Dressing A Baby: How Much They Should Be Wearing

When we dress ourselves it’s a matter of mood, occasion and temperature, but when it comes to dressing a baby there are a whole bunch of other things to consider, like keeping baby warm but not too warm. For a new mom it can be hard to know how much clothes is enough, so this article has the answers that you’re looking for so you can stop guessing and fretting and dress your baby with ease.

Guidelines for Dressing A Baby

When it comes to dressing a baby there is such thing as too much clothing since baby can’t just decide they’re warm and take off a layer themselves. A baby’s temperature can increase more easily than an adults and overheating can cause serious problems, as can bundling up a baby in something that they can suffocate on when sleeping. Then there is the issue of cold which can also be a little tricky. A baby does need to be kept warmer than an adult to avoid hypothermia. Then on top of all of this you have the opinions of others to deal with; mom telling you that your baby needs to be bundled like an Eskimo while your hippy sister is telling you to leave the baby au naturel! Before you get even more confused, here are a few midwife recommended guidelines to follow.

•    Dress your baby in one more layer than you would wear yourself.

•    In colder climates/winter, your baby needs a hat to keep the head protected from cold.

•    A baby will conserve heat more easily as they gain weight and grow meaning less layers will be needed for an older baby.

•    Use the chest as opposed to the hands and feet to gauge whether or not your baby is cold since feet and hands are naturally colder than the rest of the body. If you place a hand on the chest and its cold then your baby could use another layer or blanket.

•    A blanket counts as a ‘layer’ so remember that when dressing a baby.

•    Your baby doesn’t need shoes until they start to walk so stick to soft booties and socks to avoid interfering with the growth and development of the feet.

It Comes With Time

Dressing a baby really isn’t that hard and as you get used to motherhood you’ll become a pro at knowing how to dress your floppy little one (who isn’t quite as fragile as you may think at first!). In no time you’ll be able to look at your baby and know whether or not they could use another layer. In the meantime you can use the guidelines given to help so you can spend less time worrying about how to dress your baby and more time enjoying motherhood.