The Importance of Baby’s Bedroom Temperature by Plan B Sleep Consulting

 As a parent, ensuring your baby gets a good night's sleep is essential. However, it can be challenging to navigate the world of safe sleeping practices.

Luckily Bianca from Plan B Sleep Consultant has shared her best advice for keeping your baby safe and comfortable while they snooze, from the ideal bedroom temperature for your little one and provide tips on how to maintain a safe sleeping environment.

We've got you covered with all the tips and tricks you need to know for a peaceful night's sleep.

What is the ideal room temperature?

This can be very subjective and quite hard to pinpoint as every room is different in size. When using a heater your aim is to take the chill off the room rather than making it too hot. I suggest around 18.5-19 degrees (Celsius). 

What should I dress my baby in overnight? 

When choosing your child’s sleeping attire, I would aim to dress them comfortably- not too hot and not too cold. Ideally, once the chill has been taken off the room you could focus on a long sleeve onesie and a warm 2.5-3.5 TOG sleeping bag with sleeves.  

Keeping a swaddled baby warm

Similar to little ones with their arms out you want to ensure they are not too warm. Aim to put a singlet underneath their long sleeve onesie and then place them in their swaddle. I tend to recommend Ergo pouch cocoon swaddles as they have different TOG ratings as well. You can place a warmer blanket over the top of them once they are swaddled and firmly tuck the ends in to the mattress.

Ducted or panel heaters? 

SIDS guidelines recommend not to leave a heater on in your baby’s room overnight, instead dress them appropriately. In the instance that you do use a heater it is suggested to use a heater that has a thermostat such as an oil or electric heater. Ensure you are not positioning it near curtains or near your baby’s cot.

Red Nose information

To date, there is no evidence to show that maintaining a specific room temperature prevents SUDI and that thermal factors are implicated in SIDS as long as:

• The baby is placed to sleep on the back

• The baby is dressed appropriately for the room temperature (not over or under dressed)

• The baby’s head and face remain uncovered

Studies show that the risk of SUDI increases when a baby’s face becomes covered by bedding, e.g., sheets, blankets, quilts, and duvets.

Bedsharing 

Sharing a sleeping surface can increase the risk of SUDI and fatal sleeping accidents. More than half of SUDI cases occur whilst baby is sharing a sleep surface. This is mostly due to head coverings. Red Nose do not recommend co sleeping, however if you are to co sleep please follow the link for further information.  

https://rednose.org.au/article/Co-sleeping_with_your_baby

B’s winter tips

• To check your baby’s temperature, place one hand on their core. This is the most accurate way to tell if your baby is hot or cold. 

• Babies’ hands and feet are usually always a bit cooler. The reason for this is due to their vital organs getting priority when it comes to blood and warmth. 

• A cold baby will tend to wake up more frequently. 

• A baby who is too hot may be lethargic and not want to feed as much. Ensure their room is not hot. 

• Babies control their temperature through their heads. It is for this reason they should not wear beanies to bed as it will cause overheating.

• An overheating baby may be sweaty, damp or flushed in the face. If this happens, remove a layer of clothing to cool them down. 

• Never use electric blankets, wheat bags or hot water bottles for babies.

• Use a tight-fitting cotton or jersey sheet for the mattress and refrain from using woollen underlays in your baby’s cot as per Red Nose guidelines. 

References 

Wailoo, M. P., Petersen, S. A., Whittaker, H., & Goodenough, P. (1989). The thermal environment in which 3-4 month old infants sleep at home. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 64(4): 600-4.

https://rednose.org.au/question/hi-there-are-heaters-safe-to-be-placed-in-a-babys-room-i-was-thinking-of-getting-an-oil-heater

https://rednose.org.au/article/room-temperature

13. Fleming, P.J., Gilbert, R., Azaz, Y., Berry, P.J., Rudd, P.T., Stewart, A. & Hall, E. (1990). Interaction between bedding and sleeping position in the sudden infant death syndrome: a population based case-control study. British Medical Journal, 301(6743): 858-859.

Written by Bianca Burge of Plan B Sleep Consulting in April 2023. As always, information on this website is for educational purposes only.

Please consult your GP for information specific to your child.

About Plan B Sleep Consulting

Plan B sleep consulting was established in 2020 by Bianca Burge when she recognised the need for parents requiring assistance with specific sleep issues with their infants and toddlers. Her philosophy is based on science and experience that’s paired with a nurturing and holistic approach to sleep training.

Bianca is a highly experienced midwife and certified sleep consultant who lives on the Bellarine Peninsula with her husband and two young boys. She prides herself on supporting and empowering parents to achieve a restorative night’s sleep and is passionate and well researched in the science behind sleep and sleep deprivation and its links to postnatal depression. As a mother, she has experienced first-hand the exhaustion and relentlessness that sleep issues cause. Bianca’s program is individually tailored for each family and revolves around their particular needs. She works alongside other healthcare practitioners such as lactation consultants and a children’s nutritionist to cover all your child's requirements.

https://www.planbsleepconsulting.com.au/