keeping bubba warm at night

[deletedit]

Don't ever use a hat or hood though - a big SIDS risk

Why? I would have thought leaving a baby with nothing on their head when its barely 5 degrees is riskier ... really little babies are mostly head and that's a lot to leave uncovered. The day we had a stupidly long power failure he was in 3 layers, hood, hat, AND a regular adult quilt on the couch and we were barely warm enough.

Probably not so much of an issue where its warmer though ... we get Canberra weather here, without the snow.

[UntoldAngel]

Why? I would have thought leaving a baby with nothing on their head when its barely 5 degrees is riskier ... really little babies are mostly head and that's a lot to leave uncovered. The day we had a stupidly long power failure he was in 3 layers, hood, hat, AND a regular adult quilt on the couch and we were barely warm enough.

Probably not so much of an issue where its warmer though ... we get Canberra weather here, without the snow.

We were told not to leave a hat on bub unless we were watching him because we use our heads to regulate temperature... with a hat on they can't let excess heat escape...

OP - my bub's hands and feet aare always cold, but I know when we were in hospital they said bub's can reduce blood flow to these areas to help maintain body heat. But as others have said, if you are comfortable then bub will be. I have bub in a Bonds wondersuit, cotton wrap, then a sheet and cot blanket... he doesn't move all night and is quite content

[entreat]

We were told not to leave a hat on bub unless we were watching him because we use our heads to regulate temperature... with a hat on they can't let excess heat escape...

But babies can't regulate their temperature - which is why we rug them up so much. I agree with the hoodies (they can wrap around thier faces/necks), or any bonnets with ribbons/cords.

I use socks (even with footed onesies) and hats. And I have taken to having Jack in a singlet, a long sleeve/leg onesie, AND a long sleeve tshirt too. always with socks, and sometimes with a snug fitting hat if it's especially cold. I was guilty of keeping him a little too cold so his sleeps were shorter than they should have been. As soon as I put more clothes on him (and his hands & feet are warm), he sleeps better. The way I like to think about it is: it's easier to sleep when you're warm & cosy than if you're a bit chilly. obviously, if you see your baby sweating, take a layer or a blanket off.

As for wraps, I use any of the following (not all at once!!): muslin wrap, flanelette wrap, polar fleece wrap, minky wrap, with a blanket that is either cotton, minky, or polar fleece. It depends if he's in bis basinette or cot, and what's in the wash that day.

(as a side note, we aren't very good at following SIDS recommendations... Jack wont sleep on his back very often, and sleeps best on his tummy. We usually sleep him on his side with a rolled up polar fleece preventing him from rolling onto his face. We also have a lamb skin, and occasionally cosleep in bed and on the couch)

[Erin_25]

Bubs can wear a hat etc when out and about to keep them warm, but you shouldn't sleep them in one overnight. Babies actually regulate their tempurature through their head....so they are at large risk of overheating.....that's why its a SIDS risk.

[Calluna]

oops! DS slept in a hat every night during winter/ for the first 4 months.