What should baby wear to sleep at under 16°C (under 61°F)?

What to dress your baby in to sleep at under 16°C

A nursery under 16°C is common in older homes on winter nights, or when the heating goes off overnight. NHS advice is that a room of 16–20°C is comfortable and safe for sleeping babies, so the first step is to warm the room a little if you can, for example by leaving the heating on low overnight.

If the room stays cool, build warmth with clothing and a sleeping bag rather than bedding. The NHS says that if your baby seems cold in a sleeping bag, you should add an extra layer of clothing, not extra blankets.

Below 16°C, warm the room if you can. If you cannot, use a vest and a long-sleeved sleepsuit under a warm sleeping bag (around 2.5 to 3.5 TOG), never loose blankets.

• Nappy
• Long-sleeved cotton vest
• Long-sleeved sleepsuit with feet
• Warm sleeping bag, 2.5 TOG or the maker's winter rating (often 3.5 TOG)
• No hat, no duvet and no loose blankets

Safe sleep at under 16°C

Keep a room thermometer near the cot so you know the real temperature at bedtime and in the early hours, when homes are coldest. If the heating comes on later, check your baby again, as a sleeping bag that suited 14°C can be too warm at 19°C.

• 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 under 16°C?

TOG measures how warm a sleeping bag is: the higher the number, the warmer. Many makers list 2.5 TOG for about 16–20°C and a warmer bag, often 3.5 TOG, for colder rooms. Ratings vary, so follow your maker's guidance for the room temperature, as the NHS suggests.

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.

In a cool room, cold hands are common even when the body is warm. Feel the chest or the back of the neck under the sleeping bag. If it feels cool, add a layer of clothing, as the NHS suggests, or move to a warmer bag within the maker's range.

Newborns and premature babies in a cold room

Young babies struggle to keep their body temperature steady (NHS), so in a cool room check a newborn more often in the first weeks. Use a sleeping bag sized for their weight or age, as the label states, so it fits closely.

If your baby was born prematurely, the NHS advises following safer sleep advice for a year from their due date. Talk to your health visitor about keeping a premature or low birthweight baby warm at home.

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.