Our house has these wonderful vaulted ceilings that make everything bright and airy. 95% of the time, this is a good thing. The other 5% is when it’s cold. And I know some of you will say “BAH it’s not cold in California” and to you I say BAH back because your homes were probably built with fancy insulation. Mine was not. It’s lovely on hot days but during the colder months it’s drafty and all the heater warmth rises to the tops of those lovely vaulted ceilings.
(I just looked at my weather app and it’s 36° (2°C) outside and there’s a snowflake icon! WTFBBQ this is LA!)
Mike sleeps in, no joke, two pairs of socks, sweat pants, a long sleeved shirt, and a hooded sweatshirt. I sleep in a tank top and shorts. So, clearly we have very different internal temperatures. I think he’s a wuss and he thinks I’m crazy. I can’t handle layers like that when I’m sleeping, the sheets and comforter are enough to keep me warm.
I have no idea what Annie’s body temperature is. I remember reading once that you should dress your baby in one layer warmer than what you wear. I think she needs more layers than what I wear, but certainly less than Mike “could I BE wearing any more clothes?” Spohr. So on these cold nights I’ve been dressing her in fleece footie pajamas, but she’s woken up crying at three a.m. the last few days in a row saying, “Annie cold! Annie cold!”
I’m not sure what to do to combat this other than bring her in to snuggle with me, which is not gonna happen – Mike is taking up all of the bed with all his layers of clothing. And I can’t afford to crank the heater up to 80° every night. Should I put her in another layer, so she’s sleeping in TWO fleece onesies? Should I give her a blanket (although she always kicks them off)? Is she even old enough for a blanket/comforter thing?
These are the things I think about while she’s keeping me up at night. Cold weather mamas, any suggestions?
karen says:
Living in the UK we understand cold…. in fact weather bug was telling me we were 3 deg c yesterday, feeling like 1 deg c!
When my daughter was a toddler she would have a baby grow or pyjamas on, a duvet and sometimes a blanket overnight too. Shes 8 now and she sleeps in a fleece onsie, has a 13.5 tog duvet and begs for a blanket and a dog on her feet to keep them warm
Have you tried a growbag for her? One of those all in one zip up things that act like a sleeping bag and cant get kicked off.
Make sure you warm the bed up first too, we use wheatie bags that go in the microwave and then they can stay in the bed alnight.
And another tip. As you have wooden and tiled floors get some big rugs for the winter as they help make the place warmer. They can be rolled up and stored in the garage for the summer or warmer times too.
Elizabeth says:
Are you sure she means what she says? My 4 year old still sometimes gets cold and hot mixed up. She will say she is too hot when really she is too cold and vice versa. If Annie is really too cold then maybe you could put socks and a onesie on under her footie pajamas. Or give her a blanket.
Heather says:
I’m pretty sure…she uses it often in the proper context. But you never know with her, since she also calls me Dada on occasion.
Teki says:
I was thinking the same thing. Maybe she gets too warm making her sweaty, which makes her cold. My little guy gets that way. So one night try non fleece feetie jammies and she if she has a better night.
Audra says:
I started using blankets with both of my girls after their first birthdays. The blankets were crib-sized and covered them from the chest down. The blankets (and footie pjs) kept them warm in the night and if they got too hot they just kicked the blanket off in their sleep.
Casey says:
Yep, I think we started letting my daughter sleep with a blanket around this age…just a crib sized one. That way, she can snuggle with it if cold, but just kick it off if she gets hot. If Annie isn’t using a blanket yet, I’d say try that first and see how the night goes.
Tiffany says:
Here in Canada we know cold! I highly recommend a sleep sack of some sort. My son preferred a fleece one and my daughter had one more like a comforter. A onesie, regular footie sleeper and the sleep sack kept my little ones warm when they were smaller. If you decide to try one I suggest one that is adjustable in the shoulder area to make sure of a good fit to keep the cold out.
Tiffany says:
You know those long sleeve tight jammies from carters? They fit under the blanket/fleece jammies. If it gets really cold we use that. My little gil likes to sleep covered in blankets or underneath a quilt. Her blankets are large so she doesn’t usually kick them off.
Tonya says:
This is what I did when mine were little. Gap also has good knit snug fitting pajamas. I’d put those on with socks and then put the footed pj’s over all that. That is, on the nights they weren’t in MY bed. Which, for my oldest, was always.
Burr! Hope you warm up soon!
Holly says:
I did the same thing when we lived in our old house, I put the tighter cotton pajamas with socks, then a sleeper over it, then a blanket. It worked great!
Holly says:
Also, check her hands in the middle of the night and that will tell you if she’s cold or hot!
Noemi says:
Halo Fleece SleepSack. I have a couple off amazon. That’s what I use when it gets down under 30 degrees.
Kari says:
What about a heated mattress pad?
Kate says:
She is definitely old enough for a duvet. I’d tuck it under the mattress so it stays in place. And I definitely reccomend sleeping bags they’re excellent.
Jenn says:
Hi Heather,
I just looked at my weather channel….R-I-G-H-T N-O-W it’s -17c or 1F I have ALWAYS put blankets on my babies…as you see by our weather, even with the furnace at 80, with drifty windows and the brutal wind it gets COLD!!!
As far as Miss Annie goes…I’m wondering if she is sweating during some parts of the night but then gets a chill from being wet. Does this make ANY sense to you? If I dressed my kids too warm, that is exactly what would happened to them.
My suggestion would be to dress her a little warmer (maybe in a warmer cotton sleeper that breathes well & then put a little baby blanket over her to see if that works.
It took me back when you said that about not having a blanket but once I thought about it, it makes sense. As for you guys, well…I must admit I laughed my ass off when you wrote all that Mike wore to bed. It’s a wonder he doesn’t wake up in a cold sweat!!!
Brian and I have a King size bed. We have a sheet set, a fleece blanket plus a duvet. I sleep in a VERY SEXY old t-shirt, pj pants & socks…Brian the freak sleeps in jams (I have NO IDEA HOW)!!!! Because of my chronic pain disease, I don’t do well with cold or damp weather (I know…I should move to CA – believe me. WE’RE REALLY TRYING TO) so, I have a twin size heating blanket that only goes over me! I usually only have it on low but on nights when the wind chill is up into -40’C (-40F) or colder I do have to put it up higher with our drafty windows.
Believe me, I feel your COLD sistah so I’m not going to tease you. Good luck with your problem solving but in the meantime…Buy yourself a “SNUGGY” and KEEP WARM!!!
Jill says:
Give her a blanket. Even if she kicks them off she may be more likely to grab it back is she’s chilly. And btw, I just drove to work here in MN and my car say 5 degrees. And 36 in CA does sound chilly!
Jenn says:
Hi Heather,
I typed out this long post back to you, hit submit but it’s STILL not on so I’m not sure what happened. I’ll post again but short & sheet.
As far as Annie goes, I’m wondering if she might be sweating in her sleep & then waking up in a cold sweat so that’s why she’s really cold.???
