Discussing The Best Time To Transition Out Of Footie Pajamas & Why
The sight of a baby sleeping soundly in cozy pajamas is picture-perfect, and parents end up with a nursery full of pajamas waiting for their baby to wear. With multiple pajama options and styles in your little one's wardrobe, you may have found a favorite. Whether footed pajamas fall into this category or not, you likely have wondered when babies stop wearing footed pajamas.
Another thought that may have surfaced is whether a baby should wear footed pajamas. After all, there seem to be hiccups with many baby products and constant recalls. These situations can make us second guess our every move in how we dress our babies and what products we purchase for them.
When do babies stop wearing footed pajamas?
There is no deadline to when you need to stop dressing your baby in footed pajamas, this genuinely is a matter of personal preference for you and your baby. Parents often stop using footed pajamas when their babies are on the move, furniture-surfing, or walking. Wearing footed pajamas while they try to navigate their way to better mobility can cause stumbles due to the lack of grip.
If you're struggling to find a pair of footed pajamas that fit your baby snuggly, this can be the time to let go of using them. Pajamas must fit snug to avoid the risk of injury or increase the risk of unsafe sleep practices. I personally struggled to find footed pajamas that fit my babies all around. Often the pajamas would fit their torso but the area surrounding their feet had more fabric than needed. This would pose difficulty if my littles were trying to walk and it was the main reason we personally stopped using this style of pajama. It’s always best to use your judgement and stop using a style of pajama that impacts your little ones mobility or increases the number of stumbles or falls.
Should a baby sleep in footed pajamas?
If you love footed pajamas on your baby but question if this should be part of their sleep attire, keep in mind temperature regulation. You want to avoid under or over-dressing your infant.
The ideal bedroom temperature is between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit, this produces the optimal temperature for sleep. If the temperature of the room is on the cooler end, having your baby in footed pajamas can help keep them warm. However, if you're dealing with summer weather or a heat wave and controlling the temperature is proving to be difficult, it would be best to focus on breathable material. Less is more when it comes to a hot room and avoiding covering their feet would be best.
For sleep safety, it is important to make sure the pajamas your baby is wearing are snug to fit, pajamas that are baggy or loose can pose risk. Babies sleep best when they are comfortable in what they wear and in the ideal temperature. If you are using a sleep sack, your baby or toddler would likely prefer feeling the soft fabric of the sleep sack against their feet vs. wearing footed pajamas. Wearing footed pajamas can limit the sensory input that babies crave. A friendly reminder, having your baby in properly fitting pajamas and a sleep sack is the best way to keep them warm while following safe sleep practices. If you are struggling to find footed pajamas that fit securely, using a one piece pajama set without feet can be just as comfortable.
What are the pros of footie pajamas?
They can protect the baby's skin from cooler temperatures. You do not have to worry about losing socks on your little ones feet. Having grips on the bottom of footed pajamas can help with walking depending on the type of floor. Some parents prefer having their newborns in footed pajamas to help with temperature regulation. For newborns who do not enjoy being swaddled and have their feet exposed, using footed pajamas are easier vs socks which can fall off while in their sleep space, posing a risk factor with lose fabric in their bassinet or crib.
What are the cons of footie pajamas?
Makes it difficult to assess if there are any lose hairs or strings around your babies toes or ankle that can accidentally cause injury. Some babies can run on the warmer side and having their feet covered can impact their ability to sleep well if they become too hot. Depending on the floor, footed pajamas can limit a babies ability to balance or cause them to slip.
Lastly, have you wondered if you can get away with having your baby in pajamas all day and night? You can go the pajama route vs dressing them in little outfits if you find it easier. My family had many pajama days in our household during the first 6 months especially. However, it is recommended that babies spend as much time as possible when awake with bare feet. This allows for optimal development of the feet, it also impacts a baby's ability to balance, and positively boosts sensory-motor development. You can keep the footed pajamas for sleep time and go with a footless pajama style for wake and play time.
If your baby has out grown the footed pajama’s you once loved, or if you’re struggling to find a pair that fits well, you can move towards a footless one piece pajama set. Always use your parental instincts to pick an outfit or sleep wear you find most suitable for your baby.
Dream Pajamas
Kayla is a mama of two littles, each born during the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to becoming a mom, she worked as a Registered Nurse for 12 years. Now as a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, she owns and runs Serenity Sleep Consulting full time.
After having her first baby, sleep deprivation hit hard. She was desperate for rest and knew she needed to focus on establishing a healthy sleep foundation. Kayla researched infant sleep and started to focus on what she likes to call Sleep Shaping. Her son went from waking every hour to sleeping 4-5 hour stretch, followed by 6-8 hours, and eventually 12 hours at 3 months of age. This method has turned into her signature service, it allows her to provide education and tools to help families with newborns. She also works with those who have babies 4 months upwards of 4-5 years.
We all function at our optimal level with a full night’s rest and Kayla loves to support parents in this journey!
