Q&A Forum

10/2/24

Jamee

Hello, I have just had a baby and she is now just over a week old. When she goes to sleep we have the air-conditioner set to 23°. It is currently summer here in Adelaide and we like to keep the rooms set to 23° to avoid being too hot or too cold. Dress her in a singlet, a bonds cotton onesie, such as a cosy suit and swaddle her in a Muslim wrap. Is this appropriate for the room or am I over dressing her for sleep?

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Posted a response on 26/2/24

Red Nose Education

It can be difficult to work out what may be the most appropriate clothing/bedding for baby when sleeping.
Red Nose recommends dressing baby according to the room temperature, rather than trying to modify the room temperature with heating or cooling.

I wish I could give you some specific guidance for dressing your baby, but every baby is different.
Red Nose has the following general information.

“Dress baby and use layers as you would dress or use layers yourself: to be comfortable, neither too hot nor too cold.
Dress baby for sleep and add/remove lightweight blankets to ensure baby’s back or tummy feels comfortably warm to the touch.
Remove hats, bonnets, beanies and hooded clothing from baby’s head as soon as baby is indoors.  - Always sleep baby with head & face uncovered.
A good way to check baby’s temperature is to feel baby’s back or tummy (don’t worry if baby’s hands and feet feel cool - this is normal).
Consider how many layers that you as the baby’s carer are wearing comfortably.”
https://rednose.org.au/article/bedding-amount-recommended-for-safe-sleep

“As long as baby is put down to sleep on their back, and that baby is dressed appropriately for the room temperature – not overdressed or under dressed – with their head and face uncovered, you can feel reassured that you are protecting baby from overheating.
We don’t believe that it’s necessary to use a room temperature monitor, or to leave the heating or cooling on all night, as long as baby is dressed appropriately for the temperature of the room – not too hot, not too cold.”
https://rednose.org.au/article/how-to-dress-baby-for-sleep

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