My suggestion would be to dress her in a bit of a lighter breathable cotton sleeper plus either a baby blanket or a light duvet. Or like the other girls said you could try the “Sleep SacK”. I know for my babies, they didn’t like it b/c they found them to be confinding. Annie might like it though.
Good Luck Heather – in the meantime…keep warm my friend!!
dawn says:
On cold nights, I’d put a pair of knit pjs and socks under fleece footie jams!!
DefendUSA says:
Get a onesie and some thin waffled long johns…or maybe some silk underwear because they breathe. (http://www.wintersilks.com/default.aspx?sc=WF2SEMMT) I wore these every day when living in the suburbs of Chicago. She will be toasty and even you guys would like them!
Carol says:
Throw a hot water bottle with a soft fleece cover in by her feet–or let her snuggle up to it. Or try a rice bag that you warm in the microwave for 2 minutes and then throw in. I used this pattern for the ones I made for my kids:
http://www.vanessachristenson.com/2009/02/tutorialrice-bag-feet-warmer.html
When they wake up chilly, it seems to warm them up and comfort them and they love it!
marcia says:
We still use something similar for the kids (and me!). I’m NOT crafty, though, and bought ours from Grampa’s Garden:
http://www.grampasgarden.com/soft-comforts-childrens-therapy-packs.html
http://www.grampasgarden.com/hot-and-cold-natural-therapy-packs.html
The kids used to love to go to bed with their “heatie” and if they woke up during the night it took less than a minute to heat in the microwave. I’m going to try the pattern Carol included, though…even I may be able to manage that, LOL!
Rebecca says:
If she is cold, would you try a space heater in her room? I use one in my bedroom all winter because I have to sleep in shorts and a t-shirt as well. The blankets don’t keep me warm but a space heater on low is th eperfect temperature, plus we don’t have to heat the whole house.
Vicky says:
Many fires are caused by space heaters. I would think twice about that.
Jackie says:
Space heaters can be a hazard. But some are made much safer than when we were young. We have an electric oil heater that we use in our twins’ bedroom. It looks like a radiator. It is full of liquid (I’m assuming oil?) and it has a thermostat so it doesn’t over-heat the room. It’s warm to the touch but not hot enough to burn anyone.
Rebecca says:
Yes, space heaters can be a hazard, but not if used safely. Many have safety features that will cause them to turn off if they fall over and my sister has a space heater that you can touch and it won’t hurt you (as well as having the feature that turns off the heater once it reaches a certain temperature and you can set it for only certain hours).
Rebecca says:
As others have said, I’m more afraid of heavy blankets covering a child’s face over having a space heater in their room.
Amanda says:
I would recommend the space heater as well. Keep her room at a comfy 70 degrees and that way it’s OK if she kicks off her blanket. And then Mike can sleep on the floor in Annie’s room if he gets cold!
MNM says:
If you could find a safe room heater that might help. I live in Canada and even when it is warm outside during the day it can be very cold at night. Growing up we did a lot of camping in a tent trailer and my parents had a little room heater they would plug in each night and it would keep us VERY warm. I have bought one for the bunkie we stay in at our cottage WAY up in Northern Canada and again it keeps my family nice and warm. The one I bought does not get hot to the touch, so it is safe for my children.
Bec says:
I’m “a cold weather mama” (Canada!) but we have HEAT! So all I can recommend is a space heater. They’re safe if you use them properly. Or, just give her a warm blanket. I’m surprised she doesn’t have one already! I’ve used blankets since my kids were infants.
Abby says:
I hate to put fear into anyone but I cannot not comment here. I lost my son to SIDS six months ago and I do not think infants should be given blankets. I don’t know what took my son but I feel better safe than sorry. Follow the guidelines to safe sleeping. I would never want someone to feel the pain that I feel on a constant, unrelenting basis.
Holley says:
Hugs Abby,
My Nephew died thirteen years ago. I wouldn’t wish that agony on anyone.
RG says:
Sleep sack? Though my kid gets kind of tangled up in one, and that wakes him up!
Shannon says:
Small electric space heater worked great when mine were little. Also, you may want to look into ceiling fans that would push the heat back down from your high ceilings. Maybe Rigby could snuggle with her?
Sarah says:
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=537304&cmSource=Search
This is what I use for both of my girls. We live in Houston so we don’t need them a lot…but it seems our house wasn’t built with the best insulation either. If its cold or windy, the girls’ rooms get so cold!!
Karen says:
I second that one. When my daughter was that age, this was a must have. Works great.
Meghan says:
I was just going to suggest this too. My son wore one of these until he moved into a regular bed at 2 1/2.
jp says:
I bought my kids fleece throws from Land’s End. They were just the right size for the crib – yet big enough that they’re not easily kicked off. They keep you warm without being too heavy.
Margaret says:
Yes! Well, sort of. I dressed my son in the Halo sleep sacks unti he was 2. They come in fleece and he could walk around in them in the morning (a little). I put him in the wearable blanket over his fleece pjs and he’s fine.
Vanessa Roy-McDougall says:
I second the sleep sac… my 19 month old moves around too much for a blanket so a sleep sac is amazing!
Colleen says:
You could always put a onesie and socks on her under the footie pjs…we also use a light blanket.
Amy J says:
This: http://www.amazon.com/Grobag-Sleeping-Gro-Ing-Places-Months/dp/B004WN6WKS/ref=pd_bxgy_ba_text_b
Colleen says:
I put my little guy to bed with a onesie and socks on under his footie pjs…we also use a light blanket.
Colleen says:
Flannel sheets and a light, down conforter – that’s all you need (and I’m from Minnesota).
Melissa says:
I have seen those rice bag thingys in the form of a stuffed animal…you could heat it up and she could snuggle all night long!
Nadine says:
I’d double check the cold vs. hot. Is she sweaty in the fleece when she wakes at 3 AM? Damp hair? If not, put regular cotton pajamas on under the fleece. Also, do you have ceiling fans (or have you considered them) in your rooms with lovely vaulted ceilings – especially the bedrooms if they have vaulted ceilings? The fans can be put on a slow reverse to push the warm air back down into the room. We’d freeze without a fan on in ourbedroom in the winter.
Lucy G says:
Coming from a Canadian mama – we know cold! The absolute best thing for toddlers to keep warm are sleep sacks. You can find some super cute ones on Etsy that fit up to a three year-old! They are usually sleeveless, but zip on like a souped-up Snuggie! No matter how much they kick or wiggle around in their sleep, they won’t shimmy out of them.
I’m not sure if Annie is in 2T or 3T, but here are a few cute examples:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/86834326/green-pink-blue-cupcakes-fleece-cozy?ref=sr_gallery_1&sref=&ga_search_query=sleep+sack+3T&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75742506/2t-sleep-sack-in-pink-bubbles-ready-to?ref=sr_gallery_12&sref=&ga_search_query=sleep+sack+2T&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade
Tracy says:
I’m in FL, so not cold weather mama, but I have found myself in your position before! I towels on the window sill, put them in cotton flannel with no feet (You could do socks, which she can kick off if she wants, but I wouldn’t do footie pajamas at night. I agree with the comment that if they get sweaty they get cold), flannel sheets, and a blanket. She’s old enough now, and it is AMAZING how much better they sleep once they have blankets anyway, even when its not “winter.” Much more snuggly and comfortable. Also, if you do turn the heat on, even if its not set to 90 degrees, you could close vents in other rooms when you go to bed, so that more of the heat directs to the bedrooms. Its not great for you (I too prefer to live in a meat locker), but Annie and Mike will like it.
