Sleep Sack TOG:
SLEEP: it's what every parent wants, but cannot seem to get enough of!
Anxiety and questions of whether your baby is too hot or too cold, or comfortable enough, can keep any parent up. We all want what is best for our babies to get a good night's sleep, but with everything that must be considered such as household temperatures, sheets used, which pajamas put on, it is hard to pinpoint exactly what IS best for your baby.
Thankfully there is a way to solve the issues of baby’s warmth, through the knowledge of TOG. Interestingly TOG was invented to improve the safety of sleep sacks and swaddles for babies! So whether this is a term you have heard of or not, either way, let’s delve into what this term means.
TOG is short for Thermal Overall Grade. TOG is a unit of heat measurement on a scale of 0-3.5 which measures the thermal effectiveness of a fabric. The fabric is given a TOG rating based on the thickness of, and the type, of material. The higher the TOG rating, the warmer the fabric will be.
You may think, “this fabric looks cozy and feels warm,” but just touching the fabric will not always tell you how warm the fabric will be, and therefore if it is appropriate for your baby to wear.
What you need to know is its TOG rating! This will tell you if it is the right thing for your baby to wear at night. Consider the fabric, if it's a thick fabric, but breathable it will have a lower rating than a fabric that is thick and non-breathable. The TOG rating can be found on most tags or packaging so you should not have to search hard or do vigorous research to find out a sleep sack, or swaddle’s, TOG rating.
Now you have a base definition of what TOG is. But you also need to understand why it is important to pay attention to TOG ratings. You want your babies to be comfortable when they sleep. If they are comfortable they are more likely to sleep longer, so, by default, the parents with sleep longer. This is what you want, so how does understanding TOG get you there? Well if you understand what these ratings mean, you can know how to appropriately dress your baby to help them sleep.
One important point to consider when choosing the best attire for bedtime is knowing the ambient temperature of the room. Knowing this can help you better pick out the appropriate TOG rating for your baby’s sleep sack. Of course the weather outside can impact the temperature of your baby’s room so pay attention to that as well because that can change the temperature in their nursery and therefore what you put your baby in.
- Rooms 75°-80+° F, the TOG rating for a sleep sack would be around 0.2.
- Rooms 68°-75° F, the TOG rating for a sleep sack would be around 1.0.
- Rooms 61°-68° F would need a warmer rated sleep sack of around 2.5.
- Rooms less than 61° F, baby would need a sleep sack with a 3-3.5.
*Ideally your baby’s room should be kept between 68° and 72° F, which means you should look for a 0.4- 1.0 rated sleep bag.
A couple of examples can help further your understanding of what to put your baby in based on the ambient room temperature.
- Example 1: Baby’s room is 75° F. Based on the figures above, you should put your baby in a sleep sack with a TOG rating between 0.2 and 0.5. Underneath the sleep sack baby can wear a short sleeve onesie or perhaps even just a diaper. This arrangement will keep your baby sleeping comfortably.
- Example 2: Baby’s room is a crisp 63° F. With the temperature being on the chillier end, you should aim for a 2.5-3.5 rated sleep sack. In addition to this, your baby can wear a long sleeve onesie or footed pajamas.
With both examples, you first use the ambient room temperature to determine the correct TOG rated sleep sack you should use, and then layer with the proper pajamas.
It is also important to remember though when dressing your baby for the night to always check for signs that your baby is too hot or too cold.
Overheating is very dangerous for anyone, but especially for a little baby. On a chilly night you might be tempted to pile on the layers of clothing on the baby, but you have to be careful otherwise your baby might get too hot. You know if a baby is too hot if:
- your baby has flushed cheeks
- your baby is sweating
- their heart rate and breathing are rapid
*If your baby exhibits any of these signs they are too hot.
Keep in mind that you do not need to dress the baby in more than one extra layer than what we’d dress ourselves in for the night. So if you feel comfortable in shorts and a tank top, then your baby will probably be ok if they wear a short sleeve onesie with a sleep sack.
On the other hand, no one sleeps comfortably if they are too cold. If your baby’s neck, chest or tummy feel cold to the touch then they are likely too cold. Do not base your assessment of your baby’s warmth on the hands or feet as the extremities tend to feel colder than the rest of the body. In this instance, you will need to make sure your baby has on footed pajamas as well as a 2.5+ TOG rated sleep sack.
Since a baby cannot regulate its own temperature, it is your job as a parent to make sure they are comfortably clothed for bedtime. Using a sleep sack is a great way to keep your baby’s temperature regulated. They allow you to keep the baby’s temperature more consistent.
Sleep sacks also have other benefits:
- When consistently using a sleep sack, it can become a sleep cue for your baby and your baby will recognize that being zipped up means it is time for sleep.
- A sleep sack also gives your baby the freedom to move around. This is especially important once your baby can roll onto their stomach. Many sleep sacks can be used as a transition swaddle once the baby is rolling onto their stomach. By giving your baby the freedom to move as well as regulating your baby’s temperature, using a sleep sack helps prevent SIDS.
- In addition, using a sleep sack keeps your baby safe by taking away bulky blankets or other hazardous items in the bed to keep your baby warm. Sleep sacks with the correct TOG rating are perfect for helping keep your baby safe.
Oilo has many adorable wearable blankets nursery designs to choose from. Our sleep sacks are made from a double layer of soft 100% Turkish cotton knit jersey.
This is a breathable, yet cozy, fabric giving these wearable blankets a TOG rating of 0.49. This is perfect for rooms with an ideal ambient temperature of 68° and 72° F.
In addition to its luxuriously soft and smooth material, Oilo’s wearable blankets are the perfect transition swaddle. They have a bottom with enough room to allow your baby to kick and move but still gives your baby the cuddly feeling of being swaddled. Our sleep sack allows your baby to move safely around while still staying covered and cozy all night.
These sleep sacks are perfect for babies from 6 months to 18 months, as its length goes up to a generous 33”! Which means this cozy sleep bag can stay with your baby as they grow.
These comfortable sleep sacks also make your life easier when that inevitable nighttime diaper change happens. The zipper starts at the bottom and goes all the way up, where there is a zipper cover to prevent scratching on your baby’s neck.
Oilo’s wearable blankets are not only safe and comfortable for your baby allowing them to sleep well, but their other features make them undeniably convenient for parents! With so many adorable options to choose from, you can’t go wrong with any one of Oilo’s wearable blankets. So go ahead, grab a cozy wearable blanket and enjoy the stress free night’s rest you so deserve!