Spring can be the trickiest season to navigate for sleep. As temperatures start to rise during the day but stay cool overnight, many parents are left wondering, how exactly do I dress my baby for sleep in Spring, so they’re not too hot when I put them down, but not too cold overnight?
We call this Goldilocks conundrum ‘transeasonal dressing’. Using a combination of ergoPouch’s TOG rated sleep sacks and layers, common sense, and our trusty What to Wear Guide, let’s explore all the ways you can achieve consistent sleep amongst fluctuating temperatures.
1. What room temperature should baby be sleeping in?
When dressing baby for sleep during Spring, it’s the inside thermometer, and not the outside temperature, that counts. If you can, aim to keep your room at an even temperature (some sleep experts recommend 68-72° F).
More importantly, sleep baby in their own safe space in the room, ensure any direct heating or cooling sources are not blowing on baby during sleep, and dress for the ambient room temperature.
If you do not have a thermostat in your baby’s sleep space, the ergoPouch Room Thermometer and What to Wear Guide comes free with every Swaddle or Sleep Sack. Simply follow the highlighted thermometer strip number across the chart, to find the recommendation for the TOG-rated layers and sacks you will need to dress baby in for sleep.
2. How do I dress baby for sleep when the temperature keeps changing overnight?
This is a common challenge during Spring. The days and early evenings are warming up, but overnight, things are still getting chilly.
Aim to have a variety of TOG-rated Sleep Sacks and Layers on hand, that you can interchange for each sleep. Here are some guidelines you can follow.
Use TOG-rated sleepwear
TOG-rated sleepwear is designed to provide different levels of warmth, at different room temperatures to ensure baby is warm and comfortable during sleep, but won’t run the risk of over heating. Aim to use the appropriate TOG-rating, for the current room temperature.
Dress for the current room temperature, not the overnight one.
This helps ensure baby is not going to overheat if the room temperature at bedtime is warm. Check your What To Wear Guide at bedtime, and dress them accordingly. As the evening cools down, read on to discover how to adapt their sleepwear.
Add a layer, as the evening cools down.
Before you yourself go to bed, look to add a layer to baby to help keep them warm overnight, as the temperature cools down.
For a newborn, you can switch their swaddle to a warmer TOG-rating during a diaper change or one of their night time feeds, or swap their HugMe Blanket to the warmer side up.
For an infant or younger toddler, you can add a pair of Arm Warmers over their sleeveless sleep sack, or switch their sleep sack to a warmer TOG during a diaper change or night time feed.
For an older toddler or preschooler (2Y +), you can put them down in a TOG-rated sleep suit, sleep onesie or thick pajamas at bedtime, and add a blanket/quilt as the night cools down.
3. What TOG-ratings should I use with baby during Spring?
Our transeasonal heroes are our 2.5 TOG and 1.0 TOG sleepwear products.
A 2.5 TOG swaddle or sleep sack has the versatility to be used in room temperatures 59-70°F when paired with the right under layers. This makes it ideal to use overnight during Spring when the weather is still cool, and well into warmer nights as we inch closer to summer.
A 1.0 TOG swaddle or sleep sack can be used in room temperatures 68-75°F, making it a great option for warmer daytime sleeping, or overnight sleep the closer we get to warm summer weather.
We suggest having both these TOGs on hand in our swaddle or sleep sack to use interchangeably, along with the following under layers.
An ergoPouch 1.0 TOG Romper or Pajama set is thicker than traditional baby pyjamas, and slim fit to be worn under our swaddles and sleep sacks. The versatile 1.0 TOG Romper gives a warm base foundation, allowing you to change the TOG rating of their swaddle or sleep sack overnight to suit the room temperature.
A 0.2 TOG Romper or Pajama is a lighter option for their base layer, more suited to warmer nights.
All ergoPouch products are made with natural fibres like certified organic cotton, and bamboo. Natural fibres release heat and regulate body temperature more evenly, which is important with fluctuating room temperatures. Be wary of synthetic sleep sacks that will trap heat and can cause overheating.
