Shopping for baby clothes is fun for new and expecting parents, but buying clothes for dressing your baby for sleep is not usually the focus of a shopping spree!
However, when you’re faced with an extra warm or cold night, it’s normal to suddenly wonder “how do I dress my baby for sleep?”
This article will answer the most common questions about dressing your baby for sleep, including how to dress your baby for different seasons including summer and winter, and information on if and when your baby should wear a swaddle or sleep sack to sleep.
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What Should My Baby Wear to Sleep?
When it comes to what babies should wear to sleep, a general rule of thumb from experts and pediatricians is you should dress your baby in one more layer than you’re wearing. This includes during the night, which is why it’s often recommended you swaddle your newborn baby over their clothes and then transition to a sleep sack or wearable blanket when they reach the age where they are showing signs of rolling over.
An example is if you’re wearing just a t-shirt to sleep, your baby should be wearing a t-shirt plus a long-sleeved onesie to sleep.
Different Types of Baby Clothes for Sleep
Common clothes to dress your baby in for sleep include:
- Baby Gowns: A baby gown is like a pair of pajamas that are open at the bottom. In the early days of newborn life, baby gowns make diaper changing easier and are often comfortable on your newborn's umbilicus (belly button). Baby gowns are also versatile garments: the bottom can be tied closed in colder weather or left open if it’s warmer.
- Footed Sleepers: A more comprehensive type of onesie used often for sleep, footed sleepers are onesies that also have built in socks/shoes to keep your baby’s toes warm. Footed sleepers are popular types of pajamas.
- Onesie: A onesie is a short-sleeved or long-sleeved leotard-like garment for a baby that often snaps or has a zipper open at the bottom or side for easy diaper changes. They often are used as an underlayer to keep baby extra warm.
- Swaddle: A swaddle is like a cocoon you create from wrapping a square blanket around your baby to keep them warm and snug. You should stops swaddling your baby when they can roll over one way, either front-to-back or back-to-front, a developmental milestone that typically happens around 2 months. After that, swaddling can pose a safety hazard. American Academy of Pediatrics advises against weighted swaddles.
- Sleep Sack: A sleep sack, also known as a wearable blanket, is a garment that is a great option for dressing your baby in to sleep when they grow out of a swaddle. Many parents use a sleep sack to keep their baby warm at night. A sleep sack leaves your baby’s arms out and free, and keeps their legs loosely contained. A sleep sack can be a good alternative to a blanket – blankets are not recommended for babies under 12 months of age.
Fabrics to Dress Your Baby in at Night
- Muslin: A soft, natural, loosely woven fabric, muslin is super warm and breathable to keep your baby cozy but well ventilated.
- Jersey Knit: Warm and soft, jersey knit is also stretchy and strong, meaning it allows your little one to move with ease, but the fabric won’t tear.
- Fleece: As you may know from your own wardrobe, fleece is very warm. Some wonder “Is fleece safe for babies?” and the answer is, “yes, fleece is safe for babies.” In fact, fleece is a popular material for baby blankets and outer layers, such as onesies.
- Polyester: A synthetic, petroleum-basedfabric, polyester is found in a vast variety of apparel out there, including blankets and plush toys.
Should newborns wear hats to sleep?
Aside from the first few hours of life, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against hats for babies while they are indoors as it could lead to overheating.
How to Dress Your Baby Depending on Temperature
Unlike adults or older children, babies’ bodies can’t regulate their own temperature. When you’re thinking about how to dress a newborn for sleep or even an older baby for sleep, you need to consider the season or environment.
Here is a breakdown of how to dress your baby depending on temperature.
Note: “TOG” refers to how warm something keeps you. For example, 1 TOG is perfect for a room 68-75 °F. 2 togs is for a room 61-68 °F.
