Adults can keep their bodies warm or cool by adding or removing clothing depending on the temperature.
But what about babies who can't yet speak and express themselves? How should the standard of their dressing be measured. Especially at night when sleeping, whether it is too hot or too cold will not allow the baby to toss and turn, or even cry awake. Thus bringing unnecessary trouble to parents.
Included in this article is a guide for parents on how thick to wear their children to bed：
What does TOG stands for?
TOG Testing
Why are Baby Sleep Better TOG ratings but other sleep bags/suits
Figuring out which TOG rating to use
Your baby is your best gauge
What does TOG stands for?
TOG stands for Thermal Overall Grade, and in additional technical terms is used to measure the thermal resistance of a unit area (also mentioned as thermal insurance). It's commonly utilized within the textile industry and was developed within the united kingdom to elucidate warmth levels of doonas (duvets).
A TOG rating is used for measuring the warmth levels of doonas (duvets) and baby sleeping bags. The upper the quantity, the warmer it'll be, and thus the lower the quantity, the cooler or lighter it'll be.
It is interesting to note, that within United Kingdom, a Summer doona is rated as between 3.0-4.5 TOG, while a doona used for Spring/Autumn is rated between 7.5-10.5 TOG, and a Winter doona is rated between 12.0-13.5 TOG.
So believe these numbers within the context of doonas employed by adults or older children, granted it's assumed that there aren't the other factors being considered, like temperature or clothing utilized in bed.
For babies, however, there are sort of other factors that need to be considered when determining what TOG rating bag you need to use for your baby. These include the clothing your baby is wearing underneath the sleep bag, the space temperature of your nursery, your baby’s health, and other bedding/blankets you will be using.
TOG Testing
We appreciate that the TOG rating system is widely understood by our customers as an indicator of warmth, then we at Baby Sleep Better have all our sleep bags and sleepsuits tested by an accredited testing lab to figure out the TOG ratings for our seasonal sleep bag and sleepsuit range. We ensure our products stay faithful to the actual TOG rating test result which is that the rationale why our TOG ratings don't fall exactly like 0.5, 1.0, 2.5.
In addition, we elect to use only natural fibers like Cotton which helps thermal regulation and is 100% breathable, prevents sweating, and reduces fluctuations in temperature within the night.
All Baby Sleep Better sleep bags and sleepsuits are meet Amazon's CPC standards for selling children's products requirements. And here are the next TOG ratings:
- 0.2/0.3 TOG – ideal for room temperatures between 24°C and 27°C
- 1.0 TOG – ideal for room temperatures between 20°C to 24°C
- 2.5 TOG – ideal for room temperatures between 16°C to 20°C
- 3.5 TOG – ideal for room temperatures below 20°C
Why are Baby Sleep Better TOG ratings but other sleep bags/suits
It's important to note that our TOG ratings are slightly but other general sleep bag types - this is often actually because our sleep bags/suites are fully enclosed with arms covered which can be an element we've considered in ensuring babies don't overheat, whereas most sleeping bags within the market are without sleeves (even people who have sleeves use thinner material for the arms). Just believe what proportion warmer you would be with sleeves versus without sleeves.
Figuring out which TOG rating to use
To figure out which TOG rating bag is true for your baby, you initially need to determine the temperature of your baby’s room.
Many sleep experts recommend a neighborhood temperature between 18-22 °C be kept.
Once you recognize your nursery temperature, you'll use the chart below to work out which TOG rating sleep bag and sleep clothing are suitable for your baby. There are few things to remain in mind:
* A baby bag surrounds the baby, providing insulation from both below and above, and also a warm pocket of air around the baby. this is often the rationale why the TOG rating for a baby bag is the way but adult donnas (duvets). While adult donnas (duvets) could seem more thick and warm, it's recommended that the baby’s bag be kept 'light weight' and can never be quite a 3.5 TOG rating.
* Layering your baby's sleep clothing underneath a bag allows greater flexibility to keep babies warm and cozy without overheating. confine mind that each additional layer of clothing adds to the overall TOG rating. Too many layers may end in overheating and will increase the danger of sudden sudden sudden infant death syndrome syndrome syndrome (SIDS) in babies.
* Thicker fabrics don't equal more warmth - TOG measures how well a garment retains heat. just because two fabrics feel the same, it does not imply both fabrics retain heat the same way. It all depends on the composition of the fabric also because of the layers and thus the fillings that structure the garment. That's why TOG rating is tested during a lab to means how well a cloth can retain heat.
How to dress your baby with a TOG rated sleep bag
It's important to use the TOG rating and suggested clothing only as a general guide.
Just like adults feel the temperature differently, your baby will too. As an example, you'd possibly be fine with a jumper in 16°C degrees weather whereas somebody else might be bundled up during a jacket on top of a jumper.
Your baby is your best gauge
Always check your baby regularly to form sure they're doing not overheat or are too cold.
Watch how your baby reacts to different TOG ratings to form sure your baby is warm or cool enough for sleeping. Here are some things to watch out for when dressing your baby for sleep:
* await signs of overheating: If your baby has damp hair, sweaty backs and chest, red ears, fevers, your baby could even be too hot and needs to be dressed down. begin a layer or use a sleep bag with a lower TOG rating.
* Frequent wake-ups: If your baby is awakening crying or fussing, it's getting to be a logo that your baby could even be too hot or cold, or it's getting to be due to other developmental reasons (i.e. teething, growth spurt, dropping naps, etc). If your baby feels cold to the touch (back of the neck or chest/back) then add a layer or placed it on a far better TOG rating bag.