How To Layer Baby Clothes To Prepare for Cold in the Winter
New parents typically have one thing on their mind when it’s cold outside: Keeping their little one nice and warm in the frigid weather.
When the temperatures outside are freezing, it’s best to avoid taking out your new bundle of joy, but you’ll inevitably have to venture out in the winter months.
Learning how to layer baby clothes can ensure your baby is protected from the chill and stay comfortable.
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Layering Baby Clothes: The Basics
It’s a common saying that your baby should have an extra layer on them when they are outside. This is because babies don’t have a lot of body fat and lose heat much faster than adults making it challenging to handle the cold.
To begin layering your baby, you can start by dressing them in something comfortable like a onesie and a pair of leggings. Then, you can put a long sleeve shirt over the onesie. A nice pair of thick socks and soft booties will keep their teensy toes toasty warm.
Save the outer garments, like coats, hats, and mittens, until you’re ready to walk out the door. Otherwise, the baby may get too warm.
If you are wondering if your baby is overdressed, check on them from time to time while you are out. If you notice your baby is looking red in the face or getting fussy, they may be too warm. Try removing one layer, but monitor closely to ensure they don’t cool off too much.
To spot any signs of your baby feeling cold, see if their face feels cold to the touch and check their eyes to see if they are tearing up. These are good signs to add another layer.
A Few Ways To Keep Your Baby Warm While Outside
If you feel that your baby is cold, even if you’ve bundled him all up in layers, you can do a few other things to ensure your baby stays nice and warm.
A simple thing you can do is throw a blanket over your baby’s stroller to give them an extra layer of protection. Look into the same place you purchased your stroller from because a lot of the time, the stroller brand will make a specific cover that circulates the right amount of air for your baby to breathe comfortably.
You can also take a blanket and tuck it around your little one while in the stroller.
If you want to protect your baby’s face from the cold, you can consider buying a body carrier to keep them snuggled up against you. Nothing will warm your baby like your natural body heat, and they will appreciate the feeling of being close to you while being outside.
When wearing your baby, make sure that they have enough space to breathe. Double-check that they aren’t pressed too closely against your coat or that your scarf hasn’t fallen into their breathing space.
Whichever way you decide to carry your baby outside, make sure that your baby’s head and feet are protected from the cold.
Now that you know how to layer up your baby in the cold months of the year, you’ll learn how to dress your baby in different environments like if you’re in the car, playing in the snow, sledding, or even relaxing indoors, and it is chilly.
Bundling Up for a Car Ride
Most parents bundle up their babies for car rides, leaving their coats and blankets wrapped around them while they are in the car seat.
Experts suggest that you do not use swaddles or thick coats that can attach to car seats because if you get into an accident, your baby’s risk of getting injured can increase.
These come with the possibility of compressing during a crash and also prevent the safety harness from sitting flush against your child. That leaves room for the baby to whip around in their seat, leading to serious injury.
Try dressing them in several thin layers to keep your baby warm, then put a blanket over them only after buckling them into the car seat. One blanket over the car seat and the heat in your car should be enough to keep your baby warm while it’s cold outside.
If you are afraid to leave your baby covered with a blanket while driving and may not be able to keep an eye on her, you can use an older sibling’s jacket instead. Put the coat backward and fit your baby’s arms into the sleeves after safely strapping her into the car seat.
Snow Days
If it’s a snowy day outside and your baby is six months or older, feel free to take them out and give them a chance to enjoy this new experience. Of course, the essential part is dressing them appropriately to enjoy the winter weather without injury.
Start with a onesie, a long-sleeved shirt, and a pull-over hoodie. Then put on a snow jacket or a waterproof snowsuit. Try to find a snowsuit with built-in feet and mittens to make sure those little hands and feet stay cozy in the freezing snow!
Don’t forget to top off this warm cozy outfit with a warm hat. Babies tend to lose most of their body heat through their heads, so always remember to put a cap on them, even if it is just slightly chilly outside.
If you want your baby to touch the snow for the first time, just make sure that you dry off her hands before putting them back into mittens. Leaving them wet will make it difficult to warm back up.
You may not know what to expect when it’s your baby’s first time out in the snow, so if you notice she starts to get fussy, it may mean that she’s uncomfortable and it’s time for her to go back inside.
Staying Indoors
Are you wondering how to bundle up your baby indoors? It’s pretty simple as well.
The ideal temperature that your house should be is between 68 and 72 degrees, but some babies may be a little chilly. In that case, layers come in handy so that your home feels comfortable,
The standard rule for outdoor wear is to dress your baby in an extra layer than what you have on. The same thing applies even when you are both indoors too.
So if you are wearing a short sleeve top in the house, you are better off putting a thin long sleeve shirt on your baby to make sure they don’t feel chilly. Experts suggest keeping this extra layer rule in mind until your baby is around one year old.
If you want to make sure that your baby is feeling nice and warm, you can feel their back or stomach, and it should feel warm to the touch. If not, they need to be bundled up a little more.
Don’t forget to put a warm pair of socks on your baby’s feet to give him that extra comfort and warmth they may need. If their back feels a bit sweaty, your baby might be overdressed.
Keeping Baby Warm at Night
Check on your baby a few times throughout the night, and if he seems to be fussy, sweaty, or has rosy cheeks, he is wearing too many clothes. Just remove a layer of clothing because an overly warm baby can lead to a higher risk of developing SIDS, otherwise known as
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Avoid using blankets and pillows in your baby’s bed. These can twist up or fall across their face, making it difficult to breathe.
Babies tend to sleep well when they aren’t feeling too cold or too hot, so checking on them through the night can help ensure they have a good night’s sleep.
Key Takeaways
Instead of wearing one oversized hoodie, layering clothes on your baby is a great way to provide insulation and trap the heat between the clothing items. If you layer your baby correctly with the tips mentioned above, you will also be able to ensure that they are more comfortable while traveling.
Layering also helps your baby feel less bulky and uncomfortable if they get too hot. Depending on the temperature of your specific location at the time, you can remove layers as needed without worrying they’ll then be too cold.
When winter comes around, it takes extra time to get ready to take your baby outside so just remember these tips that you read today to be well prepared for your baby to face the cold weather and get them ready in half the time.
Don’t forget to warm up your car before taking them out for a ride, and don’t be afraid to take extra socks, hats, and additional layers in your baby bag to make sure you’re well prepared for any weather that may occur while you are out with your baby.