- 80° F: Diaper
- 78 °F: Onesie
- 75-77 °F: Onesie + sleep sack (.5 TOG) or swaddle
- 71-74 °F: Sleep sack/swaddle (.5 TOG) + long-sleeved pajamas
- 69-70 °F: Onesie + long-sleeved pajamas + sleep sack/swaddle (1 TOG)
- 64-68 °F: Long-sleeved onesie + long-sleeved pajamas + sleep sack/swaddle (1 TOG)
- 61-63 °F: Socks + long-sleeved onesie + long-sleeved pajamas + sleep sack/swaddle (2.5 TOG)
- Under 60 °F: Mittens + socks + long-sleeved onesie + long-sleeved pajamas + sleep sack/swaddle (2.5 TOG)
Here’s an image of what to dress your baby in for sleep to save for later!
How to Dress Your Baby for Sleep on Cold Nights or in Winter
In winter you may need to dress your baby in more than the “you plus one layer of clothing” rule, especially if you live in a drafty or colder home.
Depending on the temperature in the room where your baby sleeps, you may need the following layers:
- Diaper and an undershirt
- Pajamas
- Sleep sack (winter weight or higher TOG rating) or swaddle (age depending)
On a colder night, you may want to use warmer pajamas made of fleece or similarly warm materials to keep them comfortable.
How Do I Dress My Baby for Sleep on Warm Nights
Babies sleep best in rooms between 68-72 °F, regardless of the weather outside. It’s important that you make sure they’re warm enough without overheating.
If it’s a warm night outside, and your baby is sleeping in a room that’s between 68-72 °F, they could wear:
- Diaper
- Lighter long-sleeved pajamas
- Swaddle or light weight sleep sack
Since babies can’t regulate their own heat as well as older kids or adults, it’s important to watch for overheating if it’s very hot outside or if the temperature of their room is above what’s recommended.
Signs of overheating in babies on warm nights
- red cheeks
- sweating, especially along their hairline
- elevated heart rate
- fussy
- heat rash
- hot to the touch
If you’re concerned your baby may be too warm, remove one or more of your baby’s layers to cool them down. If your baby is having other concerning symptoms or the symptoms don’t improve, contact your pediatrician or seek medical care.
How Do I Dress My Baby to Sleep in the AC?
If your baby is sleeping in air conditioning or AC, you should dress them in one extra layer than you are wearing. For example, if you’re wearing pajamas, you could put them in pajamas plus a swaddle or light weight sleep sack.
If your baby is sleeping in air condition, be aware of where the air vent is blowing. If it blows directly on your baby, adjust it to blow away from them.
More Ways to Keep Your Baby Safe and Comfortable While Dressed for Sleep
In addition to dressing your baby properly for sleep, other ways to create a safe and sleep-nourishing environment include:
- Noise Machines: White noise machines or brown noise machines mimic the womb and drown out outside noises that may disturb your baby’s sleep, such as traffic or barking dogs.
- Blackout Curtains: Your baby’s circadian rhythm is largely goverened by light, and even a little bit of light can wake up your baby in the morning or prevent them from sleeping well during a nap. To help your baby sleep well, install black out curtains in their sleep space.
- Calming Scents: Calming scents such as lavender or chamomile create a soothing environment where your baby feels serene and relaxed for sleep.
- Safe Sleep Space: Your baby should be put to sleep on their back with no soft toys or blankets in their sleep space for their first year of life. The best sleep temperature for babies is between 68-72 °F.
If you’re looking for additional support with figuring out your baby’s sleep, download the Smart Sleep Coach by PampersTM app. The app is used by hundreds of thousands of parents to take the guess work out of sleep schedules and building healthy sleep habits in your little one. Take this free 3-minute sleep quiz and start sleeping like a dream as soon as tonight.
Conclusion
What your baby wears to sleep can majorly affect the quality of their rest, and their safety. Plus, sleep clothes are adorable – and incredibly cozy.
While the rule of thumb is to dress your baby in one extra layer as you, use your best judgement depending on the temperature outside and in your baby’s room, and how your baby seems.
From sleep sacks to warmer pajamas, how you dress your baby for sleep plays a big role in their safety and sleep – and your rest, too!
