Baby a bit cold at night?

[Feanor]

For some reason I haven't thought to feel behind my 8 month old baby's neck for some months, having assumed she'd be fine with the room at the right temperature and her wrapped up in a body-vest and a onesie as well as a standard thickness good quality sleeping bag.

I realised a few nights ago though that her neck felt slightly cool to the touch. We brought her into our bed with us to warm her and she settled back to sleep, after which we put her back in her cot (which is next to our bed).

I wonder though if being a bit cold is why she's been waking up crying quite a bit through the night. We both prefer the bedroom cool at night but we have good duvets over us. I have often thought baby sleep covers are on the thin side comparatively.

Then again, the advice as far as I can tell is that a bedroom temperature of around 18-20C is ideal for babies. Surely the standard sleeping bags are designed for that temperature, so she should be fine?

Any thoughts?

For full info, we just moved back to the UK from Italy so she is rather used to the heat, although the bedroom was kept cool at night with the air conditioner. She still slept in a thin cotton sleeping bag as with anything thicker she suffered from sweat rash around her eyes.

Some babies, like adults, like to be warmer and others cooler.

My DD wears a long sleeved vest plus sleepsuit plus 2.5 tog (standard) sleeping bag currently.

Sleeping bags are thinner and much lower tog rating than duvets because they are enclosed. To stay as warm in a duvet (That is open and let's lots of air circulate), the duvet would need to be much thicker. Thinner (lower tog) sleeping bags are warmer because baby is completely enclosed and the air inside heats up easily.

Thanks. Good point on the sleeping bag vs duvet, I should have thought of that and it's reassuring.

Not sure what the tog rating of my daughter's sleeping bag is, I'll have to ask my wife (who's asleep right now).

Baby sleeping bag generally come in the following tog ratings:

• 0.5 tog (height of summer, when temprature is very hot)
• 1.0 tog (summer weight)
• 2.5 tog (standard weight, all year around)
• 3.5 tog (depths of winter, when temperature of very cold)

You can get some sleeping bags that have arms, if you have a baby who likes being especially snuggly.

I have two 2.5 tog sleeping bags and one 1.0 tog for the summer in each size.

Mine prefers to be warmer. We had him in the recommended temperature/bag and he was actually shivering. Brought him in to bed with us and he had hands like ice :(.

I'm contemplating trying a 3.5 tog! DD wears long sleeves and a baby grow and 2.5 bag but often during nightfeeds her little hands and head feel so cold. I don't want to overheat her tho so I'm in two minds!!