According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, normal room temperature is around 68-72°F. That means 70 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal room temperature, but that still doesn’t solve the problem all new moms have: how to dress baby for sleep in 70 degree room.
I think knowing what room temperature is good for little babies and how to dress them for sleep, so they’re warm and comfortable throughout the night is one of the most common concerns for all new moms.
I’m sure most of us check our newborn baby’s little nose and forehead the entire night, trying to figure out whether or not the room temperature is okay.
If the thermostat in your baby’s room is showing 70 degrees Fahrenheit, there’s truly no need to overdress your baby because it’s a perfectly normal room temperature, neither too hot nor too cold. An onesie, long sleeve pajamas, and a 1-tog sleeping bag will be just right.
The Importance Of Properly Dressing Your Little One For Sleep
Firstly, let’s talk about how to dress a baby for sleep depending on the temperature of the room.
• 80°F+ (27°C+) – Your baby should only wear a diaper because the temperature is too high.
• 78°F (26°C) – Your little one should be dressed only in a short sleeve bodysuit and a diaper.
• 75-77°F (24-25°C) – Your little one will be comfortable in a short sleeve bodysuit and a light (0,5 tog) sleeping bag.
• 71-74°F (22-23°C) – This is almost normal room temperature. Your baby will only need pajamas and again, a light (0,5 tog) sleeping bag.
• 69-70°F (20-21°C) – At these room temperatures, you’ll have to dress your little one in three layers: a short sleeve onesie, then pajamas, and finally, use a 1 tog sleeping bag.
• 64-68°F (18-19°C) – At this room temperature, you’ll have to dress your baby in a long sleeve bodysuit, pajamas, and a 1 tog sleeping bag.
• 61-63°F (16-17°C) – This is a low room temperature, so you’ll have to dress your baby slightly more snuggly. The first layer should be a long sleeve bodysuit, then pajamas and socks. The last layer should be a 2 tog sleeping bag.
• Under 60°F (Under 16°C) – This is a very low room temperature for a baby, so your little one will have to wear socks, gloves, hat, long sleeve onesie, pajamas and you’ll have to put your baby in a 2 tog sleeping bag.
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Knowing how to dress a baby for sleep in a 70 degree room is especially important because the room temperature and baby’s clothing directly affect your little one’s body temperature.
A normal body temperature for a healthy baby, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), should be between 97 and 100.3 degrees Fahrenheit.
Child sleep consultants say that in order for a baby to fall asleep, their temperature must dip, and overdressing them will prevent that from occurring.
Even if you manage to put them to bed, they’ll likely wake up several times during the night. Overdressing them will almost certainly disrupt their sleep.
There is one golden rule I have followed blindly ever since I had my first baby: Always dress your little one for sleep the way you dress yourself plus one extra layer.
Another piece of advice I’m sure every pediatrician will give is to not overdress your baby because little babies heat up faster than adults do but it’s also more difficult to bring their body temperature down.
This means babies are more susceptible to certain heat-related illnesses, such as heat rash, heat cramps, dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heatstroke.
Unfortunately, most parents don’t know that overdressing, over bundling, and overheating their baby can lead to dehydration and it’s one of the most common causes of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
How To Dress Baby For Sleep In A 70 Degree Room? 5 Efficient Tips
I’ve already pointed out the ideal room temperature for your baby’s nursery. Now we have to make sure that you dress your little one properly and they’ll definitely sleep comfortably through the night.
1. Use lightweight, natural fabrics
Using natural fabrics is one of the best ways to keep your baby safe and comfortable in a 70 degree room during sleep.
I think that cotton is one of the most common and popular choices for a baby. Not only is it soft and warm, but your baby will surely feel comfortable in these fabrics.
Of course, cotton is not the only option, but it’s the most cost-effective one, for sure.
Other baby-friendly fabrics include:
• Silk – This material is perfect for babies with sensitive skin and can be used all year round. Silk regulates a baby’s body temperature, so your baby stays warm during the winter and cool during hot days.
• Fleece – This material is known as moisture-wicking fabric which is great for keeping the baby warm during cold days. It’s also lightweight enough to be comfortable during sleep. It can be used at a 70 degree room temperature, but I’d recommend it as a fabric for baby sleep bags rather than a bodysuit or a shirt.
