Knowing how to dress your baby safely at night can feel especially overwhelming when temperatures seem to change from one day to the next. Add in the fact that different homes and rooms whether cosy older properties or modern new builds hold heat differently, and the festive season brings even more home temperature swings, it’s only natural to wonder what’s best for your little one.
That’s why our resident sleep experts, Gem and Eve of Calm & Bright Sleep Support, have created a clear, trustworthy Safe Sleepwear Guide to help you feel confident in every situation. Their paediatric nurse-led, temperature-by-temperature advice makes it simple to choose the right layers whether your baby is sleeping at home, staying with family, or settling into an unfamiliar room. This includes soft cotton sleepsuits, vests, and sleep bags, which you’ll find in our adorable baby sleepwear and dreampod and sleepbag ranges.
You’ll also find a special focus on ‘Supporting Your Baby’s Sleep Over Christmas’, from naptimes to bedtime routine, with reassuring advice on how to keep things settled during the season without losing the festive joy.
As paediatric nurses, parents and resident sleep experts at Mamas & Papas, our work has always centred around one thing: giving families clarity where they most need it. And for more than a decade, one question has come up more than almost any other: “What should my baby wear to sleep?”
We’ve walked beside families through every kind of home and every kind of night freezing spare rooms, toasty new builds, draughty cottages, heatwaves, and Christmas gatherings that warm the whole house. And what we heard again and again was the same mix of worry and guesswork.
That’s why we created our Safe Sleepwear Guide. It’s the simple, trustworthy, temperature-by-temperature support we wished we’d had as first time mums clear guidance you can rely on, no matter what your home is doing
Why and What Your Baby Wears Matters
Your baby’s sleepwear is an important part of safe sleep. Babies can’t regulate their temperature as reliably as adults, which means the right layers really do make a difference. Dressing your little one comfortably keeps them from becoming too warm, too cool or too restless and helps support settled, restorative sleep.
Your baby’s sleepwear is an important part of safe sleep. Babies can’t regulate their temperature as reliably as adults, which means the right layers really do make a difference. Dressing your little one comfortably keeps them from becoming too warm, too cool or too restless and helps support settled, restorative sleep.
While the recommended ideal room temperature is 16–20°C, many real homes don’t stay perfectly within that range. Modern houses can trap warmth. Older homes can cool quickly. Heating might click off overnight. Bedrooms can sit two or three degrees cooler than the living space. Christmas time can bring a warm, bustling house full of visitors. None of this is wrong it's just real life.
You’re not supposed to instinctively know what layers to use in every scenario. You simply need a calm, clear guide. That’s why we made this one for you.
Safe Sleepwear: Your Simple, Clear, Peadiatric Nurse - Created Guide
Our simple, clear, temperature-by-temperature breakdown that shows you exactly what your little one needs for comfortable and safe sleep, whatever the temperature
Under 16°C
● nappy
● long-sleeved vest
● sleepsuit
● 2.5 tog sleeping bag
Using a 2.5 tog sleeping bag with extra base layers underneath helps maintain safety and warmth without adding heavy or loose bedding.
17–20°C
● nappy
● sleepsuit
● 2.5 tog sleeping bag
20–22°C
● nappy
● sleepsuit
● 1.0 tog sleeping bag
22–24°C
● nappy
● sleepsuit only
or nappy + 0.2–0.5 tog if your baby prefers the comfort of containment
24–27°C
● nappy
● short-sleeved vest
± 0.5 tog if needed
Over 27°+
● nappy
This is not about getting it perfect it’s about helping you feel confident, supported and secure in what you choose.
A Little More About Safe Sleep
As paediatric nurses and sleep consultants, we always hold safe sleep at the centre of everything we teach - but we also believe it should feel empowering, not frightening.
Here are the simple principles that matter most:
● A clear, flat sleep space gives your baby room to move their head freely and safely.
● Back to sleep for every sleep, day and night.
● Sleeping bags instead of loose blankets minimise the risk of covering your baby’s face and keep their temperature more consistent.
