Leaving Babies in Just a Nappy During Hot Nights? A Warning for Parents

Nappy-only sleeping might seem like the obvious choice for a baby when temperatures soar, but parents are being warned that stripping their little one down completely may not always be the best approach.

Registered midwife Lily Foggan says babies still need appropriate sleepwear during hot weather, even when parents are understandably worried about overheating.

Getting a baby comfortable enough to sleep can be difficult at the best of times. Add a heatwave into the mix and bedtime can quickly become stressful, particularly when the bedroom still feels warm long after the sun has gone down.

A parent’s first instinct might be to remove as many layers as possible.

For some, that means putting their baby to bed wearing nothing except a nappy.

But according to Lily, that is one mistake parents should be careful about making.

The Lullaby Trust advises that a baby’s room should ideally be kept between 16°C and 20°C.

Keeping the sleeping environment within this range can help babies remain comfortable and is part of safer sleep guidance aimed at reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Of course, keeping a bedroom at that temperature is much easier said than done when the weather outside is extremely hot.

When the room starts getting warmer, parents can adjust what their baby wears rather than automatically removing everything except the nappy. Lighter clothing, fewer layers and a sleeping bag with a lower tog rating can all be considered depending on the room temperature.

“In hot weather, babies obviously need fewer layers than normal,” Lily explained.

She recommends lightweight sleepwear and lower-tog sleeping bags rather than loose blankets. Blankets can be kicked away during the night or potentially move toward a baby’s face.

The important thing is finding the right balance.

“However, a common mistake I see is parents leaving their baby in a nappy overnight, with nothing else, in fear of them getting too hot,” Lily said.

She pointed out that adults usually don’t sleep completely uncovered either.

“Remember, usually we’re sleeping with a duvet and pyjamas, so they will need something similar.”

That doesn’t mean babies should be wrapped up heavily on a hot night. Instead, parents should pay attention to the actual temperature of the room and choose sleepwear accordingly.

It can also be tempting to judge whether a baby is hot or cold by touching their hands or feet. Lily suggests checking somewhere else.

The baby’s chest or the back of their neck can give parents a better indication of how warm they actually are.

“Check their chest or the back of their neck for a more accurate indication of temperature, or can also check their temperature,” she explained.

A digital thermometer can be useful too, particularly for parents who are worried about disturbing a sleeping baby.

The advice comes as unusually high temperatures have made bedtime uncomfortable for families across the UK.

On Thursday, August 13, the UK provisionally recorded its hottest day of the year, with temperatures reaching 38.1°C at Kew Gardens in London, according to the Met Office.

With temperatures climbing that high outdoors, bedrooms can remain uncomfortable well into the evening.

There are a few simple things parents can do during the day to prevent a baby’s room from heating up too much.

The Lullaby Trust recommends closing curtains during the daytime, particularly when direct sunlight is hitting the windows. Blocking some of that sunlight can help prevent the room from becoming unnecessarily hot before bedtime arrives.

When it is safe, opening a window and leaving the bedroom door open can also encourage air to move through the room.

A fan may help with circulation as well. However, it shouldn’t be positioned so that it blows directly onto the baby.

What a baby wears should then be adjusted according to the room itself rather than simply how hot it feels outside.

If parents use a sleeping bag, they should check the manufacturer’s guidance to make sure the tog rating is suitable for the temperature.

And when you’re unsure, a room thermometer takes some of the guesswork out of the situation.

Hot summer nights are uncomfortable for adults, so it is understandable that parents worry about their babies becoming too warm. But putting a baby to sleep in only a nappy isn’t automatically the safest or most comfortable answer.

The better approach is to keep an eye on the nursery temperature, reduce layers when necessary and regularly check how warm the baby actually feels.

That way, parents aren’t simply guessing based on the weather outside. They’re responding to the conditions their baby is actually sleeping in.