How to Keep Your Baby Warm At Night: Everything You Need to Know

Keeping your bubs warm at night is essential for creating a safe and comfortable space for them to sleep. As parents, it’s hard not to worry that our little ones aren’t warm enough at night. Unlike adults, it isn’t safe for babies to use blankets or have anything else in their crib. Trying to make your bubs cozy and warm is about finding the right balance without having them overheat. In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to help your bubs stay cozy and warm so they sleep well all night. 

Like in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, your baby prefers to sleep in a room that is not too cold, not too hot but just right. For babies, that “just right” temperature for their room is ​​20–22 Celsius (68–72 Fahrenheit). During colder, winter months, layer with a long-sleeved sleeper to keep your bubs warm.

Here are some ways you can help your bubs feel cozy and warm at night: 

• Layers: Depending on your baby's room’s temperature, layer your bubs in a onesie or sleeper then add a swaddle, swaddle sleep bag, or sleep bag. Choose soft, breathable, hypoallergenic fabrics like organic cotton or bamboo. 
• Choose the right TOG: Thermal Overall Grade or TOG is an industry measurement for a product’s thermal insulation or how warm the baby sleep bag is. Nest Designs’ sleep bags are available in a range from 0.25 TOG to 3.5 TOG. Choosing the right sleep sack involves several factors such as your baby’s room temperature, their PJs for the night, and your bubs’ overall temperature. 
• Check the crib mattress and crib sheet: To keep your baby safe, it is recommended by the AAP that your bubs sleeps on a firm mattress without any blankets, pillows, loose bedding and stuffed toys. Choose a fitted crib sheet made from breathable, hypoallergenic, and thermal-regulating fabrics like organic cotton and soft bamboo. 
• Use a humidifier: During winter months when the air is more dryer, use a humidifier to add moisture to the room, maintain a warm temperature, and prevent dry skin. 

Choosing the right sleep sack for your little one’s room can help them relax and slip away to dreamland. Depending on where you live, seasonal changes affect your bub’s room environment. Here is how you can keep your baby warm during different seasons: 

• Winter: Not all sleep sacks will be appropriate for the colder weather. For colder months, choose sleep bags with higher TOG ratings like 3.5 TOG. These are ideal for cold rooms between 13-16°C (55-61°F). Layer them in a long sleeve sleeper for added warmth. 
• Fall/Spring: Known as the transitional seasons, use a mid-weight sleep sack like 1.0 TOG. These are ideal for rooms 20° to 24°C (69° and 74°F). 
• Summer: The warmer weather calls for a change in lighter sleep sacks with a lower TOG rating. Choose ones like Nest Designs’ 0.25 TOG, 0.5 TOG, and 0.6 TOG sleep bags. These are made from breathable, thermal-regulating, and moisture-wicking fabrics like bamboo, bamboo silk, bamboo Pima, and bamboo jersey - making them ultra-soft and comfortable. Dress your bubs in either a onesie or in the sleep bag alone for really hot days. 

Read our ultimate TOG guide for newborns to learn more. 

Babies and toddlers cannot regulate their temperature until about 1.5 to 2 years old. You’ll know if your bubs is warm enough by feeling the nape of their neck, their back, and their chest. It should feel warm but not sweaty. Their little hands and feet are not good indicators since they’re extremities that help keep your bubs the right temperature. Some other signs your bubs feel “just right” are that they’re relaxed and sleeping comfortably, they have normal skin colour, and they have uninterrupted sleep.

It might be tempting to layer your kids up when the weather gets colder but it can lead to them overheating. This is extremely dangerous and is a risk factor for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Some signs that your little one might be overheating are: 

• Sweating especially if their hair, back, or neck are sweaty 
• Flushed skin is when your baby’s skin is red or blotchy 
• Rapid breathing or they’re breathing faster than usual 
• Irritability when your baby is restless, walking up more often during the night 

If your bubs is cold, you may notice they are waking more at night. Some signs your baby might be too cold are: 

• Their chest or back feels cold to the touch 
• Your baby is more unsettled or is crying more than usual 
• Their hands and feet might look bluish and are combined with other signs

Your baby’s hands might feel cold at night but don’t worry! Their circulatory systems are immature and so their blood flow goes to their core and vital organs before their extremities like hands and feet. Remember, you can check your bubs’ chest or back. If it feels warm, they’re probably feeling pretty cozy and warm. 

Getting your little one to sleep warm and comfortably at night involves finding a baby sleep bag with the right TOG for their room temperature, the sleeper or onesie they’re dressed in, and their crib mattress and crib sheet. Nest Designs makes sleep essentials for babies and toddlers to help create calmness and coziness at bedtime. Browse or sleep essentials today.