Naked in Bed

Updated on September 13, 2011
V.K. asks from Roseville, CA
30 answers

Ok, I am sure the title grabbed your attention... LOL.

My daughter will be 5 in November and she prefers to sleep naked. I was always a PJ gal myself even at her age. I don't think we ever were given the opportunity to argue about it even if we preferred to sleep without.

Now, let me explain that I do not really encourage this. When I leave her room she still has panties on but takes them off when I leave her room to go to sleep. Although I am aware of what she is doing I am not exactly sure if there is anything "wrong" with it or if I should be bothered by it at all (I am on the fence).

So, what are your opinions?

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M.R.

answers from Phoenix on

I doubt she'll ever have a problem with yeast infections. This personal choice is probably much healthier for her in the long run.

Sweet dreams!! I hope she's warm in the winter.

9 moms found this helpful
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M.M.

answers from Chicago on

My soon to be 7 year old has slept naked for years. Although we draw the line with sleepovers, overnight guests and vacations in strange beds.

Otherwise, I love her little uninhibited self. More power to her.

6 moms found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Kansas City on

I say let her sleep naked. it can be so much more comfortable. i would say that she should know that if she has a friend stay over or if she stays over with a friend she needs to keep the jammies on though.

5 moms found this helpful

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J.L.

answers from Minneapolis on

This may be a problem when she's older. It might cause modesty or boundary issues if there are boys (brothers and even dad) in the house when she gets to that age, or she goes on sleepovers to friend's homes where it would be awkward for her buddies, or downright bad news if there's a dad or brothers around to see her in all her glory) or vice versa, friends spend the night at your house and they're put off by it. What if there's a fire or emergency and the family has to high tail it out of there with no time to lose to find clothes?

Better to try and get her used to some type of jammies/covering now to avoid potential issues later. Do more than just pants at night. Get her a whole outfit. She may not like the way heavy night clothes feel, so try something more like underwear such as a cami and shorts, or a slip dress, or try a fabric that is more silky or very light like linen or raw silk. Unfortunately, young children's pajamas are very heavy and have those flame retardants in them making them hot and sometimes stiff. I'd shop for jammies at a place that has organic fabrics.

Here are places to check:

http://www.kidbean.com/garden-kids-lavender-natural-strip...

http://www.urthchild.com/sarah-waldo-organics-organic-cot...

http://childrens-clothing.lovetoknow.com/Beautiful_Cotton...

Good luck.

7 moms found this helpful
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P.M.

answers from Portland on

I have yet to find really comfortable sleepwear, even underwear, that doesn't dig or bind or hang up on the bedding when I try to roll over. I've loved to sleep in my birthday suit ever since i realized that was an option.

I'm sure that many circumstances make it desirable to wear something to bed, but "it's not what people do" is just not a very compelling reason to require pj's. In the privacy of one's own bed, who cares, especially if the sleeper is most comfortable nekked? My grandson loves sleeping in his skin, and in the summer, he gets that choice. His bedroom gets pretty cold in the winter, and he tends to kick off blankets, so his parents will probably insist that he 'jammie up' in a month or two.

7 moms found this helpful
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B.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Boy or girl, clothed or naked, not a problem.

Better for her to sleep naked than to develop phobias/hang-ups about being naked with her spouse.

Good luck to you and yours.

7 moms found this helpful

L.U.

answers from Seattle on

umm....I sleep naked. I have for a LONG time. I can't STAND wearing PJ's. It can be 30 degrees and snowing out and guess who's naked in bed? ME!
I wouldn't be bothered by it at all and can certainly not see any health issues with not having panties or PJ's on...in fact, see benefits to it myself.
L.

7 moms found this helpful
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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

I've preferred to sleep raw my whole life. Didn't get to (often) until I was 17 and moved out (and then I had to wear even MORE... since bootcamp/combat training etc, you go to bed in ba, shirt, underwear, shorts...even with your socks on :P thwibbt... but a few months down the road was just pure bliss.)

