What should baby wear to sleep at 27°C+ (81°F+)?

What to dress your baby in to sleep at 27°C+

A bedroom of 27°C or more happens in heatwaves, often in top-floor rooms. It is far above the NHS ideal of about 16–20°C for baby sleep. Overheating can increase the risk of SIDS (NHS), so the aim is as little as possible on your baby and as much cooling as you can manage in the room.

If you have a 0.2 TOG sleeping bag, keep it for the early hours in case the room cools down. If you use a sheet, the NHS advises making sure it is secure enough that it cannot cover your baby's face.

In a 28°C room, a short-sleeved vest on its own, or under a 0.2 TOG sleeping bag, is usually enough. On the hottest nights a vest or just a nappy is fine.

• Nappy
• Short-sleeved cotton vest, or no vest on the very hottest nights
• A 0.2 TOG sleeping bag only if the room cools in the early hours
• No hat, no socks, no blankets

Safe sleep at 27°C+

Close blinds or curtains during the day, open windows when the air outside is cooler, and use a fan to move air without aiming it directly at your baby (NHS). If another room is cooler, such as a downstairs room, your baby's cot or Moses basket can go there, as long as you share that room with them for the first 6 months.

• Put your baby on their back for every sleep, with their feet at the foot of the cot.
• Use a firm, flat mattress, with no pillows, bumpers, pods, nests or soft toys.
• No loose blankets or duvets. A well-fitting baby sleeping bag is the simplest option.
• No hat or head covering indoors, and nothing that could cover their face.
• Never use a weighted sleeping bag, weighted swaddle or weighted blanket.
• For at least the first 6 months, keep the cot in your room, for naps as well as nights.

Which TOG sleeping bag for 27°C+?

Sleeping bag charts usually stop at about 27°C or list only 0.2 TOG, so above that a vest or a nappy alone is usually best.

These TOG ratings are TinyLayers starting points, not NHS or AAP rules. Your sleeping bag maker's chart and your baby's own temperature come first.

How to check your baby is not too hot or cold at night

Feel the back of your baby's neck, their chest or their tummy. Warm and dry means they are dressed right. Sweaty or hot means take off a layer of clothing or bedding. Cool hands and feet on their own are normal, so do not add layers just because fingers or toes feel cold.

Check your baby when you go to bed and at every waking. Sweating or a hot tummy means take the vest off and cool the room.

If your baby seems unwell on a hot night

Babies and young children can become ill in very hot weather (NHS). If your baby seems unwell, move them somewhere cooler, take their clothes off down to a nappy and offer a feed. Our 27–30°C guide lists the heatstroke signs that need 999.

If your baby was born prematurely, the NHS advises following safer sleep advice for a year from their due date, so take extra care to keep their room cool and their layers light.

This is general dressing guidance, not medical advice. If you are worried your baby is unwell, call NHS 111 or your GP. In an emergency, call 999 or your local emergency number.