​It sure is getting cold and some of my families I have recently worked with are in places where snow is already falling…I have to say it is NOT my favourite time of the year at all. I really do struggle with the cold and often go to bed with my woolly socks and scarf on! But we can’t dress our babies like this in the winter…can we? Read on to find out the best way to dress your baby for sleep in the winter…

​First off room temperature ideally needs to be at a consistent 18-20.c. This temperature is perfect for sleep. We do need to bear in mind that core body temp is at its highest the first part of the night then it really drops from 4am onwards, the last sleep cycle of the night, in REM sleep. If the room is cold and body temp drops then this may wake your baby. No one likes sleeping in a cold room so we would not expect a baby to do so also especially when core body temp drops.

If the bedroom is a consistent 18-20.c then the perfect clothing will be a short sleeve vest, long sleeved / legged sleep suit or pyjamas and a 2.5tog sleep bag. If your little one has grown out of a sleep bag and is using a duvet now the toddler duvets will be just perfect. A thick heavy “adult” duvet will be too hot.

​If you are offering a feed to your baby in the later part of the night it is a good opportunity to pop on some cotton socks OR pop an extra layer from the thighs down to keep your child all snuggly! Only use a cotton blanket and ensure it is tucked in at the sides so they do not pull it over their face. Please see the Lullaby Trust for more information on when to introduce a duvet / blankets.

If the bedroom is colder than 18.c your little one will need a warmer sleep bag or an extra layer perhaps. Think in layers and natural fibres such as 100% cotton or bamboo or merino wool sleep sacks. These materials are breathable, soft and comfortable. A swaddle is tight fitting so be very cautious on how many layers you put on your baby.

Do’s

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• Use fleece clothing or blankets - it is not breathable
• Put gloves or hats on your baby - they may over heat
• Do not use an adult duvet for your toddler. It will be too hot

 

How Do You Know If Baby Is Too Cold?
It is normal to feel their forehead or hands to gauge how hot/cold baby may be. But this is not always going to give you the right information. Hands and feet are the last places blood gets to so inevitable will be colder than the rest of the body.
Take the back of your hands/fingers and feel the back of their neck. 

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• Cold back of neck, baby is cold
• Cold hands and feet are pretty normal, not a usual sign your baby is actually cold
• Cold nose is n indicator the room is too cold

 

My favourite sleep sacks are in this short blog. I explain why they are my faves, some of which due to temperature changes!
 
I always love to hear from my families so let me know how you get on with the colder nights this winter!
 
As always,

Peaceful nights to you all,

Rachael,
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Your paediatric Sleep Consultant
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Here in this blog I will discuss this hard transition we all go through as parents and ways to help your child through it. Whilst it is a lovely to know that your child wants you, they are showing attachment and love to you, it can also be exhausting. You may never be able to leave the room to go to the bathroom let along go out for the afternoon on your own for some well-earned Mummy/Daddy time without hearing cries and screams and the sound of those little feet chasing after you down the hall.  

So you are here, reading this blog through foggy eye lids held up with match sticks to stay open. You were up every hour last night…and you need to find a solution to this problem. It is just not sustainable any longer for any of your family. And you are right. It is not sustainable for all of the family and your baby needs to sleep long stretches of time through the night for their own health, development and growth. Don’t fear, these waking’s in the night can be a thing of the past and your sleep can be restored.

How many times have you heard someone telling you their baby slept so well and now they are waking every 2 hours in the night? I for one can tell you I have heard it many times, it comes with my job! Now this can be very normal especially around the 4 month mark due to the maturation of your baby’s brain in what we know as the four month sleep regression but what about the following months? You just want to have a good nights sleep right...!