Over the past few weeks, a client emailed me with a question she thought was "stupid", but it was an interesting question. After buying a sleeping bag, she wanted to know what her child could sleep in and whether a child should wear a blanket .
This article will talk about what babies and children sleep in at different ages.
For new parents, it is rare that their babies are not dressed warmly enough, because they are too worried that they will be cold. But babies can also be dressed too warmly . In fact, it took us several weeks to a month to realize that our week-old son was crying a lot in the car seat because he was too hot!
He was born in a colder climate and we just had no idea how that car seat kept him warm. Finally one day I took him outside and felt he was sweating and we stopped dressing him like he was going to hike to the top of Everest in the dead of winter. 🙂
What should I use to cover a newborn for the night?
In general, you don't want to dress your newborn too warmly for them to sleep in, as they are likely to be swaddled as well , i.e. have an extra layer (Check out more details on swaddling here ). Not only could this make your baby uncomfortable, it also increases the risk of SIDS (note that using a fan can reduce the risk by 72%).
Think of layers adapted for each age , because if it is too hot, you can simply remove a layer of blanket at night. If he vomits on the outer cover, you can simply replace it.
For newborns who are swaddled, I recommend a bodysuit under light clothing for sleeping and playing (long sleeves in winter and short sleeves in summer). In summer, it is not necessary to dress him in a jumpsuit or to put socks on his feet, but in winter, it might be better to keep them on. If your newborn is no longer swaddled, read the following. (Find out here how and when to stop swaddling your baby . There are certain steps to follow)
What blankets should I use to cover my baby?
Once your newborn has grown a bit and you are trying to stop swaddling your baby, you can dress her like a newborn, but then consider a sleeping bag, instead of swaddling. This is a portable blanket, which is safer than putting a thick, loose blanket in the crib. At this age they don't have the motor skills required to keep it away from their heads.
In summer, depending on the temperature of your house, you can forego the sleeping bag or the blanket. Babies sleep best when the temperature is cooler, around 20 degrees, so you don't want them to get too hot. For most people, our body temperature drops at night to allow for better sleep.
A sleeping bag for a toddler?
One important thing with toddlers is that when they get too hot while sleeping, they are more prone to night terrors and nightmares. You must therefore ensure that your child is warm enough at night, but not too much. His skin should be pleasant to the touch and even a little cool, but not cold or stiff. Even if your child can talk, he can't always explain why he wakes up at night. (Here are 15 reasons why your baby wakes up at night )
More and more people continue to use sleeping bags well into toddlerhood, so it's still an option. They make wearable blankets that your child can walk in, so you don't have to worry about whether they'll keep the blankets on at night. There are sleeping bags for kids that come with feet so your child can walk around while wearing the blanket.
Until what age should they be covered?
If your child doesn't like blankets or sleeping bags, you can expect your child to keep them until age three or four , usually. There are probably a few two-year-olds, who will learn to replace them very early, or won't move too much at night, but in general, expect your three- or four-year-old to keep calling you at night to replace its cover.
In the case of my youngest son, who is 3 and a half, he just doesn't like the blankets on him and never has, so we don't care. If your child has to call you repeatedly in the middle of the night to cover up, dress them extra warmly , so they don't need to be covered up at all and once the covers are off, it won't work. have no impact.
In winter, consider putting on fleece pajamas or a t-shirt under cotton pajamas, for example, as well as socks, if your child tends to get cold.
I hope this article has given you some ideas of what your baby or toddler can sleep in at night.
And your baby, what does he sleep in? Share in comment!
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