😴 Sleep · Birth to 2 years
🌙 Dressing baby for sleep: the TOG guide
Reduce sleep-related risks with a firm, flat, clear infant sleep space, back sleeping and avoidance of overheating.
Choosing sleepwear
- Well-fitting, non-weighted infant sleepwear appropriate to the room and baby.
- If using a sleep sack, follow that product’s sizing and temperature guidance; TOG alone does not determine the required layers.
- Keep the head uncovered indoors and check for sweating or a hot chest/back.
Rules of thumb
1. Every sleep
Place baby on their back on a firm, flat, approved infant sleep surface, with no pillows, wedges, bumpers, loose soft items or weighted sleep products. Share a room, not a sleep surface, at least for the first six months.
2. Dress for comfort
Keep head and face uncovered. Use well-fitting sleepwear; a non-weighted well-fitting sleep sack is optional. Follow its manufacturer’s temperature guidance rather than treating a TOG table as medical law. Check the chest/back for overheating; no single 18–19°C range guarantees safety.
3. Stay safe
Never sleep with baby on a sofa or armchair or while holding them. Never shake baby. If overwhelmed, place them safely in their cot/cot and ask for support. Emergency: 111.
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When in doubt, contact your doctor or midwife. For a life-threatening emergency, call 111.