• Bamboo rayon – Organic clothes have never been more popular than nowadays. If you’re looking for a non-allergenic organic material, bamboo rayon will be a perfect choice.
This fabric adjusts to the baby’s body temperature, meaning that it can prevent your little one from overheating.
However, some people claim that bamboo rayon material may not be 100% natural, as it goes through a chemical process of dissolving the cellulose from bamboo in order to get fibers.
• Muslin – This material is considered one of the most breathable and lightweight materials for baby clothes which prevents any possibility of overheating. It’s a great fabric for baby swaddles and blankets.
RELATED: The 10 Best Organic Crib Sheets For Your Little One
2. Short sleeve bodysuit
When it’s 70 degrees in your baby’s room, the first layer of your little one’s clothing should be a short sleeve bodysuit.
One of the most common mistakes that parents make when they prepare their little one for sleep in a 70 degree room is putting on a long sleeve bodysuit.
Every parent is worried about their child’s health and it’s completely natural that you just want your baby to be healthy and warm.
But, overheating your kiddo will only make things worse. Think logically, if you’re already going to dress your child in pajamas, there’s no need to put on a long sleeve bodysuit as well, right? I’m sure you wouldn’t feel comfortable either.
3. Long sleeve pajamas, of course
Over the short sleeve bodysuit, you should dress your little munchkin in a long sleeve footie or pajamas. In my opinion (and experience) the best pajamas and bodysuits for infants are those with footies and mittens built-in.
Most babies take their socks off while they sleep and these bodysuits will help them to stay warm the entire night.
Of course, the pajamas or bodysuit has to have long sleeves. On a side note, having a zipper in the diaper area makes diaper changes a whole lot easier.
Make sure the material is breathable. As I mentioned before, the fabric has to have good airflow in order to prevent overheating.
If you’re not sure whether your little one is too hot, you can feel her upper back or neck under the pajamas. If she feels sweaty or hot, it’s time to remove at least one layer.
There are so many adorable pajamas on the market that will turn your little one into an adorable bundle of softness and keep her safe and sound during sleep.
4. A light sleep sack
The third and final layer is a proper sleep sack . If you have a baby younger than 6 months, maybe it would be better to swaddle her instead of putting her in a sleep sack.
If you swaddle your little one the right way, it’ll soothe and calm her and help her have better sleep, too. If you have to stop swaddling and start using sleeping bags, you should first pay attention to the weight of the sleep sack.
If the temperature in your baby’s room is 70 degrees, you’ll need a light, 1-tog sleep sack. Anything heavier than that will probably disrupt your baby’s sleep.
When your little munchkin starts rolling, they’ll probably refuse the sleeping bag because it doesn’t allow them to roll around the crib. Don’t worry, a footie pajama and light, cozy blanket will be perfectly fine.
5. That’s it, you don’t need any additional clothing
That’s it. It’s just like I said at the beginning, dress your baby the way you dress yourself for sleep and add just one, extra layer.
I really want to encourage you to not overdress or over bundle your little angel. It will definitely interfere with her sleep and make her exhausted.
Remember, just as you struggle to sleep when you’re too hot, so does your baby. They need clothes they’ll feel cozy, warm, and comfortable in.
I know you’re worried about your baby’s health and you just want to keep her warm, but overdressing your little one might cause more issues than you originally thought.
If your baby feels hot, she might become overheated which can result in SIDS or other heat-related diseases.
Babies, just like older children and adults, sweat in order to regulate their body temperature. If the baby sweats too much, she might become too cold as well.
Therefore, in order to prevent any health issues caused by overheating, try to free yourself from fears of leaving your baby unprotected.
If you’re still suspicious about the clothes your little one’s wearing during sleep, you can check her a few times during the night just to make sure she’s sleeping fine.
Blankets
If you want to keep your baby warm and cozy during the night, it’s completely safe to use blankets. However, there are several things you should pay attention to when choosing the right blanket for your little one.
Blankets can be used both for infants (lightweight blankets are great for swaddling newborn babies) and for older babies, too.
