What Should your Baby Wear to Sleep?

Knowing the right way to dress your baby for sleep seems like a simple task, but it can be overwhelming for an exhausted first-time parent. There are some tips and guidelines to follow to ensure your baby is safe in their crib and gets a full night of rest.

What should your baby wear to sleep?

Let’s start with the basics. Because your baby should not be sleeping with a loose sheet or blanket, the best way to dress them for sleep is to put them in one additional layer over what you would wear for bed. As a starting point, this could look like a two-piece cotton pajama set while being swaddled.

However, this is just a start. You may have to adjust based on your baby’s sleeping environment. For example, if your house runs cool or warm, you want to dress your baby accordingly. In this case, it’s better to have your baby slightly underdressed than overdressed because overheating is a real concern, and it has been linked to a greater risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Most babies also enjoy being swaddled. Bundling them up makes them feel like they’re back in the womb, and cotton or muslin material makes an excellent choice for wrapping and tucking your baby. If you are not comfortable with your swaddling skills, you can always purchase swaddle sacks or suits that do the job for you.

As a note, once your baby starts to roll over, it is time to stop swaddling them. At this point, your baby can graduate to a sleep sack or a wearable blanket.

We all know that it’s dangerous to put loose sheets and a baby’s crib, but it can be daunting to know what they should wear to bed instead. In general, you should dress your baby in an extra layer over what you would wear for bed. This is just a general rule of thumb, so if your house runs cool or warm, you’ll have to adjust accordingly to make sure your baby doesn’t overheat.