For some time now, I've had to wear clothes to bed. Not PJs, per se... but a slickery pair of adidas track pants and an underwire swim tank. Because my son piles in with me all the time. Since they're slippery, they don't get tangled (or worse; get tangled and wake me up).

That's my number 1 gripe with PJs... they tangle, and choke, and rub, and just annoy me while trying to get to sleep, sleeping, waking up choking, all that. ((My mum put me in fredricks of hollywood pjs at the age of 7 just to keep clothes on me. Those work as well. Not the super sexy ones... just the slickery camisole top and shorts. No underwear. Ugh. Underwear are A.N.N.O.Y.I.N.G. It was an accidental find one summer when I spent all day in the ocean and blistered from head to toe. It was the only thing I wore for 3 days straight.))

So right there are 2 options for you, if you want her dressed. "Lingerie" satin, or slick workout clothes. That is... if her issues are sensory, like mine are.

6 moms found this helpful
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C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

Nothing wrong with it. Let her sleep however she is most comfortable.

5 moms found this helpful

E.A.

answers from Erie on

My opinion is that you must have an awesome kid if this is the worst of your problems :)

There is nothing wrong with being naked, and I think it's prudish to force anyone to sleep with pajamas if they are not comfortable in them (of course, if prudish is your 'thing' then there goes my argument out the window lol). Hang a fun colorful robe by her bed and encourage her to use it when she gets up, like when she goes to the bathroom (make it a habit), and talk to her about what to do in an emergency that might rise her from bed in the middle of the night. Easy Peasy.

And as far as when she gets older, it's nobody else's business what I wear to bed, not in high school or college or in any roommate situation. I sleep naked, my husband sleeps naked. The kids know this and act accordingly. When your daughter gets older, she'll wear what everyone else wears when out of bed and take off her clothes when she goes to sleep (if this continues, which might not happen).

5 moms found this helpful
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A.M.

answers from San Francisco on

Sounds fine to me. Though I don't personally like to sleep naked.

4 moms found this helpful
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J.A.

answers from Sacramento on

I don't see a problem. Being naked is natural and it isn't like she is outside.

4 moms found this helpful

B.F.

answers from Toledo on

There isnt any issue with her sleeping naked, just tell her if she does any sleepovers she will need to wear PJ's and maybe buy her some satin-ish ones so she feels soft and will hopefully keep them on LOL

4 moms found this helpful

R.B.

answers from La Crosse on

my 3 and 4 yr olds sometimes sleep naked. They do the same thing... go to bed with something on and during the night some time they took thier clothes off and in the mornings come out naked. I don't see a problem with it. If I knew for certain that there wasn't a chance that they would come crawl in bed with me I would!

4 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

I pick my battles, my daughter does that from time to time, not a battle I am going to engage in.

My psych professor had a very good way to look at things your kids do. Think five years in the future if whatever they are doing will in no way effect five years from now it is not a battle worth fighting. I figure she will outgrow it when she figures out her friends think it is strange.

4 moms found this helpful

G.T.

answers from Redding on

She probably just doesnt like how the covers stick to your clothing when you are in jammies or even just undies. Sounds like a sensory thing, and one she will grow out of eventually. My husband is STILL like that :)

4 moms found this helpful
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C.M.

answers from San Francisco on

my almost 4 year old does this sometimes. she says she's hot and takes all her jammies and panties off. funny i think.

3 moms found this helpful

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

So long as there are no accidents and she sleeps in her own bed alone no issues here.

3 moms found this helpful

J.P.

answers from Chicago on

Not a problem in my book. Maybe you have very soft sheets and she loves how it feels on her skin. We wear loose/ very comfy pajamas in my house and everyone wears pj bottoms but no underwear underneath. (That would be just to confining in my opinion for bedtime because it's supposed to be a comfortable/relaxing time.)

