There are many factors involved in setting up a safe sleep environment for you and your baby. In addition to your baby’s actual sleep space, we must also consider the room your baby is sleeping in and ways to make it comfortable and safe. Room temperature is one of the topics that many new parents will wonder about due to their concerns about whether their baby is comfortable.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the ideal room temperature for your baby is 68-72 degrees fahrenheit.

Due to the many variations of family’s living spaces and seasonal temperatures across the world, it can be difficult for some parents to consistently follow this recommendation. Here are 10 tips to support your ability to make your baby’s sleep space just right for both comfort and safety.

1. Try to set your home’s thermostat to a consistent temperature at your baby’s bedtime. Many newer digital thermostats allow for automated settings so you don’t have to worry about it every night after it has been automatically set to 68 degrees at 7 pm nightly.
2. Dress your baby in one additional layer of clothing from how you are dressed. For example, if you sleep in thin pajama pants and a t shirt, dress your baby in a short-sleeved onesie with long-sleeved footie pajamas made of breathable fabric. In colder climates, use thicker layers for your baby’s pajamas.
3. Remember that babies should not have loose blankets in their sleep space. Therefore, use a wearable blanket or sleep sack over your baby’s pajamas when you put them to sleep. If your baby is very young and you are swaddling them at sleeptime, use a thin blanket or swaddle wrap made of breathable fabric.
4. Consider using a portable thermostat to check the temperature in your baby’s room at bedtime. This may help in homes where it is more difficult to have consistent temperatures in different rooms or floors. This is also true for those living in apartment buildings and older structures with antiquated heating and cooling systems.
5. Consider using a small fan in your baby’s room. A fan placed away from baby’s crib on a dresser can help to circulate air in your baby’s room.
6. Never put your baby to sleep wearing a hat, this can cause your baby to overheat.
7. Always respond to your baby’s cries. If your baby is uncomfortable due to temperature, you need to be able to go to your little one and check on them. If their head, face, neck or hands feel too warm or too cold, pick them up so that you can attend to their discomfort.
8. When in doubt about your baby’s body temperature, have a digital thermometer on hand to be able to check their temperature. A baby’s normal temperature should be around 98.6 degrees, whereas a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher is considered a fever.
9. Always refer back to the American Academy of Pediatrics and follow the recommendations for safe sleep.
10. When in doubt about possible illness in your baby, contact your pediatrician.