Here is a visual example of how the above combination of TOG’s can be used during transeasonal temperatures;
4. I don’t want to spend money on a thicker sleep sack when the weather is getting warm – what should I do?
Great question. If you’re concerned about having to buy a new warm sleep sack in spring, only to have it be redundant as the weather warms up, a 2.5 TOG and 1.0 TOG sleep sack combination is going to see you through spring, into fall.
An ergoPouch 2.5 TOG Sleep Sack has a temperature range of 59-70°F, which means with a light underlayer (or simply a diaper), you can still safely use this pouch as the weather warms up. Once we get over 70°F, the 1.0 TOG Sleep Sack steps in to see baby through the warmer nights.
Our sleep sacks are sized to last more than one season. Any new warmer sleep sack you invest in at the end of winter/early spring, should still fit your child come fall.
If you’re still swaddling during Spring and need to size up but don’t want to buy another thick swaddle at full price, try local parent groups, Facebook marketplace or ergoPouch’s Sale page to purchase at a discount to see you through one more size. As you approach summer, you’ll be ready to transition baby into sacks, with the 3-12 month 1.0 TOG Sleeping Sack being a great place to start.
5. I’ve followed your instructions, but my baby’s hands feel cold. What do I do?
Cold hands and feet are ok! While this can appear concerning, it is normal for baby to pull heat from their extremities to keep their core warm. A more accurate measure of a baby’s body temperature is a dry and warm chest and upper back (nape).
If your baby’s chest or nape feels clammy and warm, they are likely too hot and we suggest removing a layer. If it feels cool to touch, look to add a layer. ergoPouch Rompers and Sleeved Sleep Sacks have foldover hand and foot cuffs that can also be used if baby feels too cool to touch on their chest or nape.
Never cover baby’s head during sleep for safety, to help them regulate their internal body temperature.
6. Can I add blankets to my baby during sleep, to keep them warm?
As per the AAP’s guidelines for safe sleep, if your baby is younger than 2 years old, keep any soft objects or loose bedding out of your baby’s sleep area.
This includes quilts/blankets and pillows, which post a suffocation risk. We recommend layering with appropriate TOG-rated sleep sacks and rompers as per the above, and using a TOG-rated HugMe Blanket as a safer blanket-alternative. The HugMe Blanket comes with two-TOG ratings (one on each side), with the TOG’s used interchangeably according to the room temperature.
A toddler or preschooler over the age of 2 years old, may have a blanket introduced in a toddler bed or mattress on the floor, as they prepare to transition to a big bed. Please do not introduce the blanket/quilt in a closed crib space. As your little one is still prone to kick this blanket off during sleep, we suggest dressing them first in a TOG-rated Sleep Onesie, Sleep Suit Sack, or thick Pajama before adding a blanket overnight as the weather cools.
7. Any other tips for sleeping my baby in spring?
We’re glad you asked! Here’s a summary list of parent-approved tips for spring sleep success.
- Always keep our Room Thermometer and What To Wear guide on hand, for simple sleep dressing recommendations at a glance
- Interchange your TOG-ratings as room temperatures fluctuate
- A 2.5 TOG and 1.0 TOG Swaddle or Sleep Sack combination will get you through Spring and Fall
- Layer, Layer, Layer. Our Rompers and Pajamas are key to creating a warm foundation for sleep.
- The HugMe Blanket for newborns, and Arm Warmers for Infants and Toddlers are the silent heroes of transeasonal weather, and a worthy investment this time of year
- Choose natural fibres over synthetic ones, to help regulate internal body temperatures
- Stay consistent with your approach, to keep your sleep routines on track, and set expectations for you little one at bedtime
- Always sleep baby in their own area. As the AAP recommends, room share, but not bedshare. Not only can bed-sharing increase the risk of overheating, but also poses other suffocation risks.
- Never have a heating or cooling source blowing directly onto baby