Find out the safest and most comfortable way to dress your baby for sleep, whether it’s a hot or cold night.
As a new parent, you’ll likely obsess about every aspect of your baby’s sleep—including what they wear to bed. It’s not as simple as grabbing the cutest pair of footie pajamas in their closet. Your little one’s outfit must help them maintain the proper temperature throughout the night. Plus, choosing an unsafe option might increase the risk of suffocation or strangulation.
Wondering what a baby should wear while sleeping? Whether it’s summer, winter, or somewhere in between, we rounded up expert tips you need to know. (Now if you could only get them to sleep through the night!)
Choosing Bedtime Clothes for Your Baby
When a baby sleeps, you should make sure their body maintains an ideal temperature. Too-hot environments can lead to overheating, which is especially dangerous for babies because it’s been linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).1 On the other hand, too-cold temperatures can also be dangerous and uncomfortable.
Simply judging how you feel in the nursery or bedroom isn’t necessarily the best indicator. A good rule of thumb is that babies should wear one additional layer than what you’d be comfortable wearing in the same environment.2
“Your baby should be in one more layer than you sleep in,” says Nicole Cannon, owner of Sleepy Mama Sleep Consulting and a certified member of the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants.
One or two fitted layers works well in most situations, adds Lisa Ehl Lewis, MD , a pediatrician in Fort Worth, Texas. “Babies often sleep in a fitted onesie with sleep pants. If your home is cold, add an extra layer,” she says. This extra layer can be a receiving blanket if swaddling, or a wearable sleep sack if the room is extra chilly.2
Speaking of the temperature, are wondering how to set the thermostat? “The consensus among sleep experts is between 68-72 degrees” Fahrenheit, says Cannon.
SIDS Prevention Tips
To reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), you shouldn’t put anything in a baby’s crib until they’re at least 1 year old, including blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals. Also avoid using any head covering on your baby while they’re sleeping. Infants should always sleep on their backs alone on a flat sleep surface.3
Dressing Your Baby for Sleep on Warm Nights
On warm nights, opt for lightweight, breathable sleep clothes for your baby. One acceptable option is a cotton bodysuit. You can also choose a cotton or muslin swaddle for newborns.
“When it’s warm outside, I typically do long cotton pajamas and a 1.0 TOG sleep sack or 0.5 if it’s really warm,” says Cannon. TOG refers to the “thermal overall grade” of the garment or fabric; the higher the TOG, the warmer the fabric.
Also, despite the warm temperature, you want to avoid clothing that’s super loose. This can increase the risk of SIDS, as loose clothes can cover your baby’s nose and mouth, impacting their ability to breath.
Dressing Your Baby for Sleep on Cold Nights
When it’s cold, a sleep sack or wearable blanket can keep your baby toasty. Never put loose blankets in the crib with your baby, as these can raise the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), says the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Also avoid other loose, soft objects like comforters, mattress toppers, pillows, non-fitted sheets, and stuffed animals.3
Cannon suggests long pajamas, possibly with a onesie underneath. Depending on the temperature of the room, you can top it off with a heavier sleep sack. “If it’s very cold, I will bump up the sleep sack weight to 2.5 TOG,” says Cannon.
In extremely cold weather, you can consider adding fleece pajamas, as long as your baby doesn’t get too hot—though Cannon generally recommends a heavier sleep sack instead. “It’s healthier for a child not to be overheated, so rather than many layers, I opt for a warmer sleep sack so that there’s still some breathability in their pajamas,” she says.
Parents should also avoid outfits with hats or hoods for safety reasons. “No clothing should cover a baby’s face as this can cause suffocation,” says Dr. Lewis.
Should I Swaddle My Baby?
Swaddling can help soothe your newborn because it replicates the womb environment, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). If you decide to swaddle, opt for a thin blanket, and follow these safety tips from the AAP:
- Place your baby to sleep on their back
- Stop swaddling when your baby displays signs of trying to roll over
- Don’t wrap hips too tightly, as this can cause hip dislocation or hip dysplasia
- Make sure the swaddle can’t become loose4
How to Know If Your Baby Is Comfortable
It’s important that a baby not get overheated or too cold, says Dr. Lewis. She recommends checking their face for redness and feeling their body temperature. “If they feel too cold, add an extra layer. If they feel too hot, take off a layer. It’s OK for a baby to sleep in only a onesie if they’re comfortable.”
Cannon you shouldn’t gauge the temperature reading on their hands and feet. “It’s normal for infant hands and feet to be cold,” she says. “Instead check a child’s trunk or back of their neck. If a baby has a slightly cool chest or neck, then that’s a sign the temperature is good. It should never be too hot or sweaty.”
Watch for these signs that your child might be overheating, according to the AAP and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):5
- Hot skin
- Sweaty body
- Faster breathing
- Fussiness
- Reddened skin
- Flushed cheeks
- Lethargy or sluggishness
- Rapid heartbeat
