Dressing your baby for winter

When you are shopping for the best clothing for baby whether they are funny baby clothes if that is your style or other types of styles of clothing, you want to make sure that they are fitting for the current season and the upcoming one. That means in the northern hemisphere, the autumn equinox is approaching and in the southern hemisphere, the vernal equinox is approaching. And in the northern hemisphere that also means that winter is also around the corner since the end of autumn can be quite cold.

That is why it is important for parents in northern climates to know how to dress their baby properly for the winter as the cold weather often starts approaching sooner than the winter solstice. And many new parents are unsure of how to dress an infant during the cold weather months. This post will help give new parents struggling with this issue some guidance on that:

1. Add an extra layer

Think about what you are wearing right now. Are you comfortable? If so, then that means you will want to dress your baby in an extra layer. If your baby is wearing clothing that is similar to yours as far as comfort levels go, you will want to add another layer to them. That means if your baby is not wearing an undershirt, be sure to put the undershirt on (or a onesie). If you are wearing an undershirt and so is your baby, and you are feeling just right temperature-wise, then that means to put a light indoor sweater to jacket on the baby. Then that will be perfect for the baby as far as his or her comfort level goes.

2. A cotton swaddling blanket for sleeping is ideal

You want to make sure that your baby is warm enough at night or during naptime. However, the misconception that many parents have is that their babies need to be very warm to sleep comfortably. Unfortunately, that is not the case and babies sleep better in cool room temperatures than warmer room temperatures. And the best thing to do is to put a cotton swaddling blanket on them since they are not able to sleep with blankets due to the risk of SIDS. And cotton is the best fabric because it is breathable and will keep the baby comfortable while he or she is sleeping. Don't worry about the baby not being warm enough because remember, the baby sleeps more comfortably in cooler environments, as long as it is not too cold.

3. Never overdress as that can cause heat rashes and other complications

Many parents think that dressing their babies in multiple layers during the winter and cold months is what will keep them warm. However, what they need to remember is that they must refer to the first point and stick to adding one extra layer. That is because overdressing babies can cause them heat rashes but can also make them sick and dehydrated from excessive sweating. And the best way to find out if your baby is overheated or comfortable is by touching his toes and stomach.

If the baby's toes are on the cool side but not cold, and if the belly is warm, then your baby is comfortable. If your baby's toes are warm as well as his or her belly, then that is a sign right there that the infant is overheated. And you will want to refer to that one-layer rule if you make this discovery even if there are no heat rashes and your baby is healthy. That just means you and your baby were lucky that nothing happened while being overheated. If it is corrected soon enough, then there is no need to be concerned.

4. Don't put bulky coats on your baby when traveling in a car seat

You want to keep your baby protected from the cold winter weather, however, the last thing you will want to do is put on a bulky winter coat if you are traveling in the car seat. That is because it can cause the straps to become loose which is a safety hazard. That means the best thing to do is put on a moderately warm jacket on your baby that does not have any bulk if you plan to travel by car, and then put a blanket over the straps after the baby has been strapped in. Don't put the blanket on underneath. That is also a safety hazard. And if you live in colder climates, you can always purchase a car seat liner which will eliminate the need for a blanket.

You can use the bulky winter coat in other outdoor settings for your baby. That means you can take the winter coat along while you are driving the baby somewhere and then before getting out of the car, replace the moderate coat with the winter coat so your baby is protected from the outdoor weather.

5. Always put hats and mittens on your baby

It is a must that your babies wear hats and mittens while being out in the cold because their heads, ears, and hands are very sensitive to the cold. And it does not matter how bulky they are as long as the hat and mittens are meant to be worn during the winter. You can get some cool matching ones as well to the clothing they have such as mittens that match with those baby clothes and jacket. But make sure that you have them on hand before the weather gets cold.

Now you know exactly how to dress your baby for winter and the colder months. This way, you can easily avoid any problems that are associated with underdressing and overdressing. And if you are that parent that believed that dressing your baby in hundreds of layers during the cold weather would be the only way to keep them warm, you learned a very important thing today. One extra layer is all that is needed for your baby to be comfortable! Don’t overheat!