Jen says:
I used to dress my little ones in a lightweight sleeper or the lightweight (form fitting) 2 pc jammies and then put a fleece sleeper over top :-). Even once they were old enough to use blankets, they never stayed covered up, lol.
Ellie says:
You could try getting some undershirts (Hanes, Fruit o’ the Loom) from the boys’ section. Not very expensive for a bag of five and it would keep her core warmer. My boys wear them to bed with sleep pants when it gets cold and I add on an extra blanket. You could put a pair of socks on under the sleeper if her feet are cold.
evsmarie says:
Yep – like many of the other mamas – I know cold (Northern MN – Brrrrrr). In fact, our air temp this morning is -2 (F). Anyway – I always worry about my little one (16 mths) being chilly at night so before bed I tend to sneak into her room and lightly feel her hands and forehead (this only works for a heavyish sleeper). If she feels chilly I put a crib blanket on her (torso and down). She already has on a long sleeve onsie (Carter’s brand are nice and thick) and fleece footie pjs. A friend of mine dresses her littles in a snug pair of cotton jammies, light socks if they are needed, and then a pair of fleece footie jams. I am waaaaay too paranoid about space heaters (when I was younger a friend’s house burned down in the middle of winter due to a space heater malfunction in the kids’ room. scary!! …though that was *cough* a “few” years ago…) so I stick with lots of layers!
Maria says:
I used double-layers of fleece footed pajamas for years with my kids. It is easier if the outer one is a size big, but any way you do it, it is not as bulky as you would think. It was the only way I kept my toddlers warm at night.
Deb says:
Some advice from Canada: Try a sleep sac, its like a zip up sleeping bag with arms. My kids all slept in them until they were 2-3 years old.
Porscha Is says:
I live in Canada, so we’re used to colder temperatures. My house goes down to 17 degrees C at night (62.6 F)… my daughter slept with a fleece pajama and a sleepsack until we moved her to a big girl bed at two years old. Then she slept with a thinner blanket and the blanket that came with her crib set. She’s about 3.5 years old now, and her internal temperature is clearly different than mine… I sleep in flannel pajamas with a sheet and a hug down duvet. She sleeps in lighter pjs with a regular cotton sheet and a pretty lightweight blanket. She finds my bedding too warm (which is fine, because I prefer her to sleep in her own bed anyway).
Cathy says:
Haven’t looked to see if anyone suggested this, but I put my son in pjs and a Grobag (www.gro.co.uk). He also kicks off blankets so this works great for him. There are a lot of other types available here in Canada that are less expensive than this type. Our house can get down to 16 C at night, and my 20 month old is warm. We have been using these since he was 6 months though so introducing at 2 years might be problematic. Other benefit – he cannot climb out of crib!
Lucy says:
We live in Switzerland and it can get really cold here. Best thing for sleeping babies is a sleep sack!! You will never again need to worry about her being cold or having her blankets off… You will also find sleep sacks for the warmer months of the year…
Veronica says:
I am a Massachusetts momma and it is cold here now! My girl is 22 months, I do the long-sleeve onesie with fleece footed pajamas and then a fleece blanket over her. It works for her, she tends to kick the blanket off during the night, but when she gets up in the morning she is toasty warm (without being sweaty). We also run a warm mist humidifier in her room (we have forced air heat, so our house gets very dry during the winter months), that helps the room feel warmer.
Franziska says:
Definitely old enough for a blanket. Even when they initially kick it off, they learn at some point. For my girls, the blanket doubles as a cuddly item. They both have a duvet cover and a soft thin blanket. Even in the crib (18 month old). I would probably put socks and a onesie under the fleece jammies and give Annie a blanket to snuggle with and see if that helps. If she’s still cold I don’t see the harm in adding more layers. I also like the sleep-bag idea someone mentioned above … but I don’t know if Annie would accept that if she isn’t used to it. Worth a try though. Good luck – thinking warm thoughts for all of you!
Sam says:
a long sleeve onesie and some socks under her fleece footie pjs. Or put a sweatshirt on top of the pjs. I have a little girl a few months younger than Annie and she always kicks blankets off, despite my repeated tries to cover her. Stay warm, Annie!
Laura says:
Blanket….definitely.
Amanda says:
Definitely give her a blanket, make sure she has a onesie on underneath her fleece footed PJs and maybe get a small space heather for her bedroom. My daughter’s room was the coldest one in the house so we got a space heater and that did the trick. Keep warm!
Danielle says:
My munchkin is littler than Annie, but I put him in a onesie, socks, fleece feetie pajamas, and then a halo sleep sack. They have several sizes, fleece and cotton. I put him in the cotton thinner one, since he has the warmer pj’s on already. I think she is old enough for a blanket, I definitley used them on my older two once they turned one.
Jenny says:
Put a thermometer in Annie’s room. Check it overnight or before you go to bed. If you don’t have insulation and her room is on an outer wall it may be cooler than you think. Get a room heater. Read the reviews carefully. You can find something safe, small and economical. Unplug it when not using it.
I did use a blanket for my son. She is almost 2. Layer long johns or skinny pajamas under fleece. My son did not sleep well in a crib. We moved him to a bed with rails at 22 months.
Sarah says:
someone may have already suggested this but when it gets really cold here in Minne-snow-dah(not so snowie this winter) I do a onesie under the fleece jammies and socks. Now, sometimes this makes them sweat and then get colder. It’s a toss-up. I’d add on more blankets if that’s easier.
Colleen says:
I’m in Michigan and we use sleepsacks- I put a onesie, cotton footie PJ’s, and a sleepsack and they’re all good. We keep the house around 68 degrees at night. I hope it warms up soon for you guys!
Tara says:
We use a tabletop heater fan (you can set it at a temperature, lo/max so that it cycles on/off, or leave it on lo/max so that it stays on constantly–about $25 at Target) and a blanket for our son. He’s lucky enough to have the coldest (in the winter) or hottest (in the summer) room in the house. We dress him in long sleeve/long pants pajamas (though they’re pretty thin) and socks.
Daisy says:
Most of my Chicago-Mama friends have mentioned they put a pair of socks & a tshirt on their kiddos before they put the fleece sleeper on them. When I babysat in law school that is what the parents had me do – and you don’t even have to buy any new contraptions!
Kelly says:
Philly resident here. In the winter, when its REALLLLLLY cold, we put our 1.5 year old in a long sleeve onesie with fleece footie pjs and put a blanket over him. On just regular cold nights (i.e. 36 degrees), we do a short sleeve onesie and fleece footie pjs and a blanket. Hope this helps!!
