With the colder months approaching, many of us are starting to think about the best ways to keep our babies warm enough at night!

This topics brings a whole host of factors to consider. We’ll be taking a look at the evidence based guidance from The Lullaby Trust and the NHS to help you out!

What is the ideal bedroom temperature?
How warm is too warm?
How can I keep my baby the ideal temperature at night during winter?
Should baby wear a hat to bed?

What is the ideal bedroom temperature?

The Lullaby Trust advises that the best temperature for a nursery is between 16-20 degrees Celcius; not too cold, and not too hot. It’s important that your baby doesn’t get too warm because overheating is a SIDS risk factor.

How warm is too warm?

Anything above 20 degrees Celsius is considered too warm for a safe sleep environment. To ensure your baby isn’t too warm, the Lullaby Trust advises;

Feel their tummy or the back of their neck – if they’re sweaty, remove a layer of clothing/bedding.
Don’t worry about cooler hands and feet, this is perfectly normal.

How can I keep my baby the ideal temperature at night during winter?

The NHS and Lullaby Trust both advise using lightweight fitted bedding, in layers, rather than a single very thick/warm piece of bedding – a folded blanked classes as 2 layers. A well fitting sleeping bag is a great choice too – those sold by the Gro Company are officially endorsed by the Lullaby Trust! We’ve picked out 2.5 tog examples but you can find plenty of 1 tog examples here*.

Find the Jungle Stacks Grobag here*.

Find the Starry Night Grobag 2 Pack here*.

Find the Jungle Boogie Grobag here*.

You could also consider a Gro Egg! This device helps parents to keep track of the temperature of a bedroom/nursery, and it comes with many rave recommendations from our parenting community.

Find one here*. You can get an adorable penguin cover for it here*!

Click to see more.

It’s also advised to…

Not put the cot by a radiator, fire, heater or window, or in direct sunlight.
Don’t put a hot water bottle, electric blanket etc in the cot.
If using a fan for any reason, don’t point it at baby.
Ensure baby feeds well so is well hydrated.
Don’t keep the heating on all night.
Don’t put baby to bed wearing a hat (we’ll cover this in the next section).
Use fewer layers than usual if your baby is unwell.
Keep baby in your sleep environment until at least 6 months of age.
Keep the cot empty – the safe sleep guidelines can be read here.

Why Shouldn’t baby wear a hat to bed?

The Lullaby Trust and the NHS both point out that a baby’s head is really important for releasing extra body heat and maintaining their overall body temperature. Layering clothing and bedding and maintaining a good temperature in the bedroom is considered sufficient for keeping baby cosy.

Hats can also come loose, posing a potential hazard as they can cover your baby’s airways in the night.