After the birth of my first child, I was always concerned about whether he was warm enough at night. It’s not like he could sit up and tell me that he was chilly, so I had to use the few clues available (the temperature of his skin, mostly) to make a determination.

We know that it’s not safe to use blankets and bedding in a newborn’s crib because they increase the chance of our children succumbing to SIDS. So we have to take some other precautions to make sure our children are nice and warm.

Set the temperature right

A baby is most comfortable in room maintained at about 70 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit (in fact, most people would agree that’s the ideal temperature). If you don’t have a thermostat for your baby’s sleeping room, measure it with a standard thermometer.

If you use a space heater in the room, make sure it’s fireproof and positioned at least four feet away from the crib.

Position the crib properly

You don’t want the crib right against the heater, nor do you want it next to a window. The temperature will spike in either of these places. Place it near the center of the room where the temperature is normalized. Also, keep it out of the direct path of vents of fans.

Dress baby comfortably

Babies are comfortable wearing the same amount of clothing we do, plus one layer. So if you’re sleeping in a T-shirt and pajama bottoms, your baby should wear the same plus a onesie.

Swaddle a newborn

If your little one is still tiny, you’ll want to swaddle them with a blanket so they keep all of their body heat. A swaddle also helps them resist the startle reflex so they don’t wake themselves up, and makes them feel safe and secure.

How to tell your baby is too warm

Overheating is a serious concern as well. It’s one of the contributing factors linked to SIDS. You can tell your baby is too hot if her skin is blotchy and red. If she’s damp and sweating, she is definitely too hot. Even if it’s winter time, make sure your baby never overheats.

Guest Blog by Lisa Youngelson, Owner of Zippyz

Like most new moms, Lisa had been up night after night changing her newborn son's diaper. She was so exhausted she could barely function, let alone match up the tiny snaps on her baby's pajamas.

Frustrated by endless mis-snapping and re-snapping, Lisa found zippered pajamas, and thought her problems had been solved. That night when she unzipped her son's pajamas, he started to cry from the shock of cold air. Although less time consuming, Lisa hated that she had to expose her baby's entire body with the zipper. She felt her baby's comfort should come first and yearned for the perfect footed pajama, which was both soft and cozy for her baby and hassle-free for mommy.

One night while feeding her son she thought of "Zippyz." Zippyz are patented footed baby pajamas for easy and fast diaper changes with 3 snaps on the chest and a zipper from foot to belly. Finally, a solution suitable for baby AND mommy! Plus Zippyz are a unique baby shower gift! Along with her best friend and business partner Erica, Lisa decided make the diaper changing world a better place for all new parents!

For more information, visit www.shopzippyz.com.

Interested in writing a guest blog for Baby Elephant Ears? Send your topic idea to pr@babyelephantears.com.

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