How would you dress a 4.5lb baby for bed?

damabo80 · June 2011

She is staying in our room, the A/C is set to 76, and the ceiling fan is on. She'll be in a bassinet.

Every class out there says no blankets in the bassinet (but they swaddled her in the NICU...which seems contradictory).

Help me please...I don't know what to dress her in, and whether to swaddle her or not.

shanlubey · June 2011

No loose blankets. If you have a SwaddleMe or blanket sleep, use that. She's still small and needs that extra layer than what we use to stay at a comfortable temp. We use a SwaddleMe most night still, and footie pjs.

katie4253 · June 2011

Gabe is going to sleep in the following:

Onesie, socks, sleeper (with or without feet) and swaddled in a blanket. I am a super tight swaddler. We also have a woombie (preemie size) and a sleep sack (preemie size) that we can use.

ladybug03 · June 2011

My daughter came home weighing 4lb 11oz and her room was set at the 77 with the ceinig fan on low. I dress her and still do in footie pjs that are cotton and then swaddle her in a light blanket. When she first came home I still took her temp at every feeeding just to make sure she was warm enough. They do need that extra layer than us because as I was told by one of the nurses they dont have a lot of fat on them just yet to help them keep warm.

jacque_z · June 2011

I'll tell you what our OT said told us as we were prepping to go home. She said that babies usually get too hot rather than too cold when they sleep. She said no swaddle, even though yes they do it in the NICU. She said she's tried to talk the NICU out of swaddling for a while but they won't listen. Since your DD will be in a bassinet rather than a crib I'd put her in a sleep sack. I hope that helps.

Also, we still swaddle DD even though you aren't suppose to. We got home and tried to get her to sleep unswaddled, she was not having it.

JakesBride07 · June 2011

Our NICU NP's always said dress the baby a half layer more then you'd dress yourself...so a onesie and footed pj's (and swaddling wouldn't hurt as long as the baby can't unswaddle and kick out of it).

JakesBride07 · June 2011

Oh and DH is and HVAC tech and he was always inquiring about what the temp should be in a home with a preemie or newborn... the nurses always said 72-76 would be appropriate depending on how they are dressed.

elisbu · June 2011

Footie PJ's or Gown- tight swaddle in an A&A.

shanlubey · June 2011

https://m.parents.com/baby/sleep/tips/best-baby-sleep-tips/ Just found this!!

schenkertobe · June 2011

LO was 6ish lbs when he came home. I tried to keep him cooler because I was terrified of SIDS, and apparently being too warm at night increases the risk. We did a lightweight footed PJ or sleep gown and swaddled in an A&A blanket.

Lilystar82 · June 2011

We did footed cotton pajamas and a tight swaddle. They absolutely needed to be swaddled.

congrats on having her home!!

WaitingforGrace · June 2011

We came home at 4lbs 6oz and 4lb 8oz. We set the temp to 76 and dressed for bed in footed sleeper and fleece halo sleep sack. At every diaper change I'd feel their feet. Sometimes they would be cold and we'd add socks.

You can swaddle with a traditional blanket until they can break out of it. At that point you need a swaddle blanket or sleep sack swaddler.

I cringle at the thought of having to break swaddling.. mine won't sleep without it.

Want a personalized experience?

How would you dress a 4.5lb baby for bed?

Re: How would you dress a 4.5lb baby for bed?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards