Wednesday 14 March 2012

Kitting out your Nursery - Bedding

Bedding

You will need the bed sheets for the cot and the Moses basket, make sure you get plenty as your baby can wee, poo, or sick-up at a moments notice. In fact its not unknown to replace the sheet only for it to need changing an hour later!
You will also need some blankets, a lot of people favour the crocheted type of blanket as they are more breathable and will help to prevent your baby from overheating. It is not recommended that you use a duvet or pillows until your baby is at least 12 months old.



Pyjamas/Sleepsuits

It is very important during the first few months that your baby has the right amount of clothing/blankets for the temperature of the room. This is because babies are not very good at regulating their temperature. Below is a useful guide as to how many blankets to use.


Sleeping Bags

Many parent use sleeping bags, as they cant be kicked off, meaning your baby wont wake in the middle of the night because they are cold. Make sure you buy the right size for your child so that they cant slip down into the bag and overheat. Although you can get sleeping bags for small babies most parents do not start using them until their little one is a few months old.




Room temperature
Amount of bedding
Tog rating for sleeping bags
24 degrees C / 75 degrees F or more
Sheet only
0.5 tog
21 degrees C / 70 degrees F
Sheet plus one blanket, or a 1 tog sleeping bag
1 tog
18 degrees C / 65 degrees F
Sheet plus two layers of blanket, or a 2.5 tog sleeping bag
2.5 tog
16 degrees C / 60 degrees F
Sheet plus three layers of blanket, or a 2.5 tog sleeping bag plus a blanket
2.5 tog plus one blanket





The FSID has the following important guidlines

Babies who get too hot are at an increased risk of cot death. They can get too hot because the room is too hot or because they have too much bedding or clothing. The ideal room temperature is 16-20ºC.

Follow the guidelines below and buy our simple room thermometer to help you protect your baby.

  1. Babies do not need hot rooms, all night heating is rarely necessary. Keep the room at a temperature between 16-20ºC.  18ºC (65ºF) is just right.
  2. Adults find it difficult to judge the temperature in the room, so use a room thermometer in the rooms where your baby sleeps and plays. A  simple room thermometer is available from FSID. 
  3. When you check your baby, if they are sweating or their tummy feels hot to the touch, take off some of the bedding. Don't worry if their hands or feet feel cool, this is normal.
  4. Use lightweight blankets or a baby sleeping bag. If your baby feels too warm, reduce the number of layers or use a lower tog baby sleeping bag. In warm summer weather, your baby may not need any bedclothes at all. Do not use a duvet, quilt or pillow for babies under 12 months.
  5. Even in winter, babies who are unwell and feverish need fewer clothes and bedclothes.
  6. Babies need to lose excess heat from their heads. Make sure their head cannot be covered by the bedclothes by sleeping them 'feet to foot' (with their feet to the foot of the cot) so they don't wriggle down under the covers.
  7. Babies should never sleep with a hot water bottle or electric blanket, or next to a radiator, heater or fire, or in direct sunshine.
  8. When it's warm, you can cool the room where your baby sleeps by closing the curtains and opening the windows during the day.  Offer your baby plenty to drink, and in very hot weather, sponge them down regularly with tepid water.  Use a fan but do not place it directly onto your baby.
  9. Remove hats and extra clothing as soon as you come indoors or enter a warm bus, train or shop, even if it means waking your baby.
  10. A car can become very hot in the summer. Avoid direct sunlight on your baby.  In winter, keep the heating low, and remove your baby's outdoor clothing.  A thermometer may be helpful.

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