Babies are very sensitive to variations in temperature, whether hot or cold because they are unable to regulate their body temperature like adults. So, no matter the season or climate you live in, here are our top tips to keep your baby warm!
1. Warming the Room & Cot Safely
The ideal temperature for your baby’s room is between 20-22˚C and a great way to know for sure is to use a room thermometer. The GroEgg2 not only displays the temperature, but is colour-coded so you can see at a glance if the room is too hot or cold. A safe option to keep your Bub’s cot warm is to use a woollen underlay like the Babyrest Lambswool Underlay’s which can be used all-year round to balance Bub’s temperature. With its unique properties, wool insulates against heat and cold and naturally draws away an air moisture leaving the body dry, promoting sounder and longer sleep. Big thumbs up for parents!
2. Keeping Warm without Drying out
One nursery item most often overlooked is a humidifier. During winter, indoor air can become dry as heating systems take away the natural moisture. This may cause your baby to experience dry skin, a sore throat, dry sinuses, a stuffy nose and/or congestion. To avoid any of these ailments interrupting your babies sleep, we recommend using a humidifier which will add moisture back into the air for better breathing conditions and smooth, soft skin. Our pick would be the Oricom 4-in-1 Aroma Humidifier. It’s a diffuser, humidifier, nightlight & speaker so that you can soothe your little one to sleep in every way.
During summer and more humid months (or climates), you may need the opposite, that is to remove moisture from the air – a safe and easy way to do that is to use a de-humidifier.
3. Dressing Bub for Bedtime
Ensuring your Bub is dressed appropriately for bedtime comes down to the principles of safe sleeping, which includes sleeping baby on their back with no loose bedding (for more details visit rednose.com.au). So, to ensure Bub is warm it’s recommended they wear an age-appropriate sleeping bag or sleep suit. Most sleeping bags and suits will have a TOG rating, which stands for ‘Thermal Overall Grade’ and is the measurement of thermal resistance or insulation. During cooler months, a warmer tog is recommended, but you should always consider external factors including the temperature of the room. For infants, a sleeping bag with arms-in or the ability to transition to arms-out, the Extra Warm Sleep Bag 3.5 Tog by Love to Dream or the Jersey Sheeting Sleeping Bag by Ergopouch are both great options and offer a different position for Bubs arms during sleep. Whilst for toddlers, who may have a tendency to get out of bed on their own, you might like to consider a Love to Dream Sleep Suitor the Ergopouch Sleep Suit Bag which allow feet to be covered for warmth during sleep but give the ability to walk safely (in the morning!).
4. Layering for Warmth
As a rule of thumb your Bub should be wearing one additional layer to yourself, but be careful not to over-dress! By layering your babies clothing you can trap heat between articles of clothing. A good way to check if your baby is comfortable is to touch their toes and belly with the back of your hand. Different fibres can also help you keep Bub warm without bulky layers. Boody Babywear is made from an organic bamboo blend fabric that is also hypoallergenic and perfect for your precious little one’s sensitive skin. The range of Boody baby essentials are great for layering or as stand-alone outfit!
Baby Village pick: Perfect for snuggling in just about all seasons, the long-sleeve onesie is our go-to for bedtime!
5. Keeping your Baby Warm while Out & About
Since babies lose most of their heat through their heads, hands and feet, it’s a good idea to keep a beanie or hat in your out-and-about bag, and it’s especially important during cooler months for your newborn to wear mittens. In addition to safely layering clothing, a great option for keeping Bub warm in their pram or stroller is a Footmuff rather than a blanket, as these are designed to stay in place and offer greater protection from the elements.
Our top pick is the Bugaboo Footmuff which is lined with soft fleece and has an all-around zip making it easy to get Bub in and out. (It’s a great option even if you don’t have a Bugaboo Pram.)
We hope you’ve found these tips useful, and if you’ve got any of your own you’d like to share, leave us a comment below!