Sarah says:
I haven’t read the other comments, socks inside the footed pjs. And you could add a sweatshirt on top. Or just try fitted pjs inside the fleece ones. Good luck. My 4yo still won’t keep a blanket on and says he doesn’t like footed pjs anymore. So now he is using me for warmth. I guess i could keep the house warmer than 62 at night…. hmmmm. Maybe then I could convince him to sleep in his room. Those are my thoughts from MI, where it is going to be 9 F tonight. brrr….
mel says:
My Rory hates blankets too. I find that she stays the warmest in the long underwear type pjs with the long-sleeved shirt and fitted pants. It’s hard because her legs are thick, but I buy a size bigger and throw some warm socks on her and that seems to keep the heat in. Warmer sheets/blankets under her will hold the heat in too. Fleece, flannel or whatever.
Annie Y says:
We are in Green Bay WI and it gets mighty cold here. Today it is below zero with the wind chill. My almost 4 year old is running around in his underwear while I’m wrapped in a blanket. He sleeps most nights in his underwear with his blankie under a comforter. As for the little one who just turned 1 month old, she sleeps in a fleece sleeper with a onesie under it and snuggled into a blanket as well.
If Annie is cold even with a fleece footie sleeper I recommend having her wear a pair of socks on her feet inside the sleeper too. If she is still cold then I would definitely give her a nice blanket to snuggle with.
Good luck and stay warm!
leslie says:
a sleep sack!
best invention EVER!
see: http://www.villa-bambini.de/WebRoot/Store17/Shops/61828437/4AA3/9665/DB1A/A5CD/D3C8/C0A8/2936/ADBB/schlafsack_0020_Kopie.jpg
Jessica says:
I live in Minne-snow-ta and have a 3 year old daughter. She’s like me, freezing all the time. I bought her a small down comforter and she will honestly sleep with shorts and a t-shirt during winter and use that blanket. She does the same and kicks it off a lot but when she’s cold, she’ll pull it back on and cover herself.
Rachel says:
We live in the northeast and while our house stays pretty warm even on cold nights, I usually put a onesie and thick, cozy socks under their fleece footies.
I think all 3 of mine also slept with a light blanket by 12-15 months, but like you said, it never stayed on and they weren’t coordinated enough to put it back over themselves.
Jessica says:
She’s almost 2, right? I think it is safe for you to give her the blanket. When my daughter turned 2 last January we actually moved her to a big girl bed with sheets and blankets and had no problems, and she’s been able to pull up the comforter if she gets too chilly or throw the covers off if she’s too hot (like her mama…and hello! We live in Alabama; cold is a fleeting thing!)
K Ling says:
Up here in Saskatchewan it is -46 celsius with the wind chill….I pile the blankets onto my kids every night and within a couple of hours they are all kicked off. They will find them when they get cold enough!
Aubrey says:
Im not a whole lot of help. I live in chilly il and sleep under 3comforters but my kids are hotblooded or something and ashleays end up in just their underwear and under a light blanket. My 4 have always used a blanket. I think she would be fine with a blanket my kids dont like the footies on their jammies cause it makes them too hot. Also love that episode I hope mike can at least find underwear when hes wearing his whole wardrobe.
Heather @ Planner for Moms says:
I would say definitely put socks on under the footie pajamas if you haven’t done that already. I wouldn’t do a whole other layer of footie pajamas, but maybe consider a t-shirt and some leggings underneath the footie pajamas. I think she is old enough for blankets, but layering up would probably be the best idea considering she just kicks them off anyways.
Selena says:
We started my daughter with her blankie about 2 months ago at 18 months because we were having the same problem. Luckily she will keep her blankie on at night. However before that I was putting her in a long sleeve onesie, leggings, socks and then her fleece jammies over that to try and keep her warm. You could try and see if the blanket would work (we tried it a few months before and it didn’t work) maybe she is old enough now to keep it on. Hope you figure something out that works for Annie!
Michelle says:
We all have heated electric mattress pads on our beds as our heat doesn’t go above 60 degrees at night. Keeps my girls warm and it is wonderful for my hubby and I since we have dual thermostats so I can keep mine on low and my hubby can keep his on high. Maybe that would work since you never have to worry about them kicking the blankets off since the warmth would be underneath her.
Amy Crider says:
Living in Minot ND it is -38 right now yes I know crazy. I would recomend a small ceramic space heater I have 2 that will heat my whole house they cost about 35-40 and they are cool to the touch. I would plug it in at night and place it anywhere in her room. does not have to be close by but it will warm her whole room up.
Rashmi says:
We live in Canada, so we understand cold. But I never dress my kids in fleece for night(I own fleece pajamas myself, but never wear them to bed, since they make me sweaty.)
I dress them in layers – undershirt ,a small sleeveless shirt/sweater, and then cotton pajamas. They are bigger than Annie, so they are covered with a comforter too.
Gina says:
My little guy was waking up cold too. We now dress him in long underwear underneath the footies and it seems to do the trick! Found some good sets at WalMart
Courtney says:
I’m in NY, so it gets plenty cold here. My daughter is just a couple months older than Annie and on cold nights she sleeps in fleece PJs and has a blanket.
Sometimes she kicks off the blanket, but we check on her before we go to sleep and put it back on her.
Another option is to put a long sleeve onsie and some socks on under her fleece PJs.
Also, a vaporizer can really make a difference in the warmth. My little one is getting over a cold so we’ve been running the vaporizer in her room overnight and it keeps it toasty. (Note- we got a cheapo vaporizer that puts out warm steam, a cool mist humidifier would obviously not make things warm)
Jody says:
I use a DeLonghi SAFEHEAT heater. It is small, easy to store and take out when you need it and it is not hot to the touch. Set it to the temperature you want on cold nights. I have been using them in my kids rooms for 5 years and have depended on them because my husband apparently is a polar bear and shuns heat at night!
Allison M. says:
I live in Missouri. Last night was 13 degrees. My son is 3 and does NOT stayed covered up so I have to make sure has warm clothes on. I usually put him in fleece footie pajamas with a onsie and socks on under his pj’s. He has never woke up complaining of being cold. We keep our heat on 73.
Janaya says:
I am from Canada, and I completely understand when temperature suddenly drops to a level your system is not used to! In our -35 weather here today, we have turned the heat up, taken warm baths, and and extra layer is key! I agree with the warm fleecy jammies for sure! Good luck!
Kim says:
Our son is 18 months and my husband has decided after seeing a rather large and scary heating bill that the heat needs to be turned way down at night. So I’ve been putting him in socks, a tighter cotton sleeper and then a fleece footed jammies on him. Some nights I will also put him in a sleep sack. We also have a blanket in the bed that he oftens kicks off but we go in and check on him before we go to bed and cover him up one more time with it. I would rather him be a little warm than too cold. He always feels nice and warm when he gets up in the morning. Good luck.
anne says:
a small space heater in her room
Jess says:
Space heater!
They are much safer than they used to be. My daughter is 3 – we have used a space heater for her every winter.
