The winter is almost upon us. It’s time for fluffy hats, comfy jackets, and cute booties. We’re not talking about dressing yourself here.
We’re talking about outfitting your little one with baby fashion to keep them warm when the weather outside gets frightful. Babies lose heat rapidly through their heads and feet. If they aren’t covered, they’ll get too cold.
At the same time, there is such a thing as overdoing it. Letting the baby get overheated can spell serious danger. We can help you find the fine line between warm and too warm.
Check out these baby fashion tips to learn how to keep your little one nice and cozy during the cold months.
Look at How You’re Dressed
The general rule of thumb when you’re deciding how to dress your baby is to look at how you’re dressed. You’re going to put the same amount of cozy clothes on your baby plus one extra layer.
If it’s chilly enough outside for you to be rocking a sweater, shirt, and jeans, your baby should be wearing a long-sleeved bodysuit, a shirt, sweater, and pants. Finish that outfit off with a hat, booties, and mittens, and they’ll be good to go.
The reason why you want to put your baby in so many layers is that they lose heat faster than you do. Look for signs of overheating. If their face is flushed and they begin to get fussy, you’ll need to start taking layers off.
Take Their Jacket off in the Car
Putting a jacket on your baby while you’re on a nice winter walk is one thing, but they shouldn’t be wearing a big fluffy coat while in the car. This is because it puts too much material between your baby and the seatbelt.
To accommodate for the extra fabric, you have to loosen the car seat straps. If you get into an accident, the baby may slip out because they aren’t secured well enough.
This doesn’t mean that you should avoid bundling the child. You simply need to do it after you’ve clipped the baby into the seat. You can drape a blanket or coat over them to keep them warm during the drive.
Carry Your Little One
You can add to the warmth factor by holding your baby against your body in a carrier. If you go this route, your child most likely won’t need a sweater. You will still need to cover their head and feet because again, heat escapes through these areas of the body.
You want to make sure that they can get plenty of air, so don’t position their head too close to your body. You have to be especially careful with this if you’re wearing a bulky winter jacket.
You also have to be watchful for patches of ice on the sidewalk. The last thing you want to do is fall while you’re carrying your baby.
Be Careful About Covering the Stroller
Many parents will put a cover over their baby’s stroller to create some extra warmth. We advise not to do this unless the baby’s stroller comes with a cover.
You can use that because it’s designed to keep the baby warm while not restricting airflow. Otherwise, dress your little one in warm Hanna Andersson baby clothes and tuck a blanket around them instead of putting it over the stroller itself.
Dressing for a Snow Adventure
By the time your baby turns about 6 months old, they should start showing an interest in the snow. There’s nothing wrong with introducing them to it, but you’ll need to dress them for the weather.
The name of the game is to not let the baby get wet. Opt for a waterproof snowsuit. You can also put them in a thick jacket with waterproof pants and shoes.
Don’t forget about the hat and mittens. You can take their gloves off long enough to let them feel the snow, but you’ll need to dry their little fingers when they’re done.
This is going to sound strange, but you also need to put sunscreen on the child. The sun can be bright during the winter. The harsh UV rays reflecting off the snow can do some damage to your baby’s sensitive skin.
Indoor Wardrobe
Unless the temperature indoors is less than 68 degrees, your baby shouldn’t be wearing as many layers inside the house. It’s chilly outside, but it’s not that chilly.
Too much heat will dry the baby’s skin out. Not to mention, it will make them uncomfortable. There’s only one instance where you’ll need to bundle the baby up. This is when they’re sleeping.
Sleeping
You need to keep your baby’s room a little chilly when you lay them down for a nap. If they get overheated, it will increase the baby’s risk for SIDS.
That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bundle them up. Footed PJs and a comfy sleep sack are the way to go. Be sure to check on your child every now and again to make sure that they aren’t getting too warm.
If their neck feels a bit sweaty, it might be time for you to interrupt their nap to peel a few layers off.
Keep Your Little One Warm This Winter With the Proper Baby Fashion
Babies lose heat through their heads and feet at a rapid rate. That means you have to do what you can to keep them bundled up this winter season. If you need to wear multiple layers to stay comfortable, your baby probably does as well.
It’s also good to know when you’ve overdone it on the baby fashion. Keep your little one nice and cozy no matter what the weather brings. For more tips that will help you dress your baby for success, visit the Parenting section of our blog.