Expert / 11 July, 2022 / Ellie Thompson

Dressing Baby For Bed: What To Wear In Different Temperatures

The Lullaby Trust advise that a baby’s room should be kept between 16-20°C (61-68°F), but this can be tricky in the hotter weather. Smaller babies are not great at controlling their own temperatures and overheating is a known factor in cot death. For that reason, it’s important to know how to dress your baby in different temperatures. My daughter has just turned one, and over the past year I’ve found myself googling the temperature and exactly what to put her in more than once, so if you’re anything like me, you’ll find this a helpful guide.

Tog ratings explained

Sleeping bags are typically given a tog rating to the warmth they provide. Commercial sleeping bags have the following ratings:

• 2.5 tog: for use all year and for standard room temps of 16-20
• 1.0 tog: for use in warmer weather and in warmer rooms of 20-24
• 0.5 tog: for use in hot weather and warm room temperatures of 24-27

What to wear in warmer temperatures

27°C (81°F)+

• Vest and nappy or nappy only

24-27°C (75-81°F)

• Bodysuit with nappy and light sleeping bags 0.5 tog or less

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23°C (74°F)

• Short sleeved vest with nappy and 1 tog sleeping bag

21°C (69°F)

• Long sleeved cotton vest with nappy and 1 tog sleeping bag

Under 18°C (65°F)

• Cotton baby grow with nappy and 2.5 tog sleeping bag

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What to wear in cooler temperatures

Under 16 °C (61°F)

• Short-sleeved vest or sleeveless vest with long sleeve baby grow and 2.5 tog sleeping bag
• Long sleeved baby grow with 3.5 tog sleeping bag

Under 14°C (57°F)

• Long sleeved cotton vest underneath cotton baby grow with 3.5 tog sleeping bag

How will I know if my baby is too hot or too cold?

• If your baby is uncomfortable, they may wake during the night which can be an indication that they may be too hot or too cold. Feel the back of their neck (or tummy) to check they feel nicely warm. If skin feels damp they may be too hot
• Don’t worry if your baby’s arms, hands or feet feel cool – this is very normal, and in fact, helps them to  maintain a regular temperature
• Putting a hat or hood on your baby when they are in bed may cause them to overheat
• It’s better for baby to be cool rather than hot. If they’re uncomfortably cold don’t worry – they’ll soon let you know!

Useful information

• It’s worth noting that swaddling can increase the tog rating by up to FOUR times. Likewise, a blanket in half DOUBLES the tog rating

For more information download The Lullaby Trust factsheet.

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