Jackee says:
Halo SleepSack’s. It adds another layer without having to worry about her not being able to keep a blanket on her all night. They make them large enough for toddlers and even have some with feet cut out’s so they can run around in it. I grew up in northern Minnesota and now live in Wisconsin so cold is something I’m very familiar with:)
Meg says:
A sleepsack might be something to try. They make them with foot holes now for walkers. My mother actually made a few for us and I love them. It’s nice and baggy like a blanket, and her feet will fit through it so she can stand and walk, but she also can’t kick it off at night. On cold nights here I put my son in a footed fleece onesie and then zip him into his sleep sack, also made of fleece. We’re in San Antonio, TX, but it gets pretty chilly here (28 degrees last week at night). So it gets cold, but not COLD, something like what you’re experiencing. Just do a quick search for “Halo early walker”.
Jane says:
Definitely old enough for a blanket. I use a blanket with my 8 month old and sometimes she kicks it off, but sometimes not. Either way, Annie is old enough where it shouldn’t be a problem. I always continuously check on my girls and their blanket situations just to be safe though. Good luck!
KarenM says:
Cold is relative, especially when you’re not used to it. I too am a Canadian Momma. We hit -34 C with a wind chill of -47 C last night. (Minus forty is when Celcius and Fahrenheit meet). My little one, who is 6 months older than your Annie, was in a onesie and footie pajamas last night plus a crib sized quilt. Toasty warm all night.
Sarah says:
Sorry I don’t know if anyone suggested this, but my husband insists on keeping the thermostat at 62 overnight (save money, blah, blah, blah) and while the two of us and my older daughter can snuggle under blankets, I worry about my 14 month old (who we also put in fleece footie pajamas to sleep with no covers). So we put a space heater in her room, and it keeps things nice and toasty, even with high ceilings. Good luck!
Maren says:
We do the long-sleeve onesie and socks under the jamjams, but Annie may be too big for onesies? We also have a space heater in his room, but it is one with a thermostat, so I can set it to only turn on when it gets under a certain temp, and it turns off once it gets there. That way his room isn’t too warm in the morning either. Sleep sacks are great, except that they piss off the active kid who likes to play in his crib for half an hour before falling asleep, so no go, as are blankets, which are the object of the play usually.
Trisha says:
Was going to suggest same thing. Socks and onesie under the jammies as a start. Not a big fan of the space heaters though. For me they dry out the air and it causes sinus troubles for both me and the little one.
SJL22783 says:
In Wisconsin it gets COLD! 36 is warm here What I did w/my 3y/o b4 i felt comfortable using a blanket in her crib was got a fleece sleep sack (they do make them big enough for toddlers) I also did socks, long sleeve onsie, fleece footies, then the sleep sack. Hope this helps and u find answers
tauni says:
I live in Utah and we get some cold days and nights in the winter. Once my kids get older (like Toddler age) I actually put them to bed in less and keep them warm with an electric blanket (I just used it as a mattress pad underneath the sheet so I didn’t have to worry about cords and little ones as well as worry that they will kick it off). I set the electric blanket to about 2 and put a comforter/blanket on the top of them. They sleep great that way. I don’t turn the heater on at night because you sleep better (well at least my husband and I do – and now my kids) so my heater doesn’t kick on unless the house drops below 50. Blankets are the way we stay warm at this house!
Allison says:
We used to have an electric blanket, but it died on us. I’ve been plotting to buy an electric mattress pad, but my cheapness keeps holding me back, even though we turn the heat down 15 degrees at night. My favorite trick — just the regular heating pad. We warm up the bed when we get in, and then if we wake up in the middle of the night shivering, we turn it on again. We have two floating around our house– on that shuts off on a timer and one that doesn’t. I’m sure the timer one is safter…
Tricia says:
“that is so not the opposite….”
Heather says:
Hey Heather,
First I meant to comment on Mike’s post yesterday – I had to laugh because my daugther is now OBSESSED with HeMan on Netflix, thanks to my husband showing her his favorite show from when he was little. She doesn’t want to watch anything else!
Second, how does Annie sleep? When you pick her up after a nap, is she warm, or is she cool? I’d say if she’s a natrually hot sleeper, she’s probably sweating in the night and cooling her self down, making her cold. If she’s normal temperature when you pick her up from her nap, I’d say she’s probably getting cold. I would say keep using the fleece pj’s, but like some of the other moms have said, add a onesie and some socks to the mix. She’s old enough for a blanket, but she will likely kick it off. My peanut will be 4 on Valentine’s day and that child still doesn’t stay covered, so I still rely on footie jammies.
You could also use a space heater. They’re dangerous if you crank them all the way up and just let them run for days on end. Most space heaters now have an overheat sensor on them that shuts them off if they get too hot. They also (even the cheap $15 ones that truly seem to work the best – we live in Colorado, trust me, we’ve got space heaters) have thermostats on them that make them stop running when they’ve got the room warm enough. Then obviously, they’ll kick back on again when the temp drops.
Hope this helps, for what it’s worth!!!
Meyli says:
I’m not a mom, but I know cold weather
I stick with soft comfy socks, sweat pants, and a t-shirt for bed. When I was little, my mom put me in warm fuzzy socks, a long nightgown, and then gave me an extra fleece blanket to cuddle with. I think having a soft blanket to cuddle with automatically makes you warmer! *cough* I don’t still need this…
Amy says:
I didn’t read all the comments, so I dont know if this was suggested or not.
I am from Canada, so obviously I am an expert. Ha.
I would put an undershirt under her p.j’s. Just a t-shirt onesie or something like that, nothing crazy just a little warmer and hugs her body. You don’t want her to get sweaty, especially her feet, so I would skip socks for sure. Plus, I found when my 2 year old was in a crib she kicked the blankets off, but once we made it into a bed, with sheets tucked in and a blanket on top, she stayed under all the time.
Oh and tell Mike he would be warmer if you bought flannel sheets and he slept with less clothing. Closer to nekkid the better Mike. He could be Mike could I be any warmer Spohr if he wanted.
kirsten says:
We also live in CA and had the same problem with our son (2 yrs). we started putting him in light 2-piece cotton pajamas underneath the fuzzy footsie pajamas on top. Then we also have a blanket on his bed and we tuck in the blanket when he hops into bed, so hopefully it won’t move too much. We started doing this over the weekend and he hasn’t woken up in the middle of the night since we started. Good luck!
E3 says:
It’s -45 degrees Celsius here. I wish it was 2 degrees
If I’m going to be this cold, I at least get to win the cold weather whining discussions!
johannamaria says:
OMG where do you live? In Siberia?
And I came here like I could tell a thing or two about cold. But, we rarely go below -35C / -31F AND we probably have the most well insulated and heated houses with triple windows, insulated roofs and also floor heating and saunas in almost every house.
anne says:
im in PA (aka COLDcity) my daughter is 2yrs od next week.
She uses an aden +anais dream blanket http://www.adenandanais.com/shop/blankets.aspx
its warm for her but not over warm and its big enough to cover her up but not too big that is a sea of blanket in her crib. and she does great with it!
ALSO–just get a small space heater that has the auto temp set thingy (yes, technical term)! We have a small tower one in her room set to xx degrees (wasnt much $ at target). It turns on when it gets a degree below what we set it at and turns off when it his 2 degrees above what we set it at. it works PERFECTLY. The nights i forget to turn it on she wakes up crying bc it gets coooold in there. But yeah, we dont have to crank up the whole house heat and waste money. We love it.
