How to dress a newborn baby?

Newborn clothing is practically one big dilemma, because the choice of clothing depends on such things as the needs of the baby, the weather outside, the temperature inside – in the room, the material and type of clothing – in a word, there are too many factors for there to be one direct instruction on how to dress a newborn. However, it is important to realize that the baby needs all your attention, because even the wrong choice of clothes can do harm to him or her. Therefore, we have prepared for you some advice and orientation tips to help you dress your newborn baby appropriately for the situation, weather and environment.

Dressing your child appropriately for the season

Just as you wear a T-shirt, sweater, jacket, pants and scarf with a hat in winter, your child also needs to wear multiple layers. First and foremost, provide your child with quality clothing, including a warm hat and gloves, to keep him or her warm in the colder parts of the year.

The same goes for the rest of the clothes and accessories, such as a blanket, scarf or jacket.

A little tip: don’t cover your newborn’s mouth with a scarf or something similar, as steam would condense from his mouth during the cold season, which could freeze quickly and cause health problems for the newborn.

The opposite is true in summer and on warm days, when you have to be careful not to get a little cold or when a strong wind or rain starts to blow.

To avoid ruining your baby’s clothes in the summer, make sure he doesn’t sweat too much in them, as his skin could get chafed.

The basic guidelines for dressing a newborn are:

How to dress a newborn baby in summer

When it comes to clothes for a newborn baby in the summer time, consider both the temperature and the sunlight itself. Try to choose clothes for the baby that will protect him from the sun’s rays.

This means that he should rather be dressed in light colors (preferably white). You should also choose clothes that are made of high-quality materials so that your child does not sweat excessively.

You can find baby clothes that protect your baby from the sun’s UV rays and essentially perform the same function as sunscreen in newborn clothing stores. Also, don’t forget a summer hat, or possibly a cap, to protect your baby from the sun.

On hot, sunny days, you should always try to take your baby out of the stroller, place him in the shade and check that he is not sweating excessively, or if he is at the right temperature.

If necessary, you will also have to change the baby’s clothes, because wearing wet clothes is very uncomfortable for the baby, plus you may cause some health problems for the baby if he wears wet clothes for a long time.

Clothes for newborns in summer

Usually with children, the “onion” method (dressing in layers) is used, i.e., put one more layer on a child than an adult. However, in hot summer this method is obviously out of the question. Usually only one layer of clothing is enough for a child.

The clothing itself should be made of cotton, as this material “breathes” very well, is delicate, soft and does not irritate the baby’s skin.

You should also consider the eco-friendliness of the material, you certainly do not want to dress your baby in summer clothes that contain pesticides, unhealthy dyes and the like.

If you have a baby in a stroller during a summer walk, don’t put a cap on his head, it’s usually not necessary, but if you want to cover his head with something, use a cap made of very thin cotton.

Baby clothes for summer night

Hot summer nights can take its toll on the baby’s night’s sleep. First of all, create ideal sleeping conditions for the newborn, that is, keep the room at a comfortable temperature and leave the window open at night. Of course, be careful that there is no breeze in the baby’s room.

As for clothes for the night, soft thin pajamas and a thin blanket will suffice, don’t give him any rough blankets, quilts or anything of the sort. It is important that the newborn does not overheat overnight and has enough fluids in him.

Leaving a baby in rough clothes and under rough blankets can be dangerous. How many layers to wear or what type of blanket to choose for the baby depends on how the baby copes with summer nights and high summer temperatures.

Summer clothes for a newborn in the car

Traveling with a child by car in the summer can be dangerous. Try to ride with your child in the car in the early morning or late afternoon, when the sun is setting and it is not so hot.

When it comes to clothing, the car seat should first be lined with summer newborn padding, as all car seats are made of artificial materials and do not breathe, or increase the excretion of sweat.

It pays to cover the car windows with curtains, so you can protect your baby from direct sunlight. Remember to ventilate the car well so that there is no stuffy air inside.

How to dress a newborn in winter

For newborns, the rule of dressing in layers applies, which means that in winter you dress a newborn one layer more than an adult. Of course, it is important to take into account that every child is a little different and may have different dressing standards. However, it’s important to make sure your baby doesn’t get cold.

The best way to check whether a toddler is cold, is to touch his back, hands, neck, which should be warm and dry. Paradoxically, you should also be aware of high temperatures in the winter, as this can cause the child to sweat, which is very dangerous.

As soon as you notice that the baby is wet and sweaty, change his clothes to dry. Wear your newborn with a few thinner layers rather than a few thick ones. Also think about the practicality of the clothing, as the older the baby gets, the more he or she moves, and dressing him or her will be a bit more complicated for you.

