How To Dress Baby for Sleep According to Room Temperature

Ensuring your baby gets sufficient sleep is crucial, and it will give you peace of mind knowing that your child is tucked in and sleeping soundly.

Many parents aren’t sure what to dress their baby in when it’s time for bed. Your child needs to wear clothes that are comfortable, safe, and right for the temperature of the room.

Your baby should sleep in light layers that can be removed easily if they get too hot. Since babies cannot sleep with blankets in their crib, you have to use clothing to help them regulate their body temperature. You shouldn’t let your child sleep in hats since they can easily overheat or suffocate.

In the following, you’ll learn everything there is to know about what your baby should wear for a safe night of sleep.

Dressing Baby for Sleep 

Since you can’t put blankets or other items in a baby’s crib, you have to depend on their clothes to keep them warm enough without causing overheating.

This can be a challenge, but it’s doable.

What Should Babies Sleep in During the Summer?

In the summertime, a simple short-sleeved onesie is fine for bedtime if you are going to use a swaddle or sleep sack.

Your baby cannot have top sheets or blankets in their crib, so a onesie and a safe swaddle blanket (like the Happiest Baby swaddle) to keep their legs covered work well.

What Should Babies Sleep in During the Winter?

Honestly, your baby can sleep in the same outfit for summer as they do for winter as long as the temperature in their room stays the same.

If it does get much colder in the house, try a long-sleeved onesie with a swaddle like this one or sleep slack.

Once your child no longer needs to be swaddled, you can put your baby in a onesie with leggings to keep their legs warm at night.

What Should Babies Wear Under a Swaddle?

If your baby is still being swaddled at night, you can simply put a onesie underneath the swaddle and let them sleep like that. Your baby should be able to stay warm this way.

Just don’t put any hats or blankets on your child while he rests since these can be hazards that can lead to injury or death for children under the age of one.

Ideal Room Temperature for Babies

The ideal room temperature for your baby is between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dress According to Room Temperature

The temperature of your baby’s room will guide how you need to dress them for sleep. Here are some basics:

Room Temperature	Sleepwear for Baby
75℉ and above	Your baby should not sleep in a room that is over 72℉. It increases the risk of overheating, and this increases the risk of SIDS.
70-75℉	A short-sleeved, thin onesie and a thin swaddle are okay for this temperature. Use a fan to keep air circulating in a room this warm.
65-69℉	In this temperature range, your child can wear a short or long-sleeved onesie and a sleep sack or swaddle. If they seem too cold, you can add another layer.
60-64℉	This is pretty chilly for a baby. If your child has to sleep in a room this cold, put them in a onesie topped with footie pajamas with long sleeves and a wearable sleep sack.
Below 60℉	This is too cold for your little one. If they are in a room this cold, add more layers, and make sure they do not get too cold.

Should Babies Wear Socks To Bed?

Your baby can wear socks to bed since heat can escape their feet. They should be socks that are long enough that your child can’t easily get them off.

If you still feel stressed about the idea of your child possibly choking if they get their socks off and in their mouth at night, try footie pajamas instead. 

Dangers of Overdressing Baby

If your baby is overdressed, he or she can overheat. Overheating increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and that’s why it’s important not to overdress your baby.

Though it is true that your baby won’t be able to regulate their own body temperature for a while when still young, overdressing them is not the solution.

They should sleep warm enough but in a room that is cool, and they shouldn’t be showing signs of overheating.

How To Tell if Baby Is Too Hot

Your baby may be too hot if he is red, developing a heat rash, or has a fast heartbeat. If your baby is warm to the touch or seems excessively tired, these can also be signs of overheating.

How To Tell if Baby Is Too Cold

If your baby is too cold, you will notice that his skin is clammy and pale. Your baby may shiver, and his breathing may slow down.

Your baby will likely wake up crying if he gets too cold, but he may not do this if he is overheating.

Baby Sleep Safety Tips

Following some basic guidelines for safe sleep can help you and your baby rest easy. These include:

• Always place your baby on his back to sleep.
• Never put blankets, stuffed animals, or other items in your baby’s crib.
• Not swaddling your baby once he can roll over on his own.
• Keeping your baby’s room less than 72℉.

We wrote an entire article on sleep safety.

Related Questions: 

What Temperature Is Too Hot for a Baby To Sleep?

Any temperature over 72℉ is not good for a baby when they are sleeping. Babies can overheat, and this increases the risk of SIDS.

It’s even been shown that if your child’s room gets hotter than 70℉, you should use a fan to cool it down to decrease the risks associated with too high temperatures.

Do Babies Need Sleep Sacks in Summer?

Your baby can use a sleep sack in the summer depending on the temperature of the room. If your baby’s room is regulated by air conditioning and stays at an acceptably cool temperature, a sleep sack is fine.

If there is a chance of your house getting too warm due to lack of a cooling system, then you may want to find something lighter for your baby to wear in summer.

Closing Thoughts

Make sure to dress your baby according to the temperature in their room, and keep that low enough that they aren’t at risk for overheating.

Remember to follow safe-sleep guidelines by not adding blankets to the crib, and know the signs of overheating so that you can keep your little one comfortable and safe.