SUSAN SPARKS says:
I found that when my children were toddlers, if I put a pair of socks on, under their footed pjs, they stayed warmer. And yes, she is defiately old enough for a blanket. Once you start putting a blanket with her she will learn to pull it over herself during the night if she does get cold.
Falison says:
Annie sleeping with a blanket at this age would be fine, I’m sure! The question is, would she keep it on!
Dixie says:
As a northern Californian and a fostermom to over 125 babies, this is what I do. Put her in a onesie undershirt, pajamas (like the kind I see her wearing in your pics), and a zip-up blanket sleeper (Carter’s are the easiest to find). I keep my house at 66-67 at night. At her age, you can cover her with a blanket, but the chances of it staying over her alnight are slim….to none.
Dixie says:
P.S. I would not put a space heater in a room of a child her age. I think that’s a huge safety risk.
Marnie* says:
You need to get her the Halo Sleepsacks. I LOVED them for my kids. They have larger sizes for toddlers. on very cold days, I would put my daughter in sleepers and the sleep sack. she would stay warm, but not too warm all night. I have bought several as gifts. Love.
Ana-Maria says:
I have been wondering the say thing my self but it seems every person’s advice is different. I guess you have to explore your options and see what works for your own little one!
See, we are on the Island (Vancouver that is) and it should probably be around 8 daily high maybe 0 for the over night (Celcius). Right now it is -6 with a -13 windchill thanks to a system moving accross Washington State today. What we try for out 15 month old differs on different nights. Last evening because it was so cold we had a fleece piece on him plus a light blanket tucked around him from his under arms and down because if he rolls it will go with him and if he turns around it becomes unraveled. [You could try giving Annabel a light baby blanket (during nap times) and monitor her with them until you see her pattern of behaviour with blankets]. But usually we will put our 15 month old in a fleece piece and put a sweetshirt over it with a pair of sweet pants as well. Or if you feel this may be too warm you could try puting one of her lighter 2 piece pjs over the fleece piece (best of both worlds as in warm but not overheated right).
It really varies with each child about the blanket though. Still I am sure after 2 years old is should be fine to give her a blanket (start with light, small blanket and be sure to monitor her with until you are confident she will do well with it). Some things work better than others for each individual child so try each option supervised. If you are uncertain or have any concerns you should really ask your Pediatrician!
Missy says:
We are in VA and it gets pretty cold here in the winter. I have a 10 month old and put her in fleecy footed pajamas and a short or long sleeved onesie underneath. Blankets are tough for ages when they will kick them off but she should be old enough for them. You could always try moving her furniture to be closer to the vents as well.
Hope something works for you!
Jenifer says:
My daughter HATES blankets covering her and we live n AK. so she’s usually in the footie jammies. But if I think it’s extra cold I put socks on under the PJs and a onesie oe her thermals.
It’s a little less bulky than two sets of footie PJs.
Melissa says:
I’m in the bay area, and it has been frigid at night here, too. 26 degrees when I went to bed at midnight on Monday!
My two year old is in a onesie and a fleece sleeper with a sleeping bag like this in his crib
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/boys-safari-sleeping-bags/?pkey=e%7Csleeping%2Bbag%7C7%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C2&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-Top_Marketing_Rule-_-
It works great because I can zip him up in it, he can still roll around a little, but stays covered most of the time. I did the same thing with my daughter.
Lydia says:
Buy a space heater! Easy peasy.
Tania says:
My son would never sleep on his toddler bed. I tried laying down with him to get him to sleep. When I did I realized that the crib mattress gets cold and stays cold at night. We switched both of our children to regular twin beds before they were two. They slept better and never complained of being cold. They also never climbed or fell out of a crib. We simply installed a gate at their bedroom door to keep them safe at night.
MN Colleen says:
Already commented but I did want to add something – footie pj’s are warm, sometimes too warm. Both of my kids were hot boxes when they slept, and if you over bundle, and they can’t shed the layer, they will sweat and then get really cold. Layers is best, socks can come off and make sure the fabric can breath (or they will sweat). Also, my daughter had an awful reaction to the footie pj’s and got a rash from them. We simply cut off the feet of the fleece onesies and replaced with socks. Flannel is cozy and warm and flannel sheets are to die for. (amazon)
Melissa S says:
As a Mom that knows cold (it is -47 degress C, and in F that is -52.6 F (according to google) and that is EFFING cold) I would say give her a big old comforter. Although “they” say that little ones shouldn’t have heavy blankets, I have been laying a blanky over my babe since he was about 4 months old, around the same time he started rolling over on his own onto his tummy. I think she would be fine with a comfy, snuggly blanket to keep her warm. That and fleecys are enough. It sounds silly but when we camp (yes, in the summer, we live in Canada, it gets chilly at night) we put toques on our babes too. Good luck and hopefully this cold snap leaves North America SOON, I am sick of it!
GreenInOC says:
Shannon and Nadine are right – ceiling fans are a bill saver!
I have cathedral ceilings and have ceiling fans in my living space and bedroom (3 total for my tiny house) and they work beautifully pushing all that hot air back down, you don’t feel a breeze and your bill is demonstrably lower to boot!
I read somewhere that if you’ve got the heater set to 68 degrees the temp at the top of 16′ ceilings is NINETY degrees before the heater cycles off – yowza!!
GreenInOC says:
if you do go shopping for ceiling fans you have to look for ones that reversible and that can be reversed with a remote (you won’t be able to reach them easily!).
I had to replace one in my bedroom last year and found that it’s no longer a standard option and between Home Depot and Lowes they carried exactly NONE that reversed with a remote!
Lamps Plus was where I found the most options.
Jeannine says:
she’s totally old enough for a blanket. My son is a few months younger and he uses one .. as did my other two @ this age. xoxo!
karen says:
Wearable blankets! For our 1 year old, we use aden & anais sleep sacks over cotton pajamas or even over the fleece footies if it’s really cold (muslin is nice and breathable). She may hate sleepsacks now if she’s not used to them but Halo has some just for walkers. They have an early walker and also big kid version (https://www.halosleep.com/products/results/?product_category_id=10). I also give my one year old a blanket but she always ends up on top of it instead of the blanket on top of her. You may also want to change her sheets. I noticed my daughter’s crib sheets were always cold so I got different sheets (I guess it depends on the material).
Carrie says:
I’m from Canada Eh! Right now I live on the southern West Coast, bordering Washington State. Our weather today is about -7C or 20F. So my frozen children of the North ( age 3,2, and 1) wear typical walmart brand PJ’s to bed, and my baby is in Costco sleepers; each of them have twin size comforters (despite their toddler beds), and their individual rooms are cranked to 70. When they wake up I turn the heat off to their room and shut the door (Saves money on our heating).
The blancing act between warm and cold is a tough one though. Some times I find I have been overzealous in my heat cranking and my kids are freezing cold because they are chilled from sweat.