● No hats, duvets or oversized bags as they can cause overheating.
● Check the fit: the sleeping bag neck and arm openings should sit snugly on your baby to prevent slipping inside.
And perhaps the most important thing: Safe sleep and comfort work hand in hand. When your baby is dressed well and sleeping safely, they often sleep more soundly too.
How to Check Your Baby's Temperature
Forget cold hands or warm cheeks both can be misleading. The most accurate check is always the back of the neck or the chest.
● Warm and dry → perfect.
● Sweaty, clammy or hot → remove a layer.
● Cool to the touch → add a layer.
This takes just a second and works anytime your intuition nudges you to double-check.
Real Homes Aren't Perfect and That's Okay
"We want to acknowledge something important: most homes aren't "consistent-temperature show homes"
Maybe your:
● spare room is icy
● loft room is warm
● heating switches off at midnight
● baby sleeps upstairs while the house is warm downstairs
● nursery is always cooler than the hallway
● Christmas guests and cooking warm the whole house unexpectedly
None of this means your baby can’t sleep safely and comfortably. It simply means you’re human, and your home behaves as homes do. This guide is here to support you through all of it.
Supporting Your Baby's Sleep Over Christmas
Christmas is magical and busy. Even the calmest babaies can feel the excitement, stimulation and change in routine. Here's how to keep things settled without losing the festive joy.
1. Protect the First Nap of the Day
A solid first nap regulates your baby’s sleep pressure and mood for the whole day. Even if the rest of the naps end up happening in prams, arms or car seats, this one makes a huge difference.
2. Keep Your Bedtime Routine Familiar Everywhere
Bath. Fresh nappy. Cosy sleepwear. Feed. Same sleepy phrase. White noise. A predictable sequence calms your baby’s nervous system and says, “It’s safe to rest now,” even in a different house
3. White Noise for the Win
Whether you’re staying with family or hosting, Christmas is noisy. White noise softens unexpected sounds, helps your baby transition between sleep cycles and creates a sense of continuity.
4. Expect More Cuddles, and Don't Worry About Spoiling
New people, lights, smells and spaces can all feel overwhelming. If your baby wants more closeness, it’s not a step backwards – it’s a normal response to a busy time of year. You can always return to your usual rhythm later.
5. Dress for the Room, Not the Weather
Your Safe Sleepwear Guide is your anchor. Holiday homes, guest rooms and family houses can be unpredictable – simply dress your baby according to the room they're sleeping in.
6. Reset Gently When You're Home
Once Christmas settles, 2–3 days of consistent naps and familiar routines usually bring everything back into balance. Babies recalibrate far more quickly than we often expect.
A Final Word from Us
If we could reach through the screen right now and hand you a warm cup of tea while you read this, we truly would, because we know how often parents find themselves standing in a dimly lit nursery, quietly wondering whether they’ve chosen the right layers, whether the room feels too cool, or whether they should add or remove a vest. Please hear this: you are doing an extraordinary job. The care you’ve shown simply by reading this guide tells us everything about the kind of parent you are: thoughtful, attentive, loving, and deeply committed to your baby’s comfort and safety.
Safe sleepwear doesn’t have to feel overwhelming, and you don’t have to memorise every detail or get it right on instinct alone. That’s exactly why this guide exists: to remove the guesswork, to lighten your mental load, and to give you simple, clear layering guidance you can rely on at bedtime, every single night. When you find yourself pausing at the cot, gently checking the back of your baby’s neck or feeling their little chest to make sure they’re just the right temperature, remember that you do not need to know everything – you simply need support you can trust, and you have that now.
Our hope is that this safe sleepwear breakdown becomes something you return to again and again, not because you’re unsure, but because it helps you breathe, relax your shoulders, and quietly reassure yourself, “Okay… I’ve got this.” And you truly have.
Discover more about our gentle, love-led sleep support at Calm & Bright Sleep Support and via Instagram. You’ll also find more helpful articles by us on the Let’s Talk Sleep pages on the Mamas & Papas website and app.
