It's one of the questions every new parent asks at bedtime: is my baby too hot or too cold? In India the answer changes with the room. A baby sleeping under a fan in Chennai in May needs very different night clothes from a baby in an air-conditioned bedroom in Delhi in December. Here's a simple way to decide, including a quick room-temperature guide you can check at a glance.
The simple rule: one light layer more than you
A good starting point is to dress your baby in one light layer more than you'd be comfortable sleeping in. Not two, and not a thick one. Babies can't cool themselves down as easily as adults, and overheating is more of a worry at night than being slightly cool.
How to check: feel the back of your baby's neck or their tummy, not their hands and feet. Little hands and feet often feel cool even when a baby is perfectly warm.
- Just right: warm and dry to the touch.
- Too warm: sweaty neck, damp hair, flushed cheeks, fast breathing. Remove a layer.
- Too cool: the neck or tummy feels cool. Add a light layer.
What should a baby wear to sleep? A room-temperature guide
Check the temperature on your AC remote or a simple room thermometer, then use this as a guide:
| Room temperature | What your baby can wear |
|---|---|
|
28 °C and above (hot night, fan only) |
Just a nappy and a light sleeveless muslin jabla. No blanket. |
|
25–27 °C (warm, fan or AC on high) |
Sleeveless jabla or a light cotton top and shorts. For newborns, a thin muslin swaddle if you swaddle. |
|
23–25 °C (comfortable AC) |
A full-sleeve muslin night suit (jabla top and pyjama bottoms). |
|
20–22 °C (cool AC or winter night) |
A full-sleeve night suit plus socks, and one extra light layer such as a baby sleeping bag. |
|
Below 20 °C (North Indian winter) |
A cotton night suit as the base layer, a warm sleep suit or sleeping bag on top, and socks. See our guide to dressing your baby in winter. |
Every baby is different, so treat this as a starting point and always go by the neck check above.
Newborns versus older babies
Newborns (0–3 months) spend most of their day asleep and need frequent nappy changes, so front-open jablas and swaddles are the most practical. Full sleeves can get in the way of umbilical-cord care in the first weeks.
From about 3–6 months, once babies start wriggling, rolling and kicking off their covers, a full-sleeve night suit becomes more useful than a blanket. It keeps arms and legs covered all night, even after the covers have been kicked away. Sizes run from 3–6 months up to 3–4 years.
Why muslin works so well for baby night wear
Muslin is a loosely woven 100% cotton fabric. The open weave lets heat and moisture escape, so a baby can be fully covered without getting sweaty. That's why a single muslin night suit is comfortable under a fan in a humid Kerala night and under the AC in a Mumbai summer. It also gets softer with every wash, and there are no scratchy seams or synthetic fibres against your baby's skin while they sleep.
How many do you need? Most parents find three night suits is the minimum: one on, one in the wash and one ready for the inevitable midnight change. Our Buy 2 Get 1 Free night suit combo is built around exactly that.
Safe sleep basics
What your baby wears is only part of a safe night's sleep. Paediatricians generally recommend:
- Put your baby to sleep on their back, on a firm, flat mattress.
- Keep the cot clear: no pillows, loose blankets, bumpers or soft toys for young babies.
- Avoid overheating. No caps or extra layers indoors once your baby is asleep, and never cover their face or head.
- Stop swaddling once your baby shows signs of starting to roll.
Every baby is different, so if you have any doubts about your baby's sleep, temperature or breathing, please speak to your paediatrician.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a baby wear to sleep with the AC on?
At a comfortable AC temperature of about 23–25 °C, a full-sleeve cotton night suit is usually enough. If the room is cooler (20–22 °C), add socks and one light layer such as a baby sleeping bag. Check the back of your baby's neck to make sure they're warm but not sweaty.
What should a baby wear to sleep at 26 °C?
At around 25–27 °C, a sleeveless jabla or a light cotton top and shorts is usually enough, with no blanket. Newborns who are swaddled can have a thin muslin swaddle.
How do I know if my baby is too hot at night?
Feel the back of their neck or their tummy. A sweaty neck, damp hair, flushed cheeks or fast breathing mean they're too warm, so remove a layer. Cool hands and feet on their own are normal.
Should my baby wear socks to sleep?
Only when the room is cool, around 22 °C or below. In a warm room, bare feet help babies release heat.
Is a cotton night suit better than a blanket?
For babies who have started moving, yes. A full-sleeve night suit keeps them covered even if they kick off their covers, and it avoids loose bedding in the cot.
