Many parents struggle with the question: is my baby or child not too hot or too cold at night? Understandably so! Especially with unpredictable weather and fluctuating temperatures, it's not always easy.
In the baby's neck, you can feel well what temperature your child has, but the room temperature is also important. To have a certain guideline, a value system has been developed. This measures how much heat a sleep product retains using a TOG value. By paying attention to the TOG value of the blankets and sleeping bags for your baby and choosing the right value for the right temperature, this helps your child to sleep comfortably and safely.
What is TOG value?
There is often confusion about the TOG value. What is it, and what should I consider when buying a baby sleeping bag or baby blanket?
TOG stands for Thermal Overall Grade, and it indicates how well body heat is retained in items such as sleeping bags and blankets. The higher the value, the warmer the product, so the lower the ambient temperature, the higher the TOG value can be. The TOG guideline was primarily developed to prevent overheating in babies and young children. Additionally, a baby who is too hot or too cold does not sleep well.
Choose the right TOG value
Firstly, make sure you can measure the room temperature of the baby's room. An ideal temperature is between 16°C and 19°C. It always cools down at night, but in the summer, the temperature often remains higher, especially in a bedroom. In this table, you can see which TOG value you can use at different temperatures!
The guideline: at an average room temperature of 16-20 ° C, a TOG value of 2.5 to 3.0 should be maintained.
Baby sleeping bag with detachable sleeves
Sleeping bags with detachable sleeves are perfect for the fall and spring when nighttime temperatures can vary from too warm to a bit colder. However, it has NOTHING to do with the TOG value of the product.
The TOG value remains the same for the product and is not affected by attaching or detaching the sleeves! For example, with (four-season) duvets, you have 2 layers together. By removing one layer, you lower the TOG value. This also applies to a 4 season sleeping bag consisting of 2 layers, where one layer can be removed. In such cases, two TOG values are specified for the sleeping bag. When you sleep under a duvet and have your arms above the blanket, your arms may feel cold, but it doesn't change the warmth provided by your duvet.
How to combine a sleeping bag with a bodysuit?
Every clothing layer worn underneath the sleeping bag adds 0.5 TOG to the value of the baby sleeping bag. You can increase the total TOG value by dressing your child in a bodysuit with long sleeves or pajamas under the Hopper sleeping bag or by using a blanket such as Lodger's Dreamer.
*Note: it is important to always keep an eye on your baby’s temperature by monitoring the neck. The skin should not feel clammy or cold. Don't worry if your baby's hands and feet feel cool, as this is completely normal.
The values above are based on babies who can keep themselves warm. Every child is different so keep paying attention to your child’s heat. Also, make sure that you made your child’s bed according to the safe sleep regulations. Always keep checking the neck to feel if your child is too hot or too cold. The above is still a guideline after all.
