Choosing the right summer sleeping bag for your baby
Yippee for warmer, sunnier days spent with your new little family… but how are you preparing for when those warmer nights draw in too?
Whenever the temperature soars during the night, we can remove a layer of clothing, open a window or switch on the fan however, for your little one, it’s not that easy.
Choosing the right summer sleeping bag will help them to regulate body temperature, even if it gets a bit toasty during the nighttime. To help choose the right sleeping bag for your baby, we’ve popped together some handy tips so you can ensure they stay cool and comfortable, all night long…
Why choose sleeping bags?
Research has found that when using conventional bedding, babies and toddlers tend to get too hot in the warmer, summer months. This is because blankets and sheets can be easily entangled up in, or equally they can be kicked off making a little one too cool if they become uncovered.
Sleeping bags help to keep your baby's temperature at a more constant level whilst they sleep. There are a variety of different tog ratings and weights to accommodate the ambient temperature of the room, helping your little one sleep comfortably and eliminating the risk of overheating.
Summer sleeping bags
As a general rule, all summer sleeping bags are 1.5 tog or below, as they are suited for nurseries and bedrooms at 18-24 degrees. Togs are a measurement that determine the thermal resistance of a sleeping bag – the lower the tog, the less heat that it will retain.
In very hot temperatures, we recommend sleeping bags that are made from 100% natural materials, as they are extremely lightweight and breathable. Moisture wicking fabrics such as merino wool found in the Merino Kids sleeping bags are a perfect example of these smart, natural fibres.
For added ventilation, many summer sleeping bags feature either no sleeves or detachable sleeves too, which helps to bring that temperature down. Plus, when correctly sized, summer sleeping bags are great at providing optimal air flow in providing a cocoon-like space that let little legs stretch out.
What to wear underneath?
So, it’s no secret that summer sleeping bags provide many added benefits for the warmer nights however, it’s not the only thing that your little one maybe wearing at night time. The tog (or “Weight”) of the sleeping bag and the natural temperature of your baby will determine what clothing to wear underneath.
You can check their temperature with either a thermometer or placing two fingers behind the back of the neck to gauge how warm they are at rest. For a temperature guide, our friends at Merino Kids have put together a very handy diagram to help:
Choosing the right one for you
Aside from tog ratings, sleeping bags are also categorised by size. A sleeping bag may look long in length but don't worry, these are designed to have some leg room so that your little one can kick and move around inside. Just make sure that the neck hole isn't too big that your little one's head could slip inside of the sleeping bag.
Make sure to look out for sleeping bags that have additional features such as poppers under the arms and on the shoulders, as this lets you adapt the bags size for your growing little one!
Finally, once you know the ambient room temperature, match to the tog chart above with both sleeping bag and under garments to find the perfect sleep match for your little one.
Happy napping!
With all this sleeping bag knowledge under your belt, you should be well and truly ready to pull together your summer sleepwear essentials. Here at Natural Baby Shower we stock a huge range of fantastic summer sleeping bags. Whether you'd prefer super soft organic cotton or naturally odour resistant merino wool, you're sure to find the perfect one for a great night's sleep.
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