to Dress Baby for Sleep According to Room Temperature or Weather?

Figuring out how to dress baby for sleep in winter or at any other room temperature might be a little confusing for parents. Too many clothes and your baby might end up sweating through the night. Too little and he might be shivering and fall ill due to the cold. Here’s how you can get a good idea of some basic clothing benchmarks based on temperature.

What Room Temperature is Ideal for Baby’s Sleep?

Once you figure out how to dress baby for sleep in the 70-degree room or even hotter conditions, it becomes important to know what temperature your child should usually sleep in. Summers usually bring with them immense heat in the atmosphere, making it difficult for kids to fall asleep. Winters are no respite either since a few areas might suffer from extremely cold weather.

When putting children to sleep, you can use a light blanket to cover their body. Even in summers, a very light cloth can make the baby feel quite comfy. If your baby tends to move extensively during sleep, avoid using the blanket and opt for a baby sleeping bag or a sack. It helps the baby remain calm and safe.

Young and newborn infants sleep well when they are swaddled properly. Swaddling takes care of multiple purposes. Firstly, it allows the child to feel more comfortable since bundling up in a swaddle helps replicate the same environment as experienced by the baby within the womb. Secondly, it helps regulate the temperature effectively and avoid any risks of blanket movement or smothering oneself.

Overheating is a major culprit for many infant deaths due to SIDS. Generally, a temperature of around 18 to 20 degree Celsius is deemed to be optimal for a baby to sleep well. Colder regions might have to use a heater or a special air conditioner to regulate the inner temperature better.

There may not be a comprehensive dressing baby for bed guide out there in the market. However, keeping a few tips in mind and using the aforementioned table as a starting point, you can ensure your baby sleeps comfortably at all times.

Also Read: How to Deal with Baby Sleep Problems