If you don’t want to turn Annie’s heat up then try putting on a thin layer of clothes under her jammies. Even just a pair of stockings (nylons) might help, or you could let Mike dress her
Kristen says:
I’ve been putting my baby in a regular footie onesie thing-y and also zipping her in a fleece sleep sack. We live in Texas and she is upstairs so while it isn’t freezing weather, the upstairs never really gets as warm as down.
Snarky Mommy says:
Our 2-year-old sleeps in the coldest room in the house and we live in Chicago, so that ain’t no joke. We put her in fleece jammies and use a space heater. A fancy space heater that shuts off if it would get knocked over and has a thermostat. But that’s an idea for her room since it’s not an every-night thing.
Julie says:
Halo sleepsack, fleece, for toddlers. Amazon has them. They go way up the toddler size chart.
My daughter has the 2T-3T size and is one day older than Annie. We live in Chicago suburbs so we get very cold here at night. I also put a blanket on her, but she just rolls around and the blanket makes no difference. However, 2yr olds like our girls can certainly have a blanket.
We also use a small space heater in her room and turn it on for her on the really cold nights.
Jess says:
Space. Heater. We keep one in each of the kids’ rooms and set it to 70. It goes off and on during the night, but keeps their rooms warm without messing with the whole house. Big big fan.
Jessica says:
This might have already been suggested buy my kids use sleep sacks, they make them for bigger kids with holes for their feet and it’s great for keeping them warm all night.
elissa says:
I am sure this has already been said but get a small heater for her room. My husband likes the house cold. The kids and I like warmth. So we keep the house at 68 then i use a thick blanket and we keep the space heater in the girls room on a timer at night.
Megan says:
It was -45 C last night where I live (Alberta,Canada). I have two children, for my oldest (22 months) He wears footy pj’s and has two blankets in his crib that he refuses to sleep without. My youngest (4 months) wears footy pj’s and then I swaddle her as well. I would say if Annie does not do well with a blanket that the sleep sacks would be your best bet.
Jennifer A. says:
We live in Maine and turn the thermostat down to 62 every night before bed. On really cold nights (and there are plenty of them), she sleeps in footed fleece pjs. She just switched to a “big girl” bed, so using larger blankets is easier (plus they stay on her better). But, even in the crib, I would put 2-3 baby blankets over her, arranging them so that everything was well covered. We check on her before we go to bed and make sure she’s still covered up.
The sleep sac is a good idea too…although she might not like being confined. Good luck and stay warm!
Mindy says:
we have a little heater in our son’s room. our upstairs get downright freezing & so we have one in his room & one in ours. works like a charm!
Sheryl Macnie says:
I live in Tierra del Fuego, fairly close to Antarctica, it is always cold here! The absolute solution for my girls were sleepsacks. Warm pj´s with sleep sack on top of that. They can´t kick it off and they can´t pull it over their heads.
Caroline says:
I would give her a blankie. We live in Indiana and I think our little girl slept with one at this age. Even if she kicks it off you can run in much easier at night and cover her back up if she wakes up saying she’s cold. Then she may figure out to do it for herself!
Jo says:
I’m in Maine where it’s pretty darn cold. If you think there’s a risk that she’s sweating maybe avoid cotton- when it’s wet it will make her cold whereas polyester fleece should wick and allow her temp to regulate better. On really cold nights we do two layers of fleece pjs (the outer layer a size up for next year’s base layer) and a blanket (my youngest is 2). Does she sleep soundly enough that you could sneak in before you go to bed and feel the back of her neck to see if she’s sweaty or cool to the touch and then decide whether to blanket or de-blanket?
twingles says:
I lived in NY when my kids were babies and I dressed them in a onesie under their footie pajamas. Layering is good but they shouldn’t be overbundled. However if she’s waking up cold you gotta do something. THose layers always worked for me.
Also, ceiling fans work great in the winter – reverse the direction you would put on in the summer and it pushes the warm air down. Keep them on a low setting.
karen carr says:
I live in Buffalo, NY….so we know cold. They make very safe space heaters now, that you csn even control when it goes on. Also, down comforters are wonderful too. I would research space heaters and see what you think….
Jennifer says:
I live in northern CA and don’t turn on the heat on at all at night. We all use heated matress pads and warm pajamas. Halo sleepsacks seemed like a genius idea, but at some point my son would try to walk around in them trying to get to me, and I felt like he would kill himself doing that so we nixed them.
ldoo says:
Well, I’m guessing with all these comments, you’ve probably gotten a good answer. But I’ll throw mine in there, anyway.
We do fleece footies, like the one Annie is wearing in that picture, and a thin set of PJs underneath, or preferably a one-piece thin thermal underneath. Plus socks, cause the feet on these fleece PJs are thin.
No, I think blankets at this age are useless.
Ali says:
I live in FL, so like you, I was unprepared for some seriously chilly weather! Toss in a drafty house and we had one chilly little Chicago on our hands.
Our solution was socks and silk pjs under the footie pjs, along with a sleep sack. the silk really did help keep her from over sweating, but all the layers still kept her warm.
Sending you toasty thoughts!
Ali says:
*Chica, NOT Chicago. (Although, I do love me some Windy City).
Leslie says:
When Emily was Annie’s age we lived in So CA and I dressed her in cotton carter’s footies and then fleece Carter’s footies over that. No blankies and she was great. Oh wearable blankets are great too, but the double pj’s let her move all over and she’s a mover. The great thing is before bed and morning she was comfy in the cotton footies since she was running all over.
Here in CO she wears less, like you say, our house HAS insulation and it stays a comfy temp all night!
Pilotswife97 says:
I haven’t read all the comments so I am probably repeating here, but my say is socks and a onesie under her fleece jammies.
Still Playing School says:
We layer UNDER the fleece jammies. Socks, a onesie (sometimes long sleeved), and pants if its super cold. E won’t stay under blankets, either. Annie reminds me so much of my E. And I hate that they both lost a sister.
Sandra says:
I’m in the Bay Area and it’s friggin cold here too.
I dressed my girls in tight fitting (not loose and flowey) two piece jammies with socks UNDER the fleece footed jammies in winter. 2 layers always. Blankets wouldn’t stay on ever.
Good luck!
Amelia says:
I got my 2 year old a very light in weight, but warm and cozy crib blanket. She kicked it off all last year, but this year she’s been using it and enjoying it!
Amy J says:
Ceiling fans have a reverse switch for winter months that will turn the blades counter clockwise when in the lowest setting. This will push the air trapped in the ceiling back into the room, making it feel several degrees warmer. Reverse back in Spring and save $ on a/c as your unit won’t have to run as much.
Save money and be cooler/ warmer. It’s a win, win!
Jennifer says:
Put a shirt under her jammies and socks on her feet. We don’t have heat here in Oklahoma and we just layer up. It’s not so bad.
lara says:
if this weather is rare, and you don’t want to get a sleepsack (which are wonderful, yet pricey)
long sleeve onesie + 2 piece fitted pj’s & socks + fleece footie zip up jammies.
Adrienne says:
Because I am lazy I am going to offer my opinion without reading the 150 comments above me and assume that no one has offered this solution yet.
