Baby sleeping bags Tog guide is essential to keep your baby snug and comfortable without being too cold or too warm. That’s why the Tog rating exists; to easily guide you in picking the most suitable warmth level for your child’s sleeping bag.
Choosing a Tog rating may seem tricky, but once you get to the swings of things, it’s actually pretty simple. Let’s now look at all you need to know about choosing baby sleeping bags Tog guide in the UK.
What is a Tog Rating?
Stands for Thermal Overall Grade, Tog rating measures how warm the sleeping bag will be for your baby. Tog rating varies between 0.5 Tog to 3.5 Tog, although you may also find a 0.2 Tog sleeping bag for a really hot temperature. Always keep in mind that the higher the number, the warmer it will be.
Why does Tog rating matter? And What is the danger of overheating?
The reason why the Tog rating exists is to guide parents in choosing the right temperature for their babies. If your baby is too warm, your baby may overheat, and if the Tog rating is too low, your baby may feel cold and uncomfortable, which can also disrupt their sleep.
An overheated baby can be dangerous. According to the NHS, overheating can lead to the risk of SIDS in babies and other conditions such as heat rash, heat stroke and dehydration.
Baby Sleeping Bags Tog Rating Guide
Here’s a Tog rating guideline for baby sleeping bags in the UK:
- 0.5 Tog rating: Commonly the lowest rating, it’s usually a lightweight fabric suitable for use in warm weather or in rooms with temperatures above 24C. It’s best for summer use or for babies who tend to overheat.
- 1.0 Tog rating: Suitable for warmer weather, a 1.0 Tog sleep bag is best for use in the spring or fall. Keep in mind that when the weather starts heating up, it’s when you need a sleeping bag under a 0.1 Tog rating.
- 2.5 Tog rating: This is a heavyweight rating and is suitable for use in colder weather or in rooms with temperatures between 16-20C. It’s best for use in the winter or for babies who get cold easily.
- 3.5 Tog rating: This is the warmest Tog rating available for a sleeping bag and is suitable for use in very cold weather like winter season or in rooms with temperatures below 16C. It’s best for use in extreme winter conditions.
What Should a Baby Wear Under a Sleeping Bag?
To ensure a baby’s comfort, it’s recommended to dress them appropriately under a sleeping bag. But that should depend on the season and your baby’s room temperature.
Most experts recommend dressing your child in light nightwear or pyjamas under a lightweight sleeping bag during spring and summer and wearing a thicker lightweight and a trouser under a heavier sleeping bag for colder seasons. That, however, also depends on the comfort level of each baby.
Keep in mind to always dress your baby in more than one layer, while also ensuring they’re not overheating.
What Is The Ideal Room Temperature For A Baby?
The NHS says a baby’s room temperature should be between 16C and 20C. This is because babies don’t always need hot rooms, and heating them all night is usually unnecessary. The Sleep Foundation also doesn’t suggest setting a specific temperature range for your child’s bedroom. Instead, they suggest appropriately dressing your baby for ambient temperature.
Aside from that, your baby’s optimal temperature will also depend on where you live. Some babies may be used to colder weather, while others may be able to handle a warmer temperature. Experts say that kids can also be hurt by strong air conditioning in the summer or too much heat in the winter.
How To Keep Your Baby From Overheating In Summer?
As the summer season can be really hot, and it seems to be getting hotter each year, dressing your baby to sleep can be a tricky matter.
You don’t want your baby to overheat, as that can increase the risk of SIDS, according to the Lullaby Trust. And most of the time babies don’t really wake up and cry when they’re feeling too hot.
Hilary Sleep recommends that it’s essential to dress your little one as lightly as possible during summer and ensure that all her sleeping products are highly breathable. You may also need to remove any waterproof cover as it’s not really breathable. Always ensure the room has good air circulation; it’s also recommended to use a fan in a low-speed mode, but keep it away from your baby.
How to know if a baby is too cold or too hot?
While some babies will cry when they’re too cold or too hot, some just don’t wake up. In addition to using a thermometer, an easy way to check your baby is by feeling his belly and neck and seeing if it’s sweaty or overly cold. Most parents would just check their baby’s hands and legs, but it’s not the accurate way because it doesn’t reflect your baby’s real temperature.
