HOW MUCH WRAPPING DO BABIES NEED AT NIGHT

In a longitudinal, population based study, overnight temperature recor dings were made in the bedrooms of 152 babies aged 3-18 weeks and the insulation provided by their bedclothing was assessed. Outdoor tempera tures for the study nights were also available. Parents applied more i nsulation on colder nights with lower bedroom temperatures than on war mer nights (mean 8.5 tog at 15-degrees-C minimum bedroom temperature f alling to 4.0 tog at 25-degrees-C). For a particular temperature they also applied 2 tog more insulation in winter than in summer. The amoun ts of bedclothing used in the home were compared with insulation level s predicted to achieve thermoneutrality over a similar range of enviro nmental temperature from heat balance studies in young infants. They c orresponded closely. The average amount of bedclothing chosen for babi es in Avon allows them to remain in thermoneutral conditions throughou t the night. These values are proposed as broad guidelines for the the rmal care of young babies at night.