Need Advice on Sleep Attire for Newborns

[kd_curry]

Hi--
I'm figuring you all will be able to give me some guidance...
My twin girls are scheduled to arrive (via C-section) in about 2 weeks; I continue to be perplexed about the best way to dress them at night for sleeping (or waking, as the case may be!).
We keep our upstairs around 70 degrees at night (tho' we could keep it cooler if necessary. The nursery is not drafty but neither is it over-warm or stuffy.
I don't want to put any blankets in the crib. So--is an undershirt/onesie and a cotton sleeper sufficient at that temperature? Do they need a blanket sleeper instead?
What do you think?
Obviously we'll have to see how comfortable they are w/ any given approach and adjust accordingly, but I'd love to know what any of you might suggest.
thanks in advance for any insights you can share!
Katherine

[twins r fun]

Our nursery temp was also usually between 70-72 and we dressed our twins as you said in a onesie and a terry cloth sleeper. In the very beginning we swaddled them also, but more for comfort than warmth. We did have some of the warmer fleecey type sleepers and I used those also, but thought the terry cloth was fine. I do remember their feet would be cold some mornings so I did start putting socks on underneath the sleeper. This year they sleep without the onesie or socks and just in those fleece pajamas and seem fine.

Nicole

[Momof3Labs]

I would highly recommend some of the knit layette gowns or fleece sleep sacks (Carter's makes the fleece ones, Kohls carries them for around $10-12). At the beginning we did a lot of late night diaper changes, and it was soooo much easier not having to put Colin's legs back in the legs of a sleeper or fumble with lots of snaps. Plus, a newborn's legs are so curled up that they tend to pull right out of the legs of sleepers.

In fact, we still use the fleece sleep sacks at 3 months old. Colin is pretty comfortable in them, it seems. He doesn't wake up too warm or too cold. My experience is that he doesn't like to be too bundled up - then he fusses and complains.

Good luck with your new baby girls!!

Lori & Colin 9/28/02

[parkersmama]

I vote for the gowns (elastic at the bottom) or sleep sacks, too. I haven't ever used a sleep sack but I used gowns with both my boys until they were about 6 mos. old (they outgrew them!). They are really a lot easier to change the diapers when you are already sleepy. Also, I found that my kids seemed to pull their feet up into the legs of the sleepers and then not be able to get them back into the feet which they found really frustrating. I know it goes against some of the current advice but once they got out of the swaddling stage, I often used a lightweight blanket (a receiving blanket from Gymboree for example) to cover them but never anything heavier than that.

I will pass on a good tip that I read somewhere...If you check your baby's feet and tummy: their temperature is just right if their feet are slightly cooler than their tummies, they are too hot if the feet and tummy are both warm, and too cold if the feet and tummy are both chilly. Using this guide seemed to really work great with my kids and helped me to know if I had them too bundled or not enough!

Congrats on your upcoming delivery! Best of luck!

Denise
mom to:
Parker, 9/1/1997
Wesley, 3/9/2000
and #3 (a girl!) due 4/29/2003

[Magda]

I second the vote for sleep sacks and gowns. We used gowns during the summer/ early fall, and sleep sacks ever since. DS is 6 mo. ols and we'll continue to use them umtil he doesn't fit any more.

[cchavez]

I hope you don't mind me asking but our baby is due at the very end of April. We live in Texas so do I need to use a gown or sleep sack for my baby? Should the sack be cotton or fleece? Also, would I but a t-shirt underneath the gown for extra warmth? Thanks.

[kd_curry]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the input and sensible advice from everyone! A big big help.
Katherine

[Momof3Labs]

Christine,

How cold does it get in your part of Texas at that time of year? If it is fairly warm (70's and up), then the thin knit layette gowns (Carter's makes these, too) will probably be enough. If it is cool (i.e. you have the heat on at night), then you might want the fleece ones for a short while. But newborns can be (and love to be) swaddled, so maybe just buy the thin knit ones and swaddle until it is too warm to do so... You could put a t-shirt underneath, but I'd just recommend swaddling.

Lori & Colin 9/28/02

[sweetbasil]

Christine,
I'm in Houston, and with baby #1, did Carter's sleepsacs (fave for the same ease of re-dressing as mentioned above) & terrycloth pjs, and DS stayed nice and snuggly. He was always tightly swaddled in fleece or thermal receiving blankets during the winter, too (when he was first born), and that seemed to work really well for us. Good luck! Where in TX are you?

[cchavez]

I am in a suburb of N. Dallas. (Allen,TX) just about 1 mile north of Plano. The baby should be here at the very end of April/early MAy. So it will be quite warm. We will be keeping the nursery at around 68-70 but our all of our bedrooms are upstairs so it can get warm up there. We are definately going to put a ceiling fan in the nursery. Anyway, I guess when the baby is born it will already be getting into the upper 80's/low 90's.

I do already have a few cotton gown. I guess, I will do that and swaddle. My question is (remember 1st time Mom) swaddling in a blanket won't cause SIDS??? I have heard that blankets can cause SIDS but if the baby is wrapped so tightly is that not a problem? How long should I swaddle? A few wks a month? Then after that I guess a gown w/a t-shirt underneath should be ok???

Finally, I have seen the Carter's gowns and Halo sleepsacs....but where do I find the Carter's sleepsacs?

Thanks so much!

[Momof3Labs]

Christine,

Swaddling is tight wrapping, and the baby can't get out of it, so it is not a SIDS risk (loose blankets are the problem). That said, you don't want to keep the baby too warm because that does slightly increase the risk of SIDS (and makes for an uncomfortable, fussy baby). I've heard of people who still swaddle their 6-month old babies, so you can do it as long as it works for you. Use a lightweight blanket, and maybe only put a t-shirt and diaper underneath - if the baby's room is warm, that might be all that he/she needs.

I have found the Carter's sleepsacks at Kohl's and Carter's outlets, but I don't think that you need them - it will be too warm for them until the winter time, and by then your baby may be too big for them (Colin is only 14lbs but close to outgrowing them in length already - and they say that they are good to 21 lbs).

Hope this helps!

Lori & Colin 9/28/02