3 moms found this helpful

J.F.

answers from Philadelphia on

my daughter wanted that and I've always required J. undies since 2, for no reason other than she started this young and often slept over wih cousins, aunts and uncles...and I didn't want her doing it there, now at 5 still J. undies, and no blanket even in the winter with a fan on.

2 moms found this helpful

L.L.

answers from Rochester on

Personally, my husband and I (TMI?) don't wear jammies...but our children do, and will continue to do so. I think sleeping naked is something of a privilege for adults...but I don't have a solid reason for thinking this, I just do. I only let them sleep in diapers/underwear if it's 90 degrees outside!

2 moms found this helpful

J.B.

answers from Houston on

Well the only time it could affect her is in college! I had a roomie that was a sleeper in the buff and would walk from the restroom to her room totally nude. It was so crazy to walk in and see a completely naked chic! Other than that I can't see any possible issues coming out of it ;)

2 moms found this helpful

P.O.

answers from Tampa on

We all sleep with just panties/underwear on... we also co-slept with oldest until just before her 6th birthday. She now sleeps at the bottom of our bed on a toddler mattress - with just panties.

We are a very comfortable family. Modesty has only recently been entering my daughter's mind and I allow her to be as modest or as nude as she feels is appropriate within the nuclear and extended immediate family.

2 moms found this helpful

N.P.

answers from San Francisco on

I'd probably suggest that she keep her underwear on at the very least, everything else is optional but it's my preference that we all keep our juicy bits covered up to keep the sheets as clean as possible since they only get washed once a week, sometimes every two weeks if things are hectic that month...

We change our underwear every day (at least I hope we all do!) because we know that they get that crotchy smelly "hey you've been sitting in me all day and all night" odor. Turning your bed sheets into your underpants for 8 hours a night 7 nights a week will create what I like to call "funk sheets".

For me, keeping underpants on has nothing whatsoever to do with prudishness but everything to do with cleanliness.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.G.

answers from Saginaw on

My girls sleep in their panties but would rather sleep naked, I don't let hem cause they share rooms with their stepsisters but I used to let them.....I sleep naked! Just make sure she knows when she has sleepovers she has to wear sonethifng and that she needs a robe to put on for middle of the night potty trips!

2 moms found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Jacksonville on

I don't think there is anything wrong with it. But, just wondering, if you get her some pretty nightgowns would she try them? If not that's ok, but I don't like to sleep in underwear or pants either, they get bunched and feel uncomfortable.

1 mom found this helpful
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P.G.

answers from Dallas on

I think it's fine, but you need to let her know that it's at her own home only, and PJs for sleepovers wherever she is.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

i think as long as when she wakes up and put her panties on before she comes out of her room then its ok. i know i prefer to sleep in something non tight in bed including underwear.

1 mom found this helpful

B.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

I have three kids (two boys and a girl) and my younger son and my daughter both end up nekkid by morning. They both get hot and dont like jammies getting bunched up. The rule is if you sleep naked you have to put your jammies, get dressed, or wear your bath robe before leaving your room.

Otherwise I don't worry about it.

EDITED TO ADD that when there is a sleepover, or they are at Grandma's or a friends house they know they can't sleep nude. :)

1 mom found this helpful

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

hhhmmmm...I'm a nude sleeper too so this is a tough one. I literally could not sleep in anything if I tried!!! However, kids get up at night and not sure if you have other kids or not, but would not want any of them running into each other in the buff. My son (amost 9) sleeps in PJ bottoms but no underwear. My hubby thinks he should wear underwear and I don't. My girls are 15 (fully developed and then some!) and my other is almost 12 and has started to develope (quickly!). So my girls have been told that they MUST wear a robe anytime they have their jammies on. So when they go to take their shower and take their jammies, they also take their robe. And when they come out in the am, they must have it on as well. So maybe to help with modesty, you can allow her to sleep in the nude but tell her she MUST start wearing a robe any time she comes out...even if its in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and she thinks no one is watching. Just my opinion. Good luck!!!

1 mom found this helpful
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