There are three things you should pay attention to when it comes to swaddling or covering your baby with a blanket. Those are the fabric, weight, and size of the blanket.
When it comes to blanket fabrics, cotton, wool, and cashmere are definitely the best choices. They’re soft and they’ll keep your little angel warm enough at night.
Most parents nowadays choose larger blankets, but the fact is that it’s more difficult to swaddle your baby properly if the blanket is too big. That’s why I prefer wearable blankets .
As for the weight of blankets, it’s always better to use loose blankets that will make your little one more comfortable. Light blankets also reduce the risk of SIDS because if the blanket is too heavy, the baby could easily get stuck in it and be unable to move or find a way out.
Either way, be very careful with how you leave the blankets in a baby’s crib, especially if your baby is younger than 12 months. Large blankets and plush toys can cause suffocation and are the most common cause of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
RELATED: The Best Guide On How To Dress Baby For Sleep
Increase Air Circulation In The Baby’s Room
I have already mentioned that the temperature in the baby’s nursery should be neither too high, nor too low and that the ideal room temperature is somewhere between 68° and 72°F.
However, another important thing you should pay attention to is air circulation in your baby’s room. Most parents are afraid to turn on the ceiling fan in the baby’s nursery because they think it may make their baby cold.
The fact is that not only will it enable the air to circulate more freely and help your baby sleep comfortably, but it’ll also reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
I know your next question is probably related to ceiling fans and air conditioners and which is better. Am I right?
Well, experts say that both are perfectly okay (of course, they shouldn’t be on all the time), but in my opinion, ceiling fans are a better option.
Trust Your Gut
Jill Churchill once said, “There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” I truly couldn’t agree more with her.
We try very hard to be perfect mothers to our little ones and unfortunately, we listen too much to other women and mothers. We blindly follow their advice, often unaware of how wrong that actually is.
The fact is that every child is different. What works for some mothers and their babies won’t necessarily work for you.
The best advice I can give you is to always follow your own intuition. You know your baby best. You know what’s best for her and in time you’ll learn the best ways to give it to her.
Just relax and try to listen to your baby more. Motherhood is the most difficult job in the world. You’re new to this, give yourself some time to get used to your new life.
Consult With A Pediatrician Or A Child Sleep Consultant
If you’re still unsure about what your baby should wear for sleep, you can always consult your pediatrician or a baby sleep consultant .
After all, they’re experts and will surely give you the best and most helpful advice. However, they’ll probably also warn you not to overdress your baby because that’s really the worst thing you can do.
A child sleep consultant will provide you with additional information you may need about your baby’s sleep. Also, they’ll teach you some efficient methods of sleep training that’ll help your little one to fall asleep without your assistance.
Key Takeaways
If you want to help your baby have a peaceful and comfortable night’s sleep, this guide on how to dress baby for sleep in a 70 degree room will definitely help you.
However, remember that figuring all of this out can take time. Your baby might still not be comfortable even if you follow all of the above advice.
You’ll have to try different combinations until you finally find the ones that work best for your little one and her sleeping environment.
The most important thing is to set the right temperature on the thermostat in your baby’s nursery which should be around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
The next thing you should pay attention to is enabling the air to circulate freely in your baby’s room. As much as it needs to be warm, it also has to be airy.
Then we finally come to the dressing part. Just as seasons change, so should your baby’s sleepwear. You can’t dress them the same on cold winter nights as you do on warm summer nights.
Don’t overdress or over bundle your baby when you’re preparing them for sleep. Infants will be most comfortable in onesies with short sleeves and sleepwear with long sleeves and built-in footies and mittens.
For extra warmth, you can swaddle them in a light and cozy blanket. If you have a 6 month-old or an older baby, then you can put them in a light, 1-tog sleeping bag instead of swaddling them.
You just need to know that there is no need for panic. Read these tips and you’ll know how to dress your baby for sleep in a 70 degree room.
Don’t worry mamma, you’re doing a great job and I just know you’re going to keep rocking motherhood!
References:
• “Thermometer use 101”, American Academy of Pediatrics in AAP News, 30(11), 29, Wyckoff, A. S. (2009).
• “Room temperature”, Wikipedia, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, (1969).
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