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Original poster

Dressing baby at night - old cold house

36 replies

Enidcat5 · 27/10/2019 02:19

I feel like such an idiot as it should just be common sense but I'm really struggling to dress my 5 months old at night in order that she's not too cold or hot.

My bedroom is 17-18 degrees according to thermometer but it feels freezing. House is very old and not insulated, my room is on coldest side. I'm wearing 2 layers of pjs plus dressing gown to bed.

If I dress her according to gro bag guidelines she feels v cold on chest and back of neck and she's waking every 20 minutes. She's currently in 2.5 tog bag, short sleeve vest and sleepsuit. I have been putting 3 cellular blankets layered over her just up to chest, tucked in at bottom so they can't slip over her head. I've tried long sleeve vest and also adding a pj top, she's still cold.

I bought a 3.5 tog sleeping bag but guidelines state you shouldn't use those until 15 degrees or under. So far the room doesn't get that cold although it does feel very cold. I tried it on her last night and she was toasty and I was then worried about overheating. Argh.

Anyone else struggling with this? Help! What are your cosy solutions for an old house? Has anyone used the 3.5 bags and at what temperature please? If she's warm she sleeps OK, I'm shattered from weeks of these rubbish nights holding her all night.

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Original poster

Enidcat5 · 27/10/2019 02:22

This really does infuriate me. Why is dressing a baby for sleep such a massive ball ache

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TheCatInAHat · 27/10/2019 02:22

I use a 3.5 tog bag for our 7 month old in an 18 degree room. Plus a long sleeved babygro and no vest. He’s also too cold if I go by the recommendations.

Original poster

Enidcat5 · 27/10/2019 02:25

Thanks @thecatinthehat I'll have a go with the 3.5 tog again. She's currently flat out asleep on me...

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JohnJJingleheimerSchmidt · 27/10/2019 03:26

My DC is always too cold if I follow the guidelines. I would use the warmer sleeping bag. Yes it's a ball ache!

SpinneyHill · 27/10/2019 03:32

Fleecy blankets and a makeshift gro bag (sleeping bag chopped and sewn) worked for me......also in my bed on the nights I was worried, 6 weeks without a boiler 18 years ago in in January a seafront flat with single plate windows that featured an 'outside space' gap where one of the sashes wouldn't shut.

modgepodge · 27/10/2019 09:00

My room isn’t as cold as yours, but if I follow the guidelines she’s cold. Eg at 19 degrees it’s supposed to be just a vest and 2.5 tog bag. I always have her in a sleep suit not a vest.

It’s more dangerous from a SIDS point of view for a baby to be too hot than too cold, so I think the Gro company are probably covering their back recommending layers which are likely on the cold side. If you know your daughter is too cold, go with your instinct and layer her up a bit. You’re clearly aware of the risks and will check her regularly.

rottiemum88 · 27/10/2019 16:36

I bought a 3.5 tog sleeping bag but guidelines state you shouldn't use those until 15 degrees or under.

But you're already adding blankets on top of the 2.5 tog bag, so surely the higher tog sleeping bag would be a better option?

Sneezewitch · 27/10/2019 16:42

You’re not being stupid, it’s one of many examples of ‘safe’ but basically un-followable baby guidelines. I wear thick pjs and socks under a feather winter duvet and in the same room the guidelines would have had my newborn in just a cotton sleeping bag and a sleep suit. I double-bagged him in the end.

Original poster

Enidcat5 · 27/10/2019 18:05

But you're already adding blankets on top of the 2.5 tog bag, so surely the higher tog sleeping bag would be a better option?

Yes this was why I thought this is ridiculous and thought I should get the 3.5 tog bag instead.

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Original poster

Enidcat5 · 27/10/2019 18:08

Thanks everyone you've put my mind at rest about it, she's too cold wearing what's in the guidelines so I'll put her in the thicker bag. I didn't have this issue with my son as we lived in a new build and worried more about the room being too hot. This place is like a fridge!

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heatingsoup · 27/10/2019 20:18

My 2 year old is currently in PJs, long sleeve vest, 1.5 tog sleeping bag and a duvet. That seems to be keeping her toasty so far!

Aria999 · 27/10/2019 20:34

Plug in heater with its own thermostat?

Original poster

Enidcat5 · 27/10/2019 21:50

Aria999 I tried that one, unfortunately the clicking on and off of the heater woke her up.

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Aria999 · 27/10/2019 22:02

🙁 that sucks.

