Dressing your baby for sleep

Learn about overheating, children's sleepwear and sleep sacks.

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Overheating

Keep your baby warm, not hot. If the room temperature is comfortable for you, it will be comfortable for your baby too. Sleepwear needs to be appropriate for the temperature of the room so that babies are comfortable but don't overheat. Overheating is a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

It's not safe to let babies sleep in their outerwear. Remove your baby's snowsuit, raincoat, jacket or other type of outwear once indoors. This will reduce the risk of your baby overheating or suffocating.

Babies do not need hats when they're indoors. A hat can make them too hot.

Safety tips for children's sleepwear

Babies are safest in simple, fitted sleepwear, like a sleeper. Daywear is not designed with sleep safety in mind. Clothing that your baby wears during the day often has hoods, straps and other parts that can become dangerous when a child is asleep and unsupervised.

Help your baby sleep safely and snugly by following these safety tips:

Health Canada has flammability requirements for children's sleepwear. For more information on types of sleepwear and how flammability requirements help to protect your baby, please visit our web page on children's sleepwear.

Sleep sacks

Many parents and caregivers use sleep sacks for their baby. Many parents and caregivers use sleep sacks for their baby. If you use a sleep sack, you don't need a blanket.

If you use a sleep sack, follow these tips:

There's no research to support the use of swaddle sleep sacks. If you choose to use one for your baby, be sure to follow these safe swaddling techniques:

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