What materials to choose for a newborn baby

For any material, or how newborn clothes are made, there are several factors to consider, such as: the method of production (check, for example, the buttons on the clothes to see if they are not sewn badly, if the baby can swallow them by mistake, etc.), the smell of the clothes (some parts of the clothes may smell unpleasant from the factory), the manufacturing material (chemicals).

Often you can find baby clothes that are sewn and contain toxic substances, which can be very dangerous, as they can cause the baby all sorts of allergies, skin problems and the like.

The best winter fabric you can wear for a newborn is, in short, cotton. It is neutral to the baby’s skin and practically causes no problems for the baby. Avoid clothing made of artificial materials and fibers.

Controlling the body temperature of a newborn in winter

Every mother must learn to choose the right clothes for her newborn, checking his temperature, or whether the baby is too hot or too cold. Just because a baby has cold hands, for example, does not mean it has a low temperature. It is common for a child to have cold hands and feet.

To check the temperature properly, check the baby’s back, waist, chest and neck. If the parts are warm, it means the baby’s temperature should be fine (a small tip: be careful not to check the baby’s temperature with cold hands, as this can be very uncomfortable for the baby).

If you find that the body temperature is fine, but the baby still has cold hands when you check the temperature, you can put on special gloves for the newborn. On a winter night, you can dress your newborn in pajamas that have folds that hide the baby’s hands, thus protecting them from the cold.

Baby clothes for winter

Since every child is different, it’s up to you how many layers you put on him. It’s important that you protect them from the cold, and at the same time that your child is comfortable in their clothes.

Sometimes you will need to equip your child with a winter windbreaker along with a blanket and another layer of clothing, other times you won’t need anything but a blanket.

When it comes to a cap and scarf for a newborn, you’d better follow your senses. You will find out for yourself whether a cap and scarf are useful for your baby. Of course, for extreme winter you need to equip them with something, but at room temperature you don’t need to dress him or her in layers.

In addition, the toddler often benefits from physical contact, which means that instead of a hat you can also keep him warm with your body. Match the sling to the situation, remember that the baby’s neck is very small, so you don’t need to cover it that much, a simple wrap will do.

Shoes for newborns are usually not used, because they still can’t walk, and the baby himself will constantly throw them off his feet.

Therefore, instead of shoes, use stockings and warm socks, or you can even wear soft slippers with them.

Clothes for a newborn baby for a winter walk

You and your baby should take regular walks every day, weather permitting. You should still follow the rules to try to keep your baby warm, but it should not be too hot so that he doesn’t sweat.

At the same time, you should dress your newborn to protect him from cold air, strong winds, etc.

When carrying a baby with you in winter, it is worth investing in a baby windbreaker with a zipper that covers the baby and keeps the body temperature in place. So how do you dress a newborn in winter?

You can dress him like this (from the first layer to the last), for example: diapers, long-sleeved sleepwear, overalls for winter together with a hat, gloves, bib under the chin.

In extreme winters, it’s better to add one extra layer or put a warm sweater on him (a little tip: make sure you’ll be able to put the baby in the car seat in all these clothes).

What to put in the stroller in winter?

It is useful for a newborn to put a fleece jacket or a warm blanket in the stroller in winter. As such, a baby sleeping bag is a great insulator against the cold, and can effectively withstand strong cold winds.

The problem arises, however, when it is not so extremely cold and the baby starts to sweat. Then, instead of a sleeping bag, it pays to use a winter blanket, which can be practically used in autumn and spring.

In addition, such blankets have a fastening mechanism that can be used not only in the stroller or in the car, but also on the car seat, where such a blanket can be used to cover the child.

How to dress a newborn for rain

Unless it is very rainy, you can take your newborn for a walk even during a light drizzle. Dress your baby appropriately for the temperature outside, put it in the stroller and cover the stroller with a raincoat.

For older children, you can put on a rain jacket and even put on wellingtons (if he or she can walk independently). Don’t forget waterproof pants and a hooded jacket.

Some tips on how to dress a newborn baby

Although you can find a lot of advice on the Internet on how to properly dress a newborn baby (and you should definitely not dismiss it), in the end, you will know best what you should dress your baby in.

Just be aware of your baby’s needs, what he likes, the environment and conditions, and you’ll be able to better assess how many layers of clothing and what clothes you should choose for him or her.

The weather, whether in summer or winter, will clearly tell you when a newborn needs to be dressed properly, and when it’s better not to overdress, so that the baby doesn’t start to sweat excessively.