NameChange30 · 27/10/2019 22:08

I agree with PPs about the grobag guidelines.
I think common sense is the best judge, see how the room feels (sometimes humidity will make it feel colder) and how warm/cold baby feels with the clothes and bedding you've put on them. Obviously back of neck should feel warm but not hot, hands should feel a bit cool but not too cold.

We ended up buying a new thermostat system with attachments you can add to the radiators, so you can control the heating in each room - that way we can keep the heating on in DS's room (and in our bedroom when he was still in with us) but off in the rest of the house. Expensive but worth it.

Original poster

Enidcat5 · 27/10/2019 23:57

NameChange I'll look into that thank you. I've got the house's portable thermostat in my room set to kick heating on if it falls below 16. It's 17 just now and I'm in full fluffy winter dressing gown, slippers and double pjs.

She's asleep on me and seems fine in the 3.5 tog bag. Neck is slightly warm to touch, tummy is toasty. Definitely not overheating. Thanks so much for your help everyone. Just need to stealth transfer to cot so I can sleep..

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Pinkkahori · 28/10/2019 00:10

Dd2 was born in winter. We lived in a very cold, badly insulated old house.
We co-slept a lot but on the nights she slept in her cot I dressed her in a short sleeved vest, long sleeve sleepsuit, cotton cardigan and 1 tog grobag over which i layered several blankets.
I always checked her tummy when I fed her at night to make sure she wasn't over heating. She never was so she obviously needed the layers.
When we co-slept she didn't wear the cardigan but i always had her in the grobag. She still feels the cold and she is 11 now.
I've never lived in a warm house. I'm always surprised by what little clothes most babies wear to sleep.

aidelmaidel · 28/10/2019 00:18

Humidity has a lot to do with how temperature feels, so just going by a number will cover the company's arse but might not work for your baby. I got DD a super warm sleeping bag (am in Foreign Parts so no tog rating) and she had a hat for really bad nights.

Right now she's in fleece pyjamas, a t-shirt, socks, and under a cellular blanket, but it's not really cold here yet, hovering around 6C.

PeacefulInTheDeep · 28/10/2019 09:47

My DS has always needed an extra layer compared to what the Gro guidelines recommend. Like others, I believe they're a bit on the cautious side. Although as he was born during a 30 degree plus heatwave I think he just likes to be toasty at night!

It'll get easier over time as you'll learn how she copes with different temperatures and how your house responds too. It was 1C here last night, and for my DS that means a short sleeve vest, sleepsuit and 3.5 tog bag. And that's with the heating set to come on if the temp gets too low. He's 15 months and in his own room so different to your situation, but you'll find what works for you. Start with the guidelines and then layer up or down depending on how she feels, and keep checking chest and back of neck as you've been doing.

Aria999 · 28/10/2019 22:43

@NameChange30 what's the name of your thermostat system?

So far we have only had this problem in my dad's house but we're moving into an old, probably cold house ourselves in a couple of weeks and it sounds like a good solution.

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 28/10/2019 22:50

The company that make GroBags also make special pjs with quilted sleeves. My twins who were small and premmie had these and they were great. Sleeping bag plus quilty pjs plus cotton or cellular blanket anf they were good to go!

Original poster

Enidcat5 · 29/10/2019 05:26

A wee update. I dressed her in grosuit with padded arms plus the 3.5 tog bag last night. It's not been perfect, she's still waking regularly (she is teething though so could be some of the reason) but we've had a good night! She is no longer whimpering and shifting about whjcb I'd presumed was due to being cold. She did a 3 hour stretch where previously we'd struggled to get past 40 minutes. I've been regularly checking her and she seems lovely and snuggly without being sweaty or too hot.

I've had some sleep for first time in weeks! Also the 3.5 tog bag feels really luxurious and snuggly, the quality is very good.

Thabjs so much for your input everyone.

As I'm typing this my 4 year old has just got up for the day...

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Xalia · 29/10/2019 05:51

Most body heat is lost through the head.
In the "old days" without central heating we used to put soft snuggly hats on babies heads at night.
Does make a difference.

Greyhound22 · 29/10/2019 05:59

I'm glad you seem to have sorted it. Just to add yes it is a massive ball ache. I had the opposite our flat is really warm and I got myself really upset trying to get the temperature down :(

Original poster

Enidcat5 · 29/10/2019 06:32

@xalia nowadays the advice is a complete no for any hats on babies for night time, due to SIDS risks as babies need to have heads uncovered to allow them to lose heat and prevent overheating.

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