How should we dress a child for sleep in a 21 degree room

21 degrees is one of the most common night time settings. In a family, everyone’s temperature comfort can differ. It is common for one parent to feel they are roasting, while the other shivers under a blanket. Reaching a shared setting can be hard, because needs and sensations vary.

Just like adults, children also differ in how warm or cool they feel and in how their bodies regulate temperature. Since little ones cannot yet tell us, we check by touch: slip a hand under the neckline to the back of the neck or upper back to see if the skin feels sweaty or cool.

With different needs at home, families usually reach a compromise that suits everyone. This is often around 21 degrees, which can also make sense from a cost point of view. Below you will find general clothing tips for this room temperature, plus LiaaBébé ideas.

Dressing for sleep depends on age 

It is worth separating the needs of newborns and premature babies, infants, and older children.

Dressing newborns and premature babies at 21 degrees 

In the first weeks, a newborn needs warmer clothing, which means one light extra layer compared with a baby a few months old. At this stage, their bodies cannot yet balance external temperature effects well. We need to pay close attention, because they can chill more easily, but can also overheat. For premature babies, this period may last longer, so ask your paediatrician for personalised advice.

Dressing infants for sleep at 21 degrees 

Choose a short sleeve or long sleeve bodysuit, add a sleepsuit, and then a 1.5 TOG sleeping bag or toddler sleeping bag.
If you use a 2.5 TOG sleeping bag, a bodysuit alone underneath may be enough.

What about older children 

Consider whether your child can use a blanket independently. If they kick off a blanket at night and cannot pull it back on, a sleeping bag or toddler sleeping bag is ideal so they do not get cold.

If they can cover and uncover themselves on their own and so regulate their temperature with the blanket, dress them in a two piece pyjama with a vest or a short or long sleeve top underneath, depending on how cold sensitive they are.

Parents often start using pyjamas earlier simply because dressing feels easier, or because the child prefers it. You can still use a sleeping bag over pyjamas if your child cannot yet manage a blanket alone.

We recommend sleeping bags, for several reasons 

Because little ones cannot manage blankets for a time, a sleeping bag is a very useful addition.
It also helps parents sleep better: no need to wake every hour to cover the child. What seems like a temporary phase can create sleep problems if we keep waking at every sound to check the blanket. If this becomes a pattern, getting back to deeper sleep is harder.

A quick word on TOG for sleeping bags 

TOG is a unit that indicates the insulating warmth of the fabric used. It shows how well the product keeps the body warm. The higher the TOG, the warmer the sleeping bag or bedding.

Do not decide by season. Always consider the average room temperature:

• 0.5 TOG: 22 to 25°C (summer)

• 1.5 TOG: 20 to 23°C (spring, autumn)

• 2.5 TOG: 18 to 21°C (winter)

How do we establish the bedroom’s steady temperature 

Never by measuring in another room. Temperatures vary across a home and we often do not notice because we are moving about. A small baby who is lying still and cannot regulate temperature well will feel the difference.

Measure by the cot with the window closed. In general, it is best not to open the nursery window, or only in a way that incoming air does not blow directly on the child.

Did you know body temperature changes at night 

It does for adults and for babies older than about 3 months. It follows a rhythm. At bedtime the body cools, and by morning it warms. You may have noticed waking warmer in the morning.
So check your child’s neck and back in the morning too, as described earlier.

Why LiaaBébé recommends bamboo babywear for sleeping at 21 degrees 

Because bamboo fibre garments are highly absorbent, temperature regulating and extra stretchy, and they come in vibrant colours and patterns children love.

If temperature regulation in clothing sounds abstract, here is the idea in brief: bamboo fibre warms in winter and cools in summer. It helps balance temperature, reducing the chance of sweating, rashes, goosebumps or mottled skin. This supports refreshing sleep.

What colours and prints would your child choose if they could pick their own outfit?

We stepped away from pale, beige pastels and chose distinctive, bright colours to catch their eye. Think tiger stripes, dino dots, stars, flowers and sharks.

Why do children love stretchy fabrics?

Because dressing is quick and easy, sparing them and us from tight outfits where little hands are hard to thread through. When dressing is cheerful, it benefits the whole family.

It also means free movement: turning during sleep, moving during crawling, with no legs getting caught.

Why do we as parents love bamboo fibre babywear?

Beyond the benefits above, we find these pieces are so stretchy they grow with baby for a good while. They are hard wearing, so we buy less often.

Sources:

NHS — Baby safer sleep advice

The Lullaby Trust — Your baby’s room temperature