I think my baby is cold at night

[katee90]

Hi all,

I just wanted to get some thoughts. My 7mo baby is going to bed in a long sleeved vest, sleepsuit and 2.5 tog bag. Our thermostat is set to 18 but our house is fairly old and our windows draughty. When I get up in the night to feed him I wrap up and can't wait to get back under my duvet. I'm worried that my baby is getting cold. Does anyone else think that their babies little arms should be covered more than with just two thin layers of clothing? I just want to drape a blanket over him (though would obviously never do this!)

Can you turn thermostat up a notch and move it to where the baby sleeps?

I worry about this too. You can get sleeping bags for babies with arms for winter, sorry I'm not in UK so can't suggest where but they do exist, I've seen them on baby buy and sell groups :)

Is he sleeping well? My baby was a good sleeper, but if cold, she couldn't sleep. Turned the thermostat up and she slept like the proverbial baby........ They say to check the nape of their neck for temperature rather than checking their hands - though I don't particularly agree with that - if their little hands are like icebergs, they can't be terribly comfortable.

Maybe put another layer on him? Is he waking up crying for reasons other than hunger, wet/dirty nappy?

I personally can't sleep if I'm cold. I imagine a baby is the same. 18 degrees is quite cold for sleeping. Fine for during the day when moving around, but not so good for a little baby trying to sleep.

I think I went from 18 to 22 degrees and she slept so much better. I think 22 is still within SIDS guidelines - though you may wish to check.

Babies who are cold will wake up and let you know, in my experience. If he's sleeping well and his back and tummy (rather than hands, feet etc) feel warm, he's probably ok. It always amazes me how a lot of small children and babies sleep well with very little in the way of covers, they will often kick off a duvet or just sleep with a fleece blanket in the middle of winter.
For your own peace of mind you could get a cheap digital thermometer to check the temp of his room to see if it's within safe sleeping guidelines (16-20 degrees, I think off the top of my head).

Can you get a thermometer for the room?
Gro eggs are good

If his back feels warm and if he's sleeping for long stretches he's most likely not cold.

Put a thermometer near the cot to check the temperature.

If we're visiting a really cold house I sometimes put the sleeve attachments that popper onto DD's sleeping bag but only if I'm convinced she's cold. It's important not to overheat them as they can remove the sleeping bag whereas we would adjust our duvet in the night if we were too hot. Their arms being out of the sleeping bag helps baby regulate their temperature I think.

Also - the weather recently has been very fickle - so I need the heating on full time when it's near zero at night.

@gaffamate the thermostat is in a fixed position in the kitchen though I could turn it up by a couple of degrees and see whether that makes a difference

@Secretlifeofme thank you - I'll have a look online

@MaisWeee no he's sleeping terribly at the moment he's already had 6 teeth coming through to contend with but I'm worried that being cold is contributing to the broken sleep. The nape of his neck and his tummy are both always warm but as you say his little arms and hands are like ice blocks so I don't know..

@PhilomenaChristmasPie yes definitely waking up despite not needing a feed or nappy change. Sorry if this is a silly question but what sort of layer would you suggest us putting on him? Another vest or? I'm worried it's a fine line between warming him up and overheating him

Our house is cold and I used to put mittens on DS!

JoJo sell thick sleeping bag sleepsuit things with arms.

You arent supposed to use sleeping bags with sleeves. You could try those grosuit things as they are bodysuits with padded sleeves designed for use with a sleeping bag

You can also get 3.5tog bags

@dementedpixie oh really, are you not? I didn't know that

Could you not just use a cellular blanket that was tucked in? I have to say, DS seems to handle colder temps at night much better than I do and I'd always rather err on the side of too cold than to warm.

*too

Babies often have cold hands and feet. 18 is a pretty normal temperature - 16-20 is the recommended temp for sleeping. I'd rather err on the side of cooler than overheating, personally.

I always think this - our temperature is around 18-19 degrees and his little hands always feels so cold. But he never wakes up and actually sleeps worse when it's warmer - he also gets all sweaty and red! I have read it's about the temperature of their back/chests, and to ignore hands and feet because they have terrible circulation! Don't know if that's right or not though..

It's really common to have cold hands when they sleep. It's nothing to worry about.

Have a look at slumbersac. They do some lovely long sleeved sleeping bags. I had one for my youngest because she always had cold arms and hands in the night. Our house is old and draughty and having the long sleeves really helped. I used to have to put a cardigan on her and an extra vest.