Safe Sleep Tips for Keeping Baby Cozy in the Winter Months
As the nights get longer and the evenings colder, a common question in our Nurturing Circle for Growing Families is “how do I dress my baby safely for sleep while keeping them warm enough?” We have turned to our partners at Full Circle Sleep to answer this question for curious parents.
“This a great question!” says Camilla Malkin, a Bridgetown Baby doula & co-owner of Full Circle Sleep. “As parents we want to keep our babies warm and cuddly, but we know that sleeping with booties, hats, blankets, and mittens might actually be increasing our infants’ risk for SUIDS (Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome).”
What to do? Well, asking the right questions is the first step to becoming informed and keeping our children safe!
Below, Camilla shares some safe sleep tips for dressing your child appropriately during the cold fall and winter months ahead - and read to the bottom for Full Circle’s special offer for Bridgetown Baby families!
TIPS FOR COLD WEATHER SLEEPWEAR
Temperature
On average humans sleep best when our sleeping environment is between 64 and 72°F (17-22°C) with the ideal temperature being 68°F (20°C). Personal preference for those who run hot or cold-- yes, even for babies-- will dictate how you make adjustments in your home.
If the room your child sleeps in doesn’t have a thermostat, you can use a portable, indoor thermometer or video baby monitor to measure and keep an eye on the temperature.
Right Number of Layers
Picking the right type of layers for your baby for sleeping is key. I like to say “simple is safest.” Put your baby in one base layer—like a pair of pjs—and a swaddle or sleep sack (depending on baby’s developmental age). In cooler weather, I might add an additional layer underneath the pjs (one short sleeved or long sleeved onesie).
If you dress your baby in too many layers the risk of overheating is high. The rule of thumb for dressing babies is to put them in one more layer than you would feel comfortable wearing at night in the room where they are sleeping.
Avoid Overheating
How do you know if your baby is overheating (or too chilly)? You want to check their temperature. A parent’s first instinct may be to reach for a baby’s hand or foot to gauge how warm a baby is. Unfortunately, babies, like adults, tend to run cooler in their extremities. The best place to get an accurate read of your infant’s comfort level is by feeling their heads or torsos.
If your child feels chilly add another layer or a heavier material (if they are in a cotton sleep sack switch it out for a wool one, or if they are in a short sleeved onesie under their pjs replace it with a long sleeved onesie).
If your child feels warm or is exhibiting signs of overheating (heat rash, sweating, flushed cheeks, damp hair, rapid breathing, or restlessness/fussiness when they don’t need a diaper change and have recently been fed), these are the steps to take:
Pick them up
Dry them off
Offer them breast milk or water (depending on their age)
Redress them in dry clothing
Dress them in one less layer—I usually recommend removing the layer closest to their body.
Choose Organic and Natural Materials
I will be the first to confess: my son’s clothing is higher quality than mine. I am constantly thinking about how his skin is the largest organ of his body. I have made the choice to protect that beautiful soft chubbiness in all the ways I can. One of those choices was to go all natural, avoiding synthetic materials, and going organic when possible for bedding, clothing, and accessories. It was an expensive choice but I have found that he suffers less from rashes and dry skin, conditions that both his father and I barely manage in ourselves. I also rest easy knowing that natural fibers are flame resistant and if they do catch fire won’t melt onto his skin.
Did you know that in the United States pajamas that are sized 9 months to children’s size 14 must be either flame-resistant or tight fitting, because loose clothing more easily catches on fire? One way companies sometimes meet this legal requirement is to treat clothing with a flame-retardant chemical—and they don’t have to disclose which chemicals they are using to achieve this requirement, so you have no idea which chemicals are resting upon your baby’s skin. I’ve chosen to avoid that whole mess through careful purchases.
Natural fibers in clothing are also more effective in regulating temperature in hot and cold weather. In warm weather, natural fibers can absorb sweat better and pull moisture away from your baby’s body. In cooler weather, natural fibers provide more effective insulation.
The materials to keep an eye out for when choosing your child’s overnight gear are:
Cotton
Silk
Wool
Cashmere
Hemp
Linen
TRICKS FOR MAINTAINING A CONSISTENT TEMPERATURE IN BABY’S ROOM
Use a Fan
Using a fan serves a dual purpose in a sleeping environment. It creates gentle white noise that helps to lull babies into their next sleep cycle. And it also helps to circulate air and distribute heat.
If you decide to use a fan, place it on the opposite side of the room of your baby and make sure it isn’t blowing directly on them.
Use Window Coverings
We don’t all have the luxury of having new energy efficient windows. For those of us who have 100 year old single pane windows we know how important it is to try and insulate as much as possible so we aren’t breaking the bank with the heating bill.
At Full Circle Sleep, we like to recommend two different kinds of window coverings. We like Black Out EZ because they black out extra light (making it easier to get baby down to rest) and also help keep heat in. If you live in a really old house, having some kind of floor to ceiling drapes also work to create a barrier from the cold.
Close the Door
It’s a safe sleep habit to close to door to your baby’s room. But it also helps to keep your baby’s room at a more consistent temperature.
PRODUCTS FULL CIRCLE SLEEP LOVES
Woolino Sleep Sack (Buy one get one 20% off with promo code BOGO20)
Hanna Andersson organic sleepers (Save 20% on your first order)
Merino Wool onesies
Special offer for Bridgetown Baby clients!! $95 off a package of $800+ when you pay by check ($75 off if you pay by credit/debit card)
For info about classes, consultations & in-home sleep coaching - and to redeem the special offer above - please contact Camilla or Atika at Full Circle Sleep.