How Do I Keep My Baby Warm at Night Without a Blanket?

It’s only natural for parents to have many questions about how to best care for their baby. Parenthood doesn’t come with an operator’s manual, and it seems that whoever you ask will have a different opinion or suggestion, and that’s to say you even asked for it. So how do you make sure that you are doing the right thing to keep your baby healthy and safe? Specifically, how do you keep your baby warm at night without a blanket?

We’ve all read horror stories of terrible things happening to infants that have been put to bed with a blanket or a toy or babies that go to sleep on their bellies or with the room too warm. And we want to avoid those horror stories happening to you. Thankfully, we believe we can help provide some safe guidance to you on how to keep your baby warm while also allowing that little bundle of joy to sleep through the night. Though we always recommend parents seek guidance from their child’s pediatrician, we believe that the advice we share here will be shared by medical professionals as well. After all, we all want what’s best for you and your lovable baby.

5 Tips to Keep Your Baby Warm at Night Without a Blanket

As you can see here, when it comes to your little bundle of joy, that bundle, or blanket, so to speak, isn’t always the safest option when it comes to nighttime. Specifically, when it comes to when can your baby have a blanket at night, the standard answer is not until age one. So, what do parents do before their baby turns one year of age?

1. Dress your baby adequately

Instead of overloading your baby with heavy clothes, we highly recommend that you dress your baby in seasonally appropriate layers. This method provides parents with an easy way to remove excess layers during diaper changes.

2. Pay attention to your baby’s room temperature.

Pay attention to your baby’s room temperature – One of the best ways to provide comfortable sleeping space for your baby is to keep the nursery’s temperature between 68° and 72°F (20° to 22.2°C). Most adults and babies find that a temperature within this range is comfortable, especially when appropriately dressed.

3. Keep the wind off your baby

Babies aren’t quite as good at regulating their body temperature as adults are. Though we might find it easy to fall asleep to a light breeze, this air movement can be unsettling for your baby. And even worse, even the light breeze from an indoor fan can create a chill. If you have correctly set the temperature for your baby’s room to somewhere between 68° and 72°F, then you should be able to close windows and doors. Further, make sure that your baby’s crib is several feet away from drafty windows, outside walls, and vents and fans.

4. Let your baby sleep on a firm mattress.

Your baby will sleep more comfortably and more safely when they are placed to sleep on a well-fitting waterproof mattress pad on top of a firm crib mattress. Soft mattresses are a smothering hazard and can also increase the chances of your baby developing an illness.

5. Keep baby’s head and hands covered.

Many parents and adults think it is cute how babies have such minimal control of their arms and legs during those early weeks. But, out-of-control hands and feet can be dangerous for your baby. Bare hands can result in scratches to your baby’s face and other parts of their body. And bare feet can cause a chill. Keep your young baby’s head covered by a soft baby cap. Lightweight mittens are perfect for keeping those tiny hands warm and the rest of your baby’s body free from unintentional scratches.

Always Check with Your Pediatrician if You Have Questions About Safe Sleeping for Your Baby

As we said before, and with any advice you receive tied to caring for your baby, it is essential that parents always seek guidance from their baby’s medical practitioner. At My Story Blankets, we put love into every stitch.

For this reason, we want your baby to enjoy one of our beautiful blankets once it is safe for them to do so. We want your baby to be healthy and happy and to sleep well too. We hope that our suggestions are helpful to you and provide a better night’s sleep for you and everyone in your household.