Dressing Baby for Sleep: What to Wear Under a Sleep Sack
One of the questions we are asked most often is about dressing baby for bed. Parents have a wide range of bedtime apparel to choose from when getting their little one ready for a long (or short) night of rest. It can get overwhelming!
To make your everyone’s life easier, we have broken down what baby should wear to bed including types of sleepwear, TOG levels, and some dressing FAQs to help make the best choice for your baby. It’s important to remember that every baby (and their sensitivity to temperatures) are different! The guidelines in our TOG dressing guide are meant to help, but always check your baby to determine the right TOG and layers for their comfort level and safety.
What Should Baby Wear to Bed?
When deciding what your baby should wear to bed, put yourself in their tiny shoes! Figure out what kinds of clothing and fabrics would keep you the comfiest in the room they’ll be sleeping in, then add a layer. Make sure you’re dressing them for the temperature of their nursery – not the temperature outside.
Popular options for baby sleepwear include onesies, sleep bags, swaddles, two-piece pajamas, and gowns. Whichever option you choose should fit your baby snugly to avoid the fabric riding up over their face, and you should never dress your baby in hats or hoods for bedtime.
Understanding TOG
TOG, which stands for Thermal Overall Grade, is the standard of measure for how much a particular fabric insulates. When dressing your baby for sleep in a sleep sack it’s important to choose the right TOG. The higher the TOG, the warmer fabric:
- 0.5 TOG great for warmer seasons or climates; or a nursery kept at 74-78°F
- 1.0 TOG year-round comfort, perfect for moderate weather; or a nursery kept at 69-73°F
- 2.6 TOG perfect for colder weather; or a nursery kept at 61-68°F
What to Wear Under a Sleep Sack
It is important to remember that what you dress baby in underneath their sleep bag will also impact how warm they are - a good rule of thumb for what to wear under a sleep sack is to never add more than 1 layer than an adult would be comfortable wearing in the same environment. Using the right TOG for the nursery temperature, with 1-2 layers, is the best formula to follow.
It’s important to consider the type of fabric you’re layering with when you choose your TOG – a thick, fleece footie pajama will be much warmer than a lightweight bamboo PJ! Try layering with a long sleeve onesie or a short sleeve onesie underneath a long sleeve pajama, depending on the TOG you have selected.
For example:
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A 0.5 TOG when the temperature is below 74°F will likely need a short sleeve onesie and a longer pajama. That same 0.5 TOG bag will only need a long sleeve onesie underneath if the nursery temperature is at the higher end of the recommended temperature zone. When in doubt, check your baby!
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The same goes for warmer temperatures. Try a 0.5 TOG with only a diaper when temperatures in the nursery are over 78°F or a 1.0 TOG with only a diaper if the temperature is over 75°F.
To make your life easier, gunamuna’s pajama weight was intentionally designed to be comfy and breathable under your little one’s sleep bag.
It’s important to remember it's the nursery temperature we want to monitor when deciding what your baby should wear for bed, not what is happening outside! Many of us keep our homes cool all summer long, requiring more layers and a heavier TOG, while others prefer a warmer home. Monitoring your baby and adjusting as needed are critical!
FAQs on Dressing Your Baby for Sleep
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The ideal temperature in the room your baby sleeps / naps in to avoid overheating is between 68-72°F.
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Whenever in doubt, check your child’s hands, feet, and head to ensure they aren’t cold to the touch – tummy and chest should be warm, but never sweaty or cold.
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Depending on where you live, the temperatures of our homes can vary tremendously throughout the day! Try changing what you dress your baby in for daytime vs. nighttime sleep to achieve the right balance based on room temperature.
