What Does Your Toddler Wear at Night

Updated on May 12, 2013
H.L. asks from Washington, DC
10 answers

I have a 2 year-old who lately (for days that are daytime high 68ish and overnight low 55ish) has been wearing a cotton sleeveless sleepsack w/ a heavy long sleeve shirt underneath. During the day, we use the A/C to maintain a 72 degree temp. We don't use the heat or A/C at night lately as it leads to him coughing, but the room maintains a 71-72 temp. He goes to bed warm and stays warm 'til about midnight (he sweats easily so we don't put him in more), but then around midnight, his cheeks start to get cold and yesterday morning his feet were cold. I read that the new medical thinking now is even if his chest, back of neck, and abdomen are warm that if hands, cheeks and/or feet are cold they are considered to be in "cold stress". I put a light blanket on him before I go to bed at 11pm, but then I'll wake up (like now at 4am) and be so sad to see he accidentally kicked them off. I just to put it back on, but his face was cold. Not sure about his feet bc he's in the sleepsack. What do you guys dress your little ones in at night lately? Thanks!

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K.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

My daughter (2.5) wears footed sleepers. Most nights she wears fleece ones, but on really warm nights she wears cotton ones. On really cold nights (which are rare in SoCal), we'll put a short sleeved onesie underneath and/or socks. She doesn't have any blankets in her crib.

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H.L.

answers from Houston on

My 2yo is a hot box who likes to kick off the covers. I dress him in long-/short-sleeve onesie or pajamas or T-shirt, depending on the temp. Then, I turn on the fan and place a pillow at his side so that the air doesn't hit him directly. He hates to have his feet covered, so I have to put him in pajamas if it's too cool. The winter is kinda hard because I have to balance keeping him warm with keeping him from sweating. If I touch him and feel cool--not cold--skin, then he's good. If I feel/see chill bumps, I cover him with his linen blanket, keeping his feet uncovered.

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L.D.

answers from Washington DC on

My son usually sleeps in a one piece pajama. When it is cold, I put him in a thick one, and when it warms up, I switch him to cotton. He always sleeps with an undershirt. Carters and Macys sell one piece pajamas for 24 month olds and Ive seen them for even older kids. My son does not sleep with a blanket, and a sleep sack would never work for him. It is amazing how much they move around when they sleep. I will put him to bed on one side of the crib, two hours later hell be sideways in the middle, and later hell be backwards facing the other way! These little guys are notorious for this, and he never wakes up when he is doing it! In the morning, he hangs out in my bed sometimes and Ill place a blanket over him and he immediately kicks it off, so I havent bothered to put one in his crib (with all that movement, he might get wrapped up in it anyway..). You may want to consider removing the sleep sack for a couple of days, just to see how your son reacts. Put him in a warm onesie, or warm two piece pajamas with socks (I put the socks over his pants sometimes so he doesnt kick them off at night) and just lay him in the crib without a blanket or sleep sack. It might work! Good luck.

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K.H.

answers from Naples on

My 16 month old usually wears footie pjs or long sleeve and pants pjs. She sleeps in a crib without a blanket usually and fan on low. My 4 yr old sleeps in whatever she wants. She loves footie but will sleep in a nightgown too but she sleeps in a queen bed with blankets and covers. Also with a fan on. That's how it is year round at our house. We live in fl though.

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R.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Yes, the weather here has been crazy! My kids have hated having their feet covered from day one! They walk in the door and shoes and socks get dumped immediately so footie pjs or sleep sacks were not in the cards. They all slept in (or still sleep in) Hannah Anderson two piece 100% cotton jammies - short in summer, long in winter and a mix when the weather's like this (long sleeves, short bottoms or other way around. They were all active sleepers when little, but figured out covering themselves back up when they were cold when they were pretty young - or how to climb out of the crib and crawl in bed with mom and dad.

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L.L.

answers from Rochester on

First, even in the winter, I don't keep my house at 72 degrees. 70 max. During the summer, we like it a bit cooler...in the upper sixties. If your house stays at 71-72 degrees, you really don't have to worry that your little one is "too cold." If anything, he might be too warm.

My kids wear pajamas. Can't imagine putting a toddler in a sleep sack. Mine wears standard PJ's...long in winter, short in summer.

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M.H.

answers from Chicago on

My kids never did the sleep sak thing. The room temp seems warm.. I put my almost 2 year old in a blanket sleeper or other PJs depending on the room temp..

I have gone to check on her before I go to bed and she has removed her jammies and is laying there in just the diaper.. Sometimes she wakes up cold sometimes she sleeps on through.

I belive that if they are too hot or too cold they will wake up and let you know. I have had to strip her in the middle of the night and I have had to add warmth .. it just depends.

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P.K.

answers from New York on

Isn't he a little old for a sleep sack. Put him in a blanket sleeper if you are afraid of him being cold and put a good blanket in with him. I have yet to figure out the purpose of a sleeveless sleep sack. Blanket sleepers have arms, legs and feet. In the dead of winter I would put on pjs and a blanket sleeper. If he was cold he would be waking up. 72 seems too warm to sleep. A cooler room is so much healthier.

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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

My kids sleep in a teeshirt most nights, and our house gets down to 54 degrees at night, the downstairs (where the bedrooms are) is really closer to 50. Its never been an issue.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

Most of the time, my DD wore/wears pjs. In toddlerhood, she wore sleepers with feet and a tshirt under because she'd unzip it and get cold. Have you considered socks? Maybe that would be just enough to keep him warm. 71 should be a fine temp at night.

Tonight I am putting DD in fleecy jammies since it's supposed to frost. (What happened to MAY??). She may kick off her blankets, but she'll be OK in her jammies.

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