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Brrrr… well now winter is upon us, we turn our attention to our little people and what they need to be wearing to bed. Like us, our little ones need to be comfortably warm for a sound night’s sleep. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is has been linked with overheating. On the other hand if baby is not warm enough, they wake up too often and don’t gain weight. So is your baby’s temperature just right?
Babies Can’t Regulate Temperature
It’s really important to help a baby regulate their temperature since their little bodies are not able to do so very well in the first few months of life. Baby’s can lose heat rapidly because their skin surface is about three times more than an adult’s, relative to their weight. babies can particularly lose heat through the head. They can also become overheated very quickly of their head is covered. Therefore they need our help to keep their bodies at the optimal temperature.
A baby uses a lot of energy trying to keep themselves warm. So by keeping your baby at his or her optimal temperature, they will more likely put on weight and build up reserves. When your baby is kept at the optimal temperature it is more likely that they will sleep longer, be more content and therefore put on more weight. Babies don’t have a lot of insulating body fat and this is even more apparent in babies that are sick, premature or of low birth weight.
Babies control their temperature predominantly through their face*. Sleeping your baby on their back with the head and face uncovered is the best way to protect your baby from overheating. Once your baby is rolling, using a baby sleeping bag ensures they don’t become entangled in blankets and sheets, which would present risks of overheating and suffocation. A sleeveless baby sleeping bag allows for airflow through the arm holes.
It is not necessary to monitor the room temperature or to leave the heating on all night as long as the baby is dressed appropriately for the room temperature. In Australia, we’re lucky that it’s rare to experience temperature extremes.
How to Check Baby’s Temperature
A good way to check your baby’s temperature is to feel your baby’s chest. Their chest should feel warm – don’t worry if bub’s hands and feet feel cool, this is normal. If your baby is sweating or has a red face, remove some bedding or clothing. This may be necessary if he/she is unwell, in which case you should seek medical attention.
Once you are in the house or in the car, baby should not wear a hat. Therefore, always remove head wear before you put baby to bed. never mind if you wake them up, it is better to be safe rather than sorry. Never use hot water bottles, wheat bags or electric blankets for your baby.
Swaddling
Newborns babies need warmth and comfort. The best way to do this is to simulate the womb by wrapping or swaddling baby. Swaddling can help babies to self settle and stop the startle reflex. The swaddling position can help regulate temperature so it’s important not to overdress baby underneath the swaddle. The Bubbaroo Joey Pouch and Pod are made of 100% cotton waffle that is light and breathable. On cold nights clothing underneath the swaddle can include singlets and onesies. Your baby can also be covered with blankets over the swaddle for extra warmth, adding more layers if your babies’ chest feels cool. Once a baby can roll you definitely need to stop swaddling. Below are the ‘What to Wear’ guides for the Joey Pouch and Joey Pod:
Baby Sleeping Bag
A baby sleeping bag is a wearable blanket that maybe used once your baby has started rolling over independently or moving around the cot. Sleeping bags are a safe and convenient way to ensure they are dressed appropriately for cold nights. Most are TOG rated, like a doona. TOG is a European measure of thermal resistance relative to surface area. The higher the TOG rating the warmer the garment. Bubbaroo’s 1.5 and 2.5TOG baby sleeping bags are padded with 100% merino wool which is a great natural insulator. Wool wicks moisture away from the skin to keep baby cool or warm where necessary. it’s much harder for baby to overheat when their bedding is made of natural fabrics such as cotton and wool. Bubbaroo is made of 100% natural fabrics to help your baby sleep better.
What To Wear Guide
When choosing a suitably TOG rated sleeping bag for your baby, there are three things you need to consider. The clothes your baby is wearing, the temperature of their bedroom and your baby’s health. Baby sleeping bags padded with wool offer greater insulation without adding weight and bulkiness. This guide below, for the Bubbaroo Platinum Joey Swag range, will help you dress your baby appropriately for winter:
All Bubbaroo Joey Swag Sleeping Bags have a front zip, ideal if your child moves around. All Joey Swags feature YKK two-way zip and a slit at the back closed with beautiful soft Velcro. Therefore you can easily use a Joey Swags with a 3 or 5 point harness of a car seat or pram.
Bubbaroo offers a safe and warm sleep solution for your baby. Check out our range here.
*Ref: SIDS and Kids Safe Sleeping. This program is based on scientific evidence. Australian SIDS researchers, paediatricians, pathologists and child health experts developed the program with input from overseas experts in the field.