Kiddipedia
Media kindly brought to you by Tommee Tippee
Nobody sleeps well when they’re feeling too hot (or cold), and newborn babies are no exception. Your little one can’t regulate their core body temperature like older children or adults can, nor can they strip off layers to get more comfortable. It leaves parents with the nerve-wracking responsibility of maintaining an optimum temperature throughout the changing seasons, to ensure baby’s comfort and safety. Choosing the right sleepwear is crucial in managing a baby’s body temperature and will help neutralise inevitable changes in their environment. With Spring in full swing and Summer fast approaching, new parents want peace of mind that what their newborn is wearing will keep them cool without getting chilly, and maximise that glorious sleep time.
No stranger to the newborn sleep experience, Tommee Tippee has been designing sleepwear to suit every stage of babies’ sleep for over 15 years. They recently won the Gold award at the My Child 2020 Excellence Awards for Favourite Baby Safety product, and are excited about the launch of their Spring/Summer sleepwear range for infants and toddlers. Featuring lighter weight materials for the warmer weather in the Australian climate, it caters to newborns and children up to the age of 36 months.
Kiddipedia has canvassed some general advice for encouraging peaceful slumber that beats the heat, and explores how the Tommee Tippee range can assist parents.
General sleep advice
When approaching the right sleepwear for your newborn baby, don’t forget these important considerations for a harmonious sleep:
- Keep their head and face uncovered – Hats and babies don’t mix when it comes to bedtime, as explained by SIDS Australia: “Babies control their temperature predominantly through the face and head, so making sure your baby is on their back with their head and face uncovered and dressed appropriately is the best way to avoid overheating.”
- Check your baby’s temperature – A simple touch test of your newborn during the night is a helpful technique to mitigate the risk of overheating. When checking your baby’s temperature, avoid using their hands and feet as a gauge. Fingers and toes tend to be cooler as they release heat from the body, so to get a more accurate picture of how hot your baby actually is, feel their back or tummy instead.
- Adapt the room temperature – The recommended temperature of your baby’s nursery is between 16-20°C, and use of a room thermostat can help you avoid the guesswork. If your baby’s room exceeds this, try using a ceiling or plug-in floor fan to adjust it to a more comfortable temperature. For utmost safety, position any plug-in floor fan on the opposite end of the room, away from your baby.
- Give them a cooler bath – If it’s a warm night and your baby is showing signs of restlessness, a before-bed bath with slightly cooler water can settle their body temperature as they change into sleepwear, and make it easier for them (and you!) to drift off to sleep.
Choose sleepwear with a Thermal Overall Grade (TOG)
Newborns haven’t fully developed the ability to regulate their core body temperature, and what feels uncomfortably hot or cold for us, isn’t the same for them. When they do manage to regulate their temperature – including the act of perspiring/sweating – it means expending a lot of energy and equals a disturbed sleep. More serious still, overheating is a significant contributor to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), so the stakes are high when picking the right sleepwear for your baby.
It’s easy to make assumptions on the suitability of certain fabrics for the summer months, but how do you know they are optimal for your baby? The Thermal Overall Grade (TOG) is a parent’s best friend in providing a guiding recommendation for infant clothing, and refers to the level of insulation or warmth that a garment provides. In Australia, TOG ratings range from 0.2 to 3.5; with a lower TOG rating indicating suitability for warmer weather, and a higher TOG rating meant for colder weather. For maximum safety, ensure that any sleepwear you buy your newborn adheres to this TOG rating system. The Tommee Tippee sleepwear range uses the TOG as a basis for all its garments, including the Spring/Summer range with TOGs of 1.0 and 0.2 for use in warm weather.
Quick reference guide to selecting the right TOG
3.5 TOG
Cold temperatures, for cold rooms
16 degrees celsius and below
2.5 TOG
All year round, for standard rooms
16-20 degrees celsius
1.0 TOG
Summer and daytime naps, warmer weather and in rooms
20-24 degrees celsius
0.2 TOG
Hot weather, heatwaves and very warm rooms
24-27 degrees celsius
Now that we have the basis for appropriate sleepwear in all weather conditions, let’s take a look at specific sleepwear options offered by Tommee Tippee, to help babies and their parents.
Soothe them with a swaddle
When you first bring your little one home and generally for up to 3 months of age, your newborn will crave the feeling of warmth and closeness they were accustomed to in the womb. If babies had their way, they would remain cradled in your arms day and night, and that feeling can become a prerequisite for sleep! A swaddle garment comes to the rescue by mimicking the sensation of a mother’s hug while freeing her to catch up on her own sleep.
Moreover, a newborn will experience what’s often referred to as a ‘startle reflex’ that can disrupt sleep or waken them entirely. Using a swaddle can contain this sudden movement and reduce the risk of distubred sleep. But can you satisfy this need during warm weather and still keep them adequately cool at the same time? The answer is yes! Tommee Tippee’s popular Easy Swaddle range is made from breathable, TOG-rated fabrics that are completely safe to use in warm/hot weather.
Benefits of the Tommee Tippee Easy Swaddle:
- 2-way easy change zip – Night time nappy changes made simple
- Sleep-friendly design – With a new hourglass shape, the easy wrap swaddle has no complicated fastenings, and offers a guide as to what to wear under your baby’s swaddle, to help keep your baby at just the right level of cosiness
- Hip healthy design – The International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI) acknowledges the Grobag Easy Swaddle as a hip-healthy product when used as directed. The design helps to ensure that baby’s legs are in a natural ‘froggy-legged’ position when sleeping, which is important for correct hip development.
Give them a snuggle
Tommee Tippee’s ‘Snuggle’ range is the easiest way to transition your baby from sleeping in a newborn swaddle, to a sleep bag. The supremely soft swaddle design allows you to choose whether your child sleeps arms in or arms out, making it the perfect sleepwear when your little one is happy to self soothe. Tommee Tippee has got the hot nights covered with it’s 1.0 TOG for temperatures between 20-24°C and the super-lightweight 0.2 TOG version for temperatures of 24°C and above, suitable for heatwaves, hot weather and very warm rooms.
Benefits of the Tommee Tippee Snuggle:
- Room to stretch – Support healthy movement by popping open both armholes, or transition one arm at a time
- Hip healthy – Like all Tommee Tippee sleepwear, the Snuggle is specially designed to allow legs to fall in a natural hip-healthy position
- Easy changing – 2-way zips open from the bottom for night-time nappy changes. No complicated fastenings makes bedtime routine simple
- Super comfy feel – adorably soft, cotton-rich, fluorescent-free fabric for a cosy night’s sleep
Tommee Tippee’s sleepwear range exists for the love of sleep, and their motto is better sleep, guaranteed. Visit the Tommee Tippee website to learn more about their exciting product range.
