Safe and Effective Ways to Keep Your Newborn Warm at Night
Are you wondering how to keep a newborn warm at night so they can sleep safely and soundly? Keep reading for helpful tips, hear from the experts, and explore product recommendations from the real moms at Maisonette.
The Importance of Keeping Your Newborn Warm at Night
Babies are kept at a healthy, comfortable, warm temperature in the womb before they're born. Once they enter the world, it's important to help them regulate their own body temperature with regular skin-to-skin contact (snuggling on the chest, whether breastfeeding or not) and proper layering.
Keeping a newborn warm enough can help with sleep, healthy weight gain, and a regulated heart rate. But what about at night when they're alone in their crib or bassinet?
Ensuring your infant stays cozy is vital when they're sleeping. But just as crucial as keeping them warm is preventing them from overheating.
Signs Your Baby May Be Too Cold or Too Warm
If your newborn baby is too warm, you might notice:
- Flushed cheeks
- Very warm skin (could also indicate a fever)
- A heat rash
- Faster breathing than usual
- Sweating
If you notice signs that your infant is too warm, remove a layer of clothing (or multiple layers if they are too bundled up).
Babies can also get too cold, especially outdoors in the winter or when wearing wet clothing. Knowing how to dress a newborn in winter can help prevent this, but if you're inside, signs your newborn's core body temperature is too low might include:
- Cold skin
- Shivering
- Fussiness
- Pale or grayish-looking skin
- Blue lips
These are signs of hypothermia, which is a medical emergency. If this happens, dial 911 or seek medical care right away.
Choosing the Right Sleepwear for Winter Nights
Choosing the right sleepwear is essential for keeping babies warm at night in the winter.
During the first year after birth, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends keeping loose bedding like blankets, top sheets, and quilts out of a baby's crib to prevent the risk of suffocation and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). The same goes for other soft objects, including pillows, bumpers, and stuffed animals.
The only approved bedding until a baby is 12 months old is a fitted crib sheet. This may seem minimal—and it is—and not very cozy—but it's for safety. So, again, you can select proper sleepwear for your newborn.
How to Layer for Bedtime Comfort
When dressing your newborn for bed in the chilly season, you'll need:
- Footed pajamas
- A sleep sack, swaddle, or wearable blanket
- Potentially an additional long-sleeve layer
Footie pajamas are great for babies of all ages and stages in the winter because they cover the feet, legs, torso, chest, and arms—and sometimes even the hands with newborn PJs—in a single piece of clothing. Of course, leggings and a onesie with socks can work for naps or nighttime sleeping if that's preferred.
Instead of a regular blanket, the AAP suggests using a sleep sack or swaddle blanket. Make sure you choose the right size based on your child's age or weight range to avoid loose fabric in the crib.
If you're worried about your infant getting too cold, you can add one extra layer. The general rule of thumb is that you can dress a young baby in one additional layer than what you'd wear. For instance, you might add a thin, long-sleeve cotton shirt, though this may not be necessary with the sleep sack. The AAP also says never to put a hat on an infant indoors (besides the first few hours after birth) to prevent overheating.
The Benefits of Sleep Sacks for Cold Weather
As noted, regular blankets and other loose bedding should be kept out of the crib or bassinet during the first year. Sleep sacks are considered a safer option. Since they're essentially small, wearable blankets, they're less likely to get tangled up or cover a baby's face while they're sleeping.
Swaddling a newborn with a traditional swaddle blanket can help them stay warm and calm while sleeping during the first couple of months before they start rolling over. However, mastering the wrapping technique to prevent it from unraveling can be tricky. Pediatricians recommend only placing infants on their backs in a swaddle and monitoring them while sleeping in case they roll over. To make things easier, you might just opt for a newborn sleep sack.
Newborn sleep sacks often wrap over the arms, keeping the baby's arms securely at their sides. This can help with warmth while preventing the startle reflex during sleep. Also called the Moro reflex, this is when newborns involuntarily lift their arms in a sudden motion.
Once your baby gains more control over their arms or starts to "escape" the arm part of the sleep sack or begins rolling over in their sleep, you can use an armless design.
Top Winter Sleep Sacks from Maisonette for Safe and Warm Sleep
Maisonette is the place to shop for cozy, cute, and, of course, safe sleep sacks from top-rated, parent-approved brands.
We have sleeper gowns and sleepsuits with long sleeves and hand mitts that work well for preemies, newborns, and infants up to 6 months old. You'll also find quilted zip-up sleep bags that keep your little one covered through the night while offering easy access for diaper changes.
Maisonette also carries sleeveless sleep sacks and arms-out baby sleeping bags that pair well with long-sleeve footed pajamas. And for the skilled swaddlers among us, we have breathable muslin wraps.
Additional Tips to Keep Newborns Cozy All Night
Beyond knowing how to dress a newborn for sleep in winter, there are a couple more things to know about keeping a newborn cozy at night.
First, make sure the room they're sleeping in is comfortable. Lastly, choose safe crib bedding to ensure all-night comfort and peace of mind about your little one's safety.
Using Room Thermometers and Humidifiers
Whether your baby sleeps in a bassinet in your bedroom next to your bed or in a crib in their nursery, the thermostat should be set to a comfortable temperature.
We realize what's considered "comfortable" may be up for debate, but around 73 degrees Fahrenheit (give or take a few degrees) is the ideal room temperature when you have a newborn at home.
If you're worried your baby's room is drafty or colder than the rest of your home, consider using a room thermometer. A space heater might be necessary in some cases, but make sure the room doesn't get too hot. A humidifier can also help keep the air moist and help your child breathe easily while sleeping.
Selecting Cozy Crib Bedding and Warm Accessories
Those first 12 months of your baby's life, you're pretty limited in terms of what bedding you can safely use. Your best bet is to get a firm crib mattress and a fitted crib sheet to help them sleep soundly on their back (until they can roll over) and prevent suffocation.
Beyond that, it's all about cozy pajamas and sleep sacks.
You can find all these products (and much, much more) at Maisonette. Shop our curated collections of baby clothing, sleep essentials, nursery items, and wintertime must-haves—perfect for everything from a family Christmas photo outfit to winter beach family vacation essentials.