A sleepsuit is a one-piece outfit with long sleeves and long legs that goes on over the diaper. Most have closed feet. It opens down the front with a zip, snaps or magnets. One garment does the job of a top, pants and socks, so nothing rides up and nothing gets kicked off.
In the UK it is a sleepsuit or a babygrow. In the US it is a sleeper or footie pajamas.
In the first months a sleepsuit can be your baby's outfit day and night, so it is worth having several.
- For ages0–3years
- You'll need6–8per size
- Wear it below24°C75°F
When babies wear one
At night it is the usual sleep outfit, on its own or under a sleep bag. For a cold room there is a padded version, the quilted sleepsuit.
In the day it is an ordinary outfit. To go out, add a jacket or a pram suit on top.
On hot days, a short-sleeve bodysuit or a romper is cooler.
Zip, snaps or magnets
The fastening matters more than anything else on a sleepsuit, because you open it at every diaper change, often in the dark.
Two-way zip
One zip runs from the neck down to one ankle, so it opens from the top or from the foot. A one-way zip only opens from the neck, so the whole front comes open for every change.
- Good: Two pulls, one at the foot
- Good: Chest stays zipped for a change
- Not good: Can rub under the chin
Snaps
A row of snaps (poppers in the UK) runs down the front and along both legs, so each leg opens all the way.
- Good: Top stays done up for a change
- Good: Easy over round thighs
- Not good: Slow, and easy to miss one
Magnets
Flat magnets are sewn into both front edges, and they pull the sides together.
- Good: Closes as you smooth it shut
- Good: Fastest at a night change
- Not good: Seams near magnets need a look
Gown
A newborn gown has no fastening at all: the bottom is open, gathered with soft elastic, and you lift the hem for a change. Pick elastic, never a drawstring, which can come loose and wrap around the neck.
- Good: Nothing to open at night
- Not good: Rides up once the legs kick
Footed or footless
Footed
Closed feet keep the toes warm, which helps most at night and for small babies. It is outgrown as soon as the toes reach the end.
Footless
Cuffs at the ankles instead of feet. It fits a long baby for longer, sits well in a carrier, and lets you add socks, or leave the feet bare on a warm day. Some have fold-over feet that turn a footless suit into a footed one.
Where the toes go
A footed sleepsuit can fit well around the body while the toes inside it have no room. The fabric hides them, so in these drawings the feet are see-through.
On the matGood: Room past the toes
With the legs straight, there is spare fabric past the toes, and they lie flat.
In a carrierNot good: The toes curl
A carrier holds the knees bent up at hip height. That pulls the legs of the suit up, so the feet press on the toes and curl them. In a carrier, use a footless sleepsuit, or pants with socks.
A few weeks laterNot good: The toes press the end
Your baby has grown into the feet. The suit still fits around the body, but the toes press the end and curl, even with the legs straight. It is time for the next size.
How to choose a sleepsuit
1. Room in the feet
Age labels are rough, so the length and weight on the label are the better guide. Then check the feet with your baby's legs straight.
- Good: Sized by length and weight
- Good: Toes clear of the end
- Not good: Toes curled at the end
2. A zip guard at the chin
A soft fold of fabric over the top of the zip keeps the metal off the chin and neck. Without one, the zip pull rubs every time your baby turns.
- Good: Soft flap over the zip end
- Not good: Bare zip pull at the neck
3. Mitten cuffs for a newborn
These fold-over cuffs turn into mittens that keep a newborn's nails off the face.
- Good: Folds over the whole hand
- Good: Sewn on, nothing to lose
- Not good: Loose threads in the cuff
4. Grips once your baby walks
Smooth fabric feet slide on hard floors. That matters from the day your baby pulls up to stand.
- Good: Non-slip dots on the soles
- Good: Footless, with grippy socks
- Not good: Smooth fabric soles
Putting it on and changing a diaper
Open the sleepsuit fully, lay it flat and lay your baby on top. Feet go in first, then the arms. For each sleeve, reach in from the cuff, hold your baby's hand and draw it through. Close it from the foot up, with the zip guard over the top.
For a diaper change, open a two-way zip from the bottom only. The legs come out and the chest stays zipped and warm. With snaps, undo the legs and leave the top done up.
When a sleepsuit comes out of the wash, turn the feet inside out and pull out any loose hair or thread. A hair can wind tightly around a toe. If your baby cries hard and a toe looks red or swollen, look closely for a hair wrapped around it and call your doctor.
Questions parents ask
Zipper or snaps: which is better?
Of the two, a two-way zip for night changes, because there is nothing to line up in the dark. Snaps are the better pick if a zip rubs your baby's chin.
Is a sleeper the same as a onesie?
No, though US parents call both onesies. A bodysuit is a top that snaps under the diaper and leaves the legs bare. A sleepsuit has full legs and usually feet, so it is a whole outfit.
What is a sleep and play?
Another name for a sleepsuit, used by some US shops.
Can babies wear footie pajamas all day?
Yes. A sleepsuit is a whole outfit, so there is no need to change into day clothes in the morning. Change it when it is wet or dirty.
Can babies sleep in just footie pajamas?
Yes. In a mild room a sleepsuit can be the whole sleep outfit, with no blanket on top. In a cooler room, add a sleep bag over it. The sleep guide shows what to wear for each room temperature.
Why do baby pajamas have to be snug-fitting?
It is a US fire-safety rule: sleepwear sized above 9 months must fit snugly or resist flames, because loose fabric catches fire more easily. It is why toddler pajamas feel so tight.
Are magnetic sleepers safe?
Yes. The magnets are sewn into pockets inside the fabric, so your baby never touches them. Now and then, check the seams near them, and stop using the sleeper if one opens.
Should babies wear footie pajamas in summer?
Yes, a thin cotton one, as long as the room is not hot. The fabric matters more than the feet: thin cotton with feet is cooler than fleece without. The hot weather guide has what to wear on hot days and nights.
Why shouldn't babies wear footie pajamas in a carrier?
Because the bent knees pull the feet of the suit tight over the toes. A footless sleepsuit, or pants with socks, avoids it. The carrier guide has the whole outfit.
When should babies stop wearing footie pajamas?
There is no set age, and they come in toddler sizes too. Once your baby walks, choose grippy soles or go footless. Two-piece pajamas make potty training easier, because the pants come down on their own.
How many sleepsuits do I need?
At least six for a newborn, because leaks and spit-up land on the sleepsuit first. The checklist has what to buy, and how many.
