It can be hard to know how to dress a baby for their night time sleep and it’s common for parents to worry about over or under dressing their baby.  This is especially so when there is temperature variation through the night and into the early morning.

Like adults, babies tend to sleep well when they are comfortably warm and neither too hot or too cold.  Ideally, dress your baby warmly enough so they don’t need blankets. A safe sleeping bag is an excellent way to keep babies warm overnight and not be concerned that they’ll become cold, even when they’re moving around. If your baby is still in their early months of life and not yet rolling, a good option is to wrap them using a lightweight cotton or muslin wrap.

Layer clothing

Dress your baby in layers, rather than thick clothing. When air is trapped between fabric layers, this traps the warmth.  As the temperature increases and you feel your baby is too warm, remove a layer or two.

Dress your baby in natural fibres e.g., cotton, linen, bamboo or combinations of these.  Artificial fibres can be scratchy and uncomfortable and don’t allow the baby’s skin to ‘breathe’ as it needs to.

What about a hat?

Never settle your baby for bed when they’re wearing a hat or a beanie, no matter how cold it is.  Babies regulate their temperature through their head and face and it’s easy for them to become overheated if their head is covered during sleep. If your baby is wearing a head covering, remove it before settling them for sleeps, both day and night.

As long as your baby is placed down to sleep on their back and they’re dressed comfortably for the room temperature, they’re unlikely to overheat.  

How will I know if my baby is warm?

Place your hand on your baby’s back or tummy. Their skin should feel comfortably warm, not hot and not clammy or cold.  Their hands and feet might feel cold but as long as their body is warm, they should be comfortable.  

It may be helpful to think about how you’re dressed yourself and use this as a guide for dressing your baby. Some people advise dressing babies in the same number of clothing layers as adults are wearing and adding one more layer.  However, this guide is a little general and doesn’t allow for individual comfort levels.    

Look at your baby and consider how they’re feeling. If they look comfortable, their colour and behaviour is normal, these are all positive signs that they’re dressed appropriately for the temperature. If their face is flushed, they have red cheeks, damp hair, are sweaty and/or clammy, these may be signs that they’re too hot and need some clothing removed. 

Which sleeping bag is best for my baby?

You have options when it comes to choosing the right sleeping bag for your baby. As long as it meets the standards for safety with a fitted neck, fitted armholes and no hood.  Choose a sleeping bag which is made from natural fibres such as linen, cotton and/or bamboo.  If you’re unsure about the inherent warmth of a sleeping bag, check to see if it has a TOG (thermal overall grade) rating. This will help you to choose which sleeping bag to use in different temperatures. In Australia, TOG ratings range from 0.2 to 3.5, with lower rated bags suitable for warmer weather and high rated bags for colder weather.

Should I set a room temperature in my baby’s room?

Some parents choose to use a heater in their baby’s room or set the air conditioner at a comfortable temperature. However, it can be useful to know that Red Nose, the Australian safe sleeping experts, do not recommend a specific room temperature for healthy babies. It’s better to adjust the baby’s clothing rather than heating the room.  If you do need to warm the room, do this only when the baby isn’t in the room and turn it off before settling your baby. 

Never use hot water bottles, weighted blankets or electric blankets to warm your baby during colder weather.

Written for Tooshies by Jane Barry, Midwife and Child Health Nurse, June 2025.