who decided that babies only need 1 sheet, 2 blankets

[kbaby]

Daft question but how did they work out that this was the best amount of bedclothing?
DS is in a room between 18-21c and wears a sleepsuit and a 1 tog gro bag, he wakes frequently. At my mums he was sleeping all night and ive found out she puts a lot more bedding on him. TBH she puts too much and is now reducing it after I pointed it out. But if I went to bed in a 18c room with 1 sheet and 2 blankets I would be freezing so how did they work out that thats what suited babies??

Good question, my MW (and brilliant HV) said to not have a room thermometer and to go on how you feel. I personally find with my DD that 18c feels cool and she likes three blankets (sleeps better too, when she was born in Feb I erred on the side of caution and I am sure she woke up more because she was cold). I guess it depends on whereabouts in the room your DS is and draughts etc.

TRust your instincts! But IMHO I think a 1 tog bag is too light my DD is in a sleepsuit, short sleeve vest and 2.5tog bag at this time of year.

Adult's bodies and babies bodies aren't comparable. Babies overheat much, much more easily than adults do because their bodies are so small, so what's right for you won't be right for your baby. Plus it's more dangerous to keep a baby too hot than it is to keep them too cool.

WWB -Oh absolutely but if you feel very cold then it does stand to reason that they will too.

I have always been cautious because of the SIDS guidelines but I do think room thermometers are firstly not that accurate and secondly can cause people to worry too much. JMHO.

I have found via trial and error that in a room that is about 18 C that a 2.5 grobag , long sleeved sleepsuit ( thick) and vest that dd is just about ok . On the colder nights its a long sleeved vest as well. I found that when she had less on she woke up more as well.
I have a digital room thermometer and to be honest it often disagrees with the plastic strip ones.

My mum is always commenting that I don't put enough on DD at night despite 2.5 tog bag, vest and sleep suit in 18 degree room. Seems that our parents generation used to wrap the babies up a lot more. Given that they're still not sure on the cause of SIDS I wonder about the advice sometimes myself, it seems to change so frequently. DD chest always seems a bit cool while I'm toasty. If I slept with my arms hanging out the covers like she does I think I'd be cold too. She also gets completely blue hands and I worry that she might get chilblains or something.

I know when I go into his room at night its 18c and to me seems freezing. Last night I put a sheet and cellular blanket over him aswell and he did sleep better. I checked his neck when he woke for a feed and it felt coolish so I guess he still wasnt that warm.
Ive probably been so worried about overheating him that im now underheating him.

My dd's hands felt really cold at night as well.

Now put her in thick sleepsuit, and long sleeved vest, and heating comes on odd hours here and there at night.

TBH temp in her room is around 21 degrees, rather than 18, and she never ever feels hot..I think those guides err too much on the side of caution

I think you are supposed to check their temperature by feeling their tummy or back as the extremities always feel cool (inefficient circulation).

Leading on from the title of the OP how did they decide 16-18 was the ideal temp???

I thought you could also use back of neck as a guide, although that was always cold as well.

I'd have thought that back of neck would be warmer anyway given that they're laying on their backs. I'm not sure it figures that if their tummy is warm they are. If you felt my tummy it'd probably be warm, because it's natures way of protecting all those vital organs, but I'm sitting here freezing! Still, who am I to question the 'experts'. Thing is with babies you're not prepared to run the risk are you? They have you over an emotional barrel.

I think that this is yet another area where all babies are different! Ds1 always hated being too hot when he was a baby whereas ds2 loves being toasty and warm and hates being cold. Ds2 was premature so I don't know if that's got something to do with it. I would agree that going with your instinct is best. Ds1 never had a blanket when he was a baby but ds2 always has/had 2.

I tried and tried but ds would wake up all the time in a 21 C room. He slept much better when warmer. Whe he got to about 6-months-old I stopped worring about it and have now established that his ideal temperature is 23 C in the room in a vest and a 2.5 tog grobag. Than again I come from a warmer country so maybe it is in his blood.

My MIL used to drive me mad by suggesting that he was cold at 27 C in the summer and wrapping him in blankets - folded double!!!

I would have thought that a 2.5 tog bag would be better at this time of year kbaby. Both my children are very hot and never wear/wore vests at night but I think I had a 2.5 tog bag in the winter. But what would be appropriate for me, wouldn't be for them IYSWIM.

justaphase you must have huge heating bills. We don't even have it that warm in the day.

huge heating bill is correct wrappingpaper. But also the tiniest of flats (and I mean TINY) and we only heat the nursery and living room.

Yeah, I have nursery between 21 (usually), and sometimes up to 24. Dd just seems to be warmer, and sleep better like that. I guess all babies are different.

Justaphase, my MIL did similar. Dd born in recent boiling hot July. Mil wrapped her in 3 blankets "just in case"! It was too hot to wear anything at all never mind 3 blankets!

LOL Justsphase, my mother drives me potty about it too

TBH I used to have problems with DD in summer - she was May born. Everyone would be suggesting she was tired/hungry (you know, the usual suspects). And I would lay her on her changing mat, take her clothes off and wipe her with a cool flannel and she would settle immediately.

I don't know what I have done to get warm children. DH and I are generally to be found huddled under a big duvet. And the children and I got home yesterday to find him wearing a hat in the house!

tbh the only reason hes in a 1tog is because it was dd's and she was a summer baby. ive got a 2tog one but its from 6 months and way to big at the moment

Could always pop an extra blanket over the one tog or put DS in a fleece sleepsuit in the 1 tog (I do that when everything is in the wash!)?

Ah I see. Should have been obvious kbaby! I didn't put DD into a grobag until late September and she went straight into a 6-12 size.

Have you tried upping DS's bedding? Has it had any effect?