Actually, Science Can Explain Why Your Baby Hates Their Pajamas

Every new parent knows a lot of thought, time, and effort goes into creating the perfect sleep environment for a newborn. We worry about the right nursery colors, cribs, mobiles, and comfortable baby clothes, all in the hopes our new additions will sleep through the night. All that hard work doesn't always pay off, though. Sometimes, a fussy baby just won't sleep, and us parents end up asking ourselves endless questions, like "Why does my baby hate their pajamas?", in an attempt to figure out where we went wrong and what we can do to get back on track.

Maybe your kid is a natural nudist and just wants to wear his or her birthday suit when bedtime arrives. Sure, I guess we can't blame them, but when your baby refuses to wear pajamas it can cause quite a headache. A fear almost all new parents share is the fear that they're not ensuring their baby's comfort and safety. So, it's common to assume that a baby sans pajamas is a cold baby. That's not entirely the case, though.

In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (APA) warns parents to ensure their baby is not overheating by choosing light fabrics to dress their baby in, and skipping blankets completely. The APA goes on to say, "In general, your baby should be dressed with only one layer more than you're wearing." So while it's normal to worry as to whether or not your baby is too cold, the APA advises parents to take into consideration how hot they may or may not be, too.

In fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) alerts parents that cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) actually spike in the winter, because parents worried that their babies are too cold end up over-dressing their babies and inadvertently cause them to overheat. The NIH goes on to say:

"Extra blankets, warm clothes, may lead to dangerous overheating. Infants should be placed on their backs to sleep, with feet at the foot of the crib, in light sleep clothing and at a room temperature that is comfortable for adults."

In other words, if your little one hates their pajamas, it might not be the worst thing in the world.

If your baby is refusing to sleep comfortably in their pajamas, and you're worried about their temperature, there are, thankfully, a few solutions you could try. Baby Center says the importance of establishing a bedtime routine with babies is paramount. The site goes on to advise parents to get into a routine of play, bath, diaper, songs, and story before bed. If you add a particular pajama to their bedtime routine, there's a chance your baby could simply get used to their bedtime clothes and adjust accordingly.

Parents also suggests that it may be the act of getting undressed, rather than the actual pajamas, that your baby hates. Parents goes on to say, "Babies can't regulate their body temperature very well, so the temperature drop of getting undressed feels dramatic." So you can undress your baby in a warmer environment if your and/or their bedroom is particularly cold, and perhaps the subtle change in temperature won't leave your baby dreading the moment you take off their pajamas.

Whatever you do, don't panic. So long as their sleeping environment is at a comfortable temperature, you can put your baby to sleep in just their diaper, or a onesie, and they will be just fine.