WTF is a TOG?

How to decipher weights and stages like a pro.

What does TOG mean?

TOG refers to the weight or warmth of a baby’s sleep bag. Officially the TOG rating guide stands for Thermal Overall Grade, but essentially the TOG meaning is a rating of how effectively a particular fabric insulates.

And what's a TOG rating?

TOG numbers go up in weight, so a 0.2 or 0.3 TOG sleep bag is the lightest available and are perfect for hot summer nights (over 26 degrees). The warmest is a 3.5 TOG and is the equivalent of a thick woollen blanket on your bed. Toasty warm and ideal for icy winter temps.

Learn more by watching our WTF is a TOG tutorial video now.

The Memo TOG Guide

The above TOG chart is really easy to understand which suit to dress your child in. Colder rooms (14°C -16°C) require warmer clothing, so choose the 3.5 TOG rated suits. Mild rooms (16°C-20°C) require warm clothing, so opt for 2.5 TOG rated suits and bags. Warm rooms (20°C-24°C) require lighter clothing, so you should choose the 1.0TOG level clothing. And hotter rooms between 24-27°C require the lightest layer of clothing, so opt for 0.2TOG level.

What are sleep bags?

Sleep bags often come in “stages” which basically refers to ages, but are labelled this way because you are led by your baby’s developmental level i.e. do they roll? Until they do, their sleep bags are the arms-in style. Either arms down (making them look like a burrito, e.g Ergo Pouch), or arms up (making them look like a sugar glider, e.g. Love To Dream). Once they’re rolling, it's arms out, and as they become bigger, and more climby, you can convert the bag to legs.

Love To Dream TOG

Love to Dream is the go-to brand if you're looking for arms up sleep bags. The brand’s sleepwear is designed to eliminate the need for multiple layers of wrapping as well as blankets. Ensuring your child does not overheat during the night is especially important as this has been linked to SIDS. Love to Dream sleepwear is each given a TOG rating according to the level of warmth they provide to help guide you to choose the right product for your child. Basically, the higher the TOG, the warmer the product.

ErgoPouch TOG

Following the same TOG rating and principles as Love to Dream, ErgoPouch is your go-to brand if your bub turns out to be an arms down sleeper. All of their sleepwear is made from GOTS-certified organic cotton and bamboo, allowing your baby's skin to breath easily.

As your baby is only in those early stages for a short period of time, buy for your stage and the season to avoid waste. A baby born in December isn’t going to need a newborn sleep bag in a 2.5 TOG, just as a June baby won’t need one in a 0.2 TOG. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There you have it, TOG training complete.

Read more about what you actually need to dress your newborn here.