WHAT IS A TOG VALUE? HOW SHOULD I DRESS MY BABY FOR SLEEP?

ORIGINALLY POSTED: 25 January 2023

The weather is getting colder, and all parents want to ensure that their baby is warm enough in the winter months. After all, babies are less able to regulate their body temperature compared to adults. As you decide what should baby sleep in, you’ll want to take the TOG rating of products into consideration.

When you put your baby in their bedside bassinet, you will want them to be in a HALO® SleepSack® to keep them safe and warm. Here is what you need to know about heat ratings and which HALO® product is right for your baby.

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What Is a TOG Rating?

TOG, or Thermal Overall Grade, is a unit of measurement – originally created in Britain - and used to determine the thermal insulation of a product, usually in clothes. This is relatively common, for example, in baby sleepwear. Generally, with baby sleepwear, the TOG rating corresponds to the temperature the nursery is kept at and which product your little one should wear to stay at an ideal temperature. Remember that TOG ratings stack, so if your baby is wearing two layers of 1.0 TOG, they have a total of 2.0 TOG insulatio

0.5 TOG: SleepSack ® 

For the lowest TOG rating, 0.5, the room is the hottest, between 75° and 80°. This is unlikely in the cold months and is not an ideal temperature for babies.

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1.0 TOG: Ideal Temp SleepSack®

Unsure about the temperature in the room and want your little in a sleeping bag? We recommend choosing HALO Ideal Temp SleepSack®. The Ideal Temp Sleeping Bag is the only temperature regulating sleeping bag for babies. It takes the guesswork out of how to dress your baby for sleep.

Ideal Temp uses IntelliThread™ technology, which absorbs excess heat from your baby when they’re warmer. This heat is then stored within the smart fabric, and released back to your baby if their temp dips. The result? It helps them to maintain an ideal, more consistent temperature throughout sleep.

1.5 TOG: SleepSack® Swaddle

Most nurseries follow guidelines of staying within the ideal temperature range between 68° and 72°. Any product, including the HALO SleepSack Swaddle, with a 1.5 TOG is perfect for this range. Place your baby in their HALO® bassinet in any of the following products: SleepSack® Swaddles for a comfortable nights sleep for baby and mum.

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What Should a Baby Wear Under a Swaddle?

After choosing the appropriate TOG rating, many parents wonder, “What should baby wear under swaddle?” The correct answer to this will vary on the room temperature and your baby’s personal preferences. Under the SleepSack® Swaddle, parents have several options on how to dress their baby. This includes: a short sleeve onesie, a long sleeve onesie, or footie pajamas.

Here are some best practices to keep in mind while deciding that align with safe sleep habits:

  • Do not dress your baby in more than one layer than you as an adult would wear to be comfortable in that environment
  • Check your child’s temperature to make sure that their extremities (hands, feet, and head) are not too hot or too cold to the touch
  • When checking your baby’s temperature, their tummy and chest should feel warm and dry, not sweaty or cold. This is a sign that they are dressed too hot or too cold.

If you’re wondering what should newborns sleep in, the good news is that it isn’t much different from older babies! You’ll still want to choose a SleepSack product based on the room temperature and your baby’s personal preferences. The only difference is that as soon as a newborn starts rolling over it is time to transition from a swaddle to a sleep sack.