What Temperature Should My Baby’s Room Be?

How choosing the right room temperature helps keep your baby safe at night!

All new parents are anxious about their new bubs, especially at night when they are sleeping. Make sure you know the ways to avoid Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or cot death, a thankfully rare condition, so that you can relax while your baby sleeps.

What Is Cot Death?

A spokesperson from The Lullaby Trust, the organisation that offers help and advice to families bereaved by SIDS, says: “The sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of a child, with no determinable cause, is called Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). There are ways that parents can help prevent this tragedy happening, because while it’s rare, it can happen.”

Why Does It Happen?

The causes of SIDS are not fully understood. Some factors seem to be:

baby is too warm
passive smoking
exposure to chemicals.

Why Is My Baby’s Room Temperature Crucial?

The Lullaby Trust recommends an ideal room temperature of between 16-20⁰C.

This applies to the rooms where your bubs sleeps, so to your bedroom (where you should have your baby for their first six months) as well as other places in the house where your bubs might nap – for example, in a crib in the lounge, or in the nursery during the day.

What Temperature Should My Baby’s Room Be?

How Can I Check My Baby Is The Right Temperature?

Always feel the back of your baby’s neck – it should feel the same as your own body temperature. Avoid feeling a hand or foot, which may be much colder. If your bubs feels warmer than you and a bit clammy, remove a layer of bedding.

A Note on Bedding

Remember that you can adjust your baby’s bedding as the room gets warmer in summer, colder in winter. Here are the ideal bedding needs for the temperature.

Room Temperature	Clothing	Bedding	Sleeping Bag
Under 16⁰ – too cold, make the room warner	Vest, babygrow	2 blankets plus an extra that can be removed as the room gets warmer	Long-sleeve vest plus 2.5 TOG bag
16 - 20⁰	Vest, babygrow	16⁰ – 2 blankets 20⁰ – 1 blanket	2.5 TOG 1 TOG
20 – 24⁰ (quite warm)	Babygrow	1 blanket	0.5 or 1 TOG
Over 24⁰ (too hot, cool the room)	Vest	1 sheet	none

A baby sleeping bag is great in place of traditional sheets and blankets, as you know exactly how warm it is. The best ones have a TOG rating (avoid the ones that don’t) so you know exactly how warm it is and you also have peace of mind that your bubs won’t be wriggling under covers, which overheats them, or out from under them, which leaves them too cold.

Safety Notes

Make sure your baby sleeps at the bottom of the cot in the “Feet To Foot” position.
Never put a hat on your baby when sleeping indoors
Never use a duvet or pillow

Further Reading:

What Should My Baby Wear In Bed?
Ten of the Best Baby Sleeping Bags
How To Keep Your Baby's Room Cool When It's Hot Outside

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