Dressing babies for bed: the basicsDress in layers Show No hats and beanies in bed Babies can quickly overheat if they fall asleep wearing hats or beanies. So it’s important to keep your baby’s head uncovered during sleep. Headwear in bed can also be a choking or suffocation hazard. Baby’s temperature Room temperature If your baby’s room is very cold, you can use a heater to warm the room to a more comfortable temperature. Keep the door slightly open, so that your baby’s room doesn’t overheat. Never use electric blankets or hot water bottles to warm your baby during colder weather. Getting too hot has been linked with sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) including SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents. Your baby should be comfortably warm – not hot, sweaty or cold. Baby wrappingWrapping helps babies settle for sleep, as well as stay in a safe sleeping position on their backs. If you choose to wrap your baby, use lightweight cotton or muslin wraps. Make sure the wrap doesn’t go above your baby’s shoulders or cover baby’s head, ears or chin. Wraps that are too high can obstruct your baby’s breathing and cause overheating. Also check that there’s enough room for your baby to stretch their legs and that the wrap isn’t too tight around baby’s chest and hips. Wrapping a baby’s legs and chest too tightly can lead to hip and breathing problems. Underneath the wrap, put your baby in a nappy and singlet in warmer weather. You can add a lightweight growsuit in cooler weather. Babies can be wrapped from birth until they start showing signs that they can roll onto their tummies, usually around 4 months. Baby sleeping bagsA safe infant sleeping bag can be a good option for dressing your baby for bed. A correctly sized sleeping bag is the best way to keep your baby’s head and face uncovered. A safe infant sleeping bag also helps to:
Check that it’s impossible for your baby to slip down into the bag and become completely covered. Red Nose recommends that you use a sleeping bag that has a fitted neck and armholes but no hood. Some sleeping bags have a TOG (thermal overall grade) rating. This can help you decide which sleeping bag to use in different temperatures. But note that a TOG rating is just a guide. It isn’t a safety standard. The rating or instructions that come with the bag can also help you work out what clothes to put on your baby underneath the bag. But these instructions are only a guide too, and you should always consider the temperature of the room where your baby sleeps. If your baby uses blankets for bed, it’s a good idea to dress baby in enough clothes for warmth with a thin lightweight blanket. This way, if your baby wiggles out from under the blanket during the night, baby won’t be cold. Research shows a clear link between overheating and an increased risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy, so it is important that parents and carers know how to dress baby for sleep.  Babies control their temperature predominantly through their head and face. This is why we recommend that you put baby to sleep on their back with head and face uncovered. Always remember to remove head coverings for sleep and ensure baby is positioned with their feet at the bottom of the cot – and if you’re using sheets or blankets, make sure they are firmly tucked in to prevent baby from wriggling down and overheating. Room temperature Red Nose does not recommend a specific room temperature for baby’s sleep. This is because there is no evidence to show that maintaining a specific room temperature prevents sudden infant death. As long as baby is put down to sleep on their back, and that baby is dressed appropriately for the room temperature – not overdressed or under dressed – with their head and face uncovered, you can feel reassured that you are protecting baby from overheating. We don’t believe that it’s necessary to use a room temperature monitor, or to leave the heating or cooling on all night, as long as baby is dressed appropriately for the temperature of the room – not too hot, not too cold. To check, feel baby’s tummy, which should feel warm. Don’t worry if baby’s hands and feet feel cool – this is normal. If your baby shows signs of heat stress, such as flushed and clammy skin, remove some bedding or clothing and offer fluids such as breast milk for young babies or water for older children. An oscillating fan positioned away from the cot can help during the hotter months. Fans circulate the air and also provide white noise for baby, which can help them sleep more soundly. Research has demonstrated that oscillating fans can help to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in some circumstances. What should baby wear? Dress your baby as you would dress yourself for the temperature of the room – comfortably warm, not too hot, not too cold. The right sleepwear can help keep baby comfortable and safe. A good option is Bonds Wondercool – the only baby clothing approved by Red Nose for safer sleep. In warmer weather, you can dress baby in a sleeveless and legless onesies, or just a nappy and singlet. For cooler weather, a full suit will keep baby warm. If you are using a sleeping bag, select the TOG that matches the temperature of the room. Use the manufacturer’s guide, which usually comes with the packaging, to select the right TOG and underclothes. Also make sure your sleeping bag is safe – it should be fitted around the neck, and baby’s arms fully out of the bag. For younger babies being swaddled or wrapped, we recommend lightweight, breathable fabrics such as muslin and cotton. If you are using sheets and a blanket, make sure they are also lightweight and breathable muslin or cotton fabric. But never place soft items in the cot such as lambswool or overlays, as these increase the risk of overheating. When dressing baby for sleep, remember to dress baby for the temperature of the room – comfortably warm, not too hot and not too cold.
Should you cover baby's hands at night?So it's better to avoid them. Cover Your Baby's Head and Hands: As babies lose a lot of heat through their head and hands, it becomes really important to get hold of a soft baby cap and lightweight mittens to provide your little one an extra layer of warmth.
How do I keep my 4 month old hands warm at night?You can use a heated mattress pad or even just an electric blanket that you put on the bed and then cover with blankets for warmth. Babies' hands are important because they help regulate their body temperature by sending heat from their fingers up into the rest of their bodies.
How long should babies sleep with hands covered?If plain cloth mittens are used, and they make parents of newborns feel comfortable, I don't think they pose a risk," Hemm explains. "However, I don't recommend using them for longer than about two weeks.
How do I keep my baby's hands from getting cold at night?Add layers
If your baby's middle, back, or neck also feel a bit chilly, your baby may need more layers. You can also add mittens, socks, and a little hat to keep heat in. Check your baby's hands and stomach and neck again after about 20 minutes.
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Should I cover my 4 month olds hands at night?
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