Put a tshirt and socks on under the jammies and instead of a blanket put her in a sleeping bag. It is very hard to “kick off” a sleeping bag and they are usually warmer, and cute too
Jeanie says:
I would keep Annie in her fleece pj’s and get her a comforter. My kids slept with blankets from day one. And Heather, don’t you feel like a wuss complaining about the cold when you read the comments from Canada, Minnesnowta, etc., and their cold temps? I do. I’m in Sacramento — and freezing!
Me says:
“could I BE wearing any more clothes?”
If that is a Friends reference than I love you even more.
Jenny says:
We use a fleece halo sleep sack for our just turned 2 year old (bonus, it makes it so he can’t crawl out of his crib).
Amazon and Target have them: even one with feet Halo Sleep Sack BIG KIDS. They are awesome, no blankets needed. SO cozy to snuggle with.
36 IS cold.
Meghan says:
I always put a blanket on Ollie after he’s fallen asleep. Seems less likely to kick it off that way. Also, when he wakes up and ends up in bed with me I’ve found that he tosses and turns until I put another blanket on to make it TOASTY warm. Then he settles down and sleeps.
But, he’s also sitting in the diaper drawer right now, so he’s clearly an odd bird.
Lanie says:
We used fleece sleep sacks for as long as we could. I hope it gets warmer soon. Take care.
Jesso says:
Here is Boston, all the cool kids wear fleece footed PJs with a fleece or cotton sleep sack. My toddler can’t kick it off, and it keeps him toasty. We buy them at Babies R Us and through Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/SleepSack-Micro-Fleece-Wearable-Blanket-Fuchisa/dp/B000G0JF8M/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1326935892&sr=8-10
Quart says:
“Could I BE wearing any more clothes?!” HAHAHAHAHAHA
Violet says:
Awe! Poor sweet girl! When I was a live in nanny, some things we did ( we used only wood stove heat, so when the fire went out, the house got COLD!)… we would put a onesie on the baby, socks, a cotton footie sleeper, and then a fleece sleeper. This kept baby plenty warm, and still able to move around well. For some reason when I have socks on at night I always get too hot. Maybe socks under her sleeper would help? And yes, blankets I think she’s old enough for blankets, she can roll around and move around really well, so not much risk for her!
Kelly says:
I live in freezing cold Ohio and my 14-month old wears fleece footed PJs, socks, and a onesie to bed. Sometimes her hands are cold if she doesn’t sleep on them, but otherwise good!
Stacie says:
I agree with the one poster near the top, I used a kid sized sleeping bag for both my kids when they were in the crib, and when they first moved to a twin bed. I would leave the side unzipped a bit so they could breathe a bit. Also used/ still use a space heater that can be set to a certain temp. so it isn’t running all night. Very safe…shuts off when tipped, and cool to the touch. My kids didn’t like the sleep sacks by that age, but used them when they were younger. You could also try 2 lightish blankets and put them on staggered to each side so when they rolled over, they would still be covered somewhat. Trial and error I guess. Oh, am also a Canadian mom FREEZING right now!!
Brooke says:
Not a parent so no advise, but love the Friends reference.
Becky Campbell says:
I am a cold climate Mama and when mine were at that age, they did sleep with blankets and they also kicked them off!:/ I would not suggest using 2 layers of fleece pj’s…that would be too hot and too confining. I would suggest a long sleeve tshirt (or cotton knit pj top) and a pair of socks under her fleece footie pj’s. Usually the arms and feet are the first to get cold. If she still wakes up cold, maybe add a pair of cotton knit pj bottoms and see how that goes, but it’s better to not overheat them, so I wouldn’t use the extra pants unless she really needs it.:)
Tina says:
We live in MT and it’s -20 today! I have the same problem you do with my 21 mo old twins. (Especially the one who’s crib is closer to the window). She wakes up in the middle of the night crying if she gets too cold. Our solution was to get a heater for the room. We bought a free-standing one from Walgreens that you can set at the exact temperature you’d like. It doesn’t get hot to the touch, so I don’t worry about them burning themselves during the day, but it’s perfect for chilly nights. I set it at 75 on really cold nights, even though I keep the rest of the house at 70, so it’s been an ideal solution. All they sleep in is footy, fleecy pjs w/ no blankets and no more waking up. Hope this helps!
Kristi says:
Heather, we live in the Rockies and it gets cold here too! To boot, we live in an old house, which even with insulation and new thermal windows is drafty at times. For our son we bought a freestanding plug-in heater at walmart. It is thermostat controlled so only comes on when it goes below whatever temp you set (we did 70), and comes with auto safety shut-off features if tipped, etc. It was the perfect solution for us. Good luck!
Rebecca says:
I’m not a cold-weather mama – I’m just a Socal-no-insulation mama like you. I have a kid-proof space heater in my son’s room, and I turn it on “low” on really cold nights and let it run until I go to bed, or if it’s really cold, all night long. It keeps JUST his room warm, since he seems to think sleeping is a wrestling match with the blankets and never seems to actually have them over him, what with all the tossing and turning. Just my 2c!
Krystle says:
So first off I second the Halo sleep blanket/sack. It has foot holes so she won’t get twisted up but stays warm. http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=537304&cmSource=Search
Second our house is only heated in the living room by a bleepin old gas heater (think 1960’s) We have CO2 protectors and fire protectors so don’t worry, but it only heats the living room. Ever since we moved into this house 07 and winter hit our daughters room has had an oil filled heater. It has a thermostat and safety tip-0ver monitor. It is always set at 68 and both our girls who share a room now sleep in jammies and socks of somekind with blankets. My youngest is 16mths and oldest is 4 1/4 and they have booth always had a small crochet’s or light weight blanket about the same size as them to use and haven’t heard any complaints. A heater is installed in their room around Oct and doesn’t leave until Apr-May depending on our freaky weather. We just had our first snow storm of the season here in Central Washington State. Goodluck! I’m thinkin small heater to even her room temp out though.
Jean says:
Put plastic over the windows in her room. They sell the plastic in Home Depot. You are supposed to use a blow dryer on the plastic, but I just taped it to the wall around the windows. The blow dryer method was not that good. After you do that, shut her door. Her room should warm up nicely.
Brooke says:
I used to put a onsie on underneath the flannel pjs so that she had a thin extra layer that would suffice. Plus she slept with a fleece blanket. It always seemed to do the trick without overheating her.
Carrie says:
My kids are hot natured, but my friend dresses her kiddos in footie fleece pjs but she has them wear a tshirt and socks underneath. That seems to keep them way warmer than just the pjs!
wallydraigle says:
We lived in a very old, very drafty house in Wisconsin when our daughters were brand new. I noticed with my own clothes that if I’m wearing just fleece, I don’t really stay warm. Every tiny little bit of sweat just sits on my skin and gets clammy. So for our first daughter (her room was the coldest in the house, even with a space heater), we put her in a snug cotton footed suit and THEN a fleece footed suit. Like me, she’s a sweaty person when she sleeps, but she still gets really cold. Both of our kids are like this. The cotton absorbs the sweat, and the extra layer adds some insulation.