by Staff Writer
Dressing your baby for bedtime is more than just a clean diaper and a lullaby. A baby's skin is extremely sensitive to temperature, especially heat. Dressing your baby too warmly is not only uncomfortable for your baby; it can also be dangerous. Did you know that overheating is a major factor of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)? Although the exact cause of SIDS is unknown, it is a fact that keeping a baby's sleep temperature within the proper range can significantly reduces the risk of SIDS. Here are some tips on how to dress your baby for bedtime to keep him or her safe and comfortable all night long. If you follow these guidelines, your baby will sleep better and so will you.
A good rule of thumb for gauging how warmly to dress your baby is to pay attention to what you're wearing. If you are comfortable in a T-shirt and shorts, your baby will probably be comfortable sleeping in something similar. For a more decisive temperature gauge, you can purchase a nursery thermometer. In general, your baby's room should be around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
To ensure that your baby stays warm enough all night long without kicking the blankets off, footed pajamas or a baby sleeping sack are both perfect baby clothing choices for bedtime. Footed pajamas and sleeping sacks are basically wearable blankets. They are a smart idea not only because they cover your baby's feet and cannot be kicked off during the night; they also eliminate the suffocation hazard of blankets and bedding.
Dress your baby in layers. The base layer should be a cotton onesie. Depending on how cold or warm it is, you may choose to put your baby in a long-sleeve onesie or a short-sleeve bodysuit-style onesie. For the outer layer, dress your baby in cotton footed pajamas or a cotton sleep sack. Again, choose short sleeves or long sleeves depending on the temperature of the room. Place your baby flat on his back, in his crib with just a fitted sheet.
Blankets, pillows, crib bumpers and stuffed animals are cute, but they're also suffocation hazards for sleeping babies and should not be left in the crib when a baby is sleeping.
Because of its natural breathability and moisture-wicking capabilities, cotton is the best choice for infant clothing.
Snaps that are located up and down the legs of your baby's footed pajamas and onesies or along the bottom of your baby's sleep sack provide the most convenient way to change your baby's diaper in the night without having to completely remove your baby's clothing. This is especially nice on cold nights when the air is especially chilly.
