As the temperature drops and the weather gets worse, it’s important to keep your baby safe.
We've created this handy guide to help you get set for the colder season. Read on for advice on how to keep them safe and snug in colder weather.
How can I keep my baby warm in winter?
Winter with a baby can feel like a balancing act. You want to keep them warm, but not too warm, cozy but not weighed down. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can beat the chill and keep your baby comfortable (without breaking a sweat).
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Bundle up: Keep them warm and safe with layers of lightweight blankets and soft, breathable fabrics. As a general rule, stick to dressing your baby in one more layer of clothing than you’d wear yourself.
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Regular monitoring: Check your child’s temperature regularly and adjust their bedding or clothing if needed. You can easily check if your baby is too hot or too cold by feeling their chest or the back of their neck. Healthline recommends that you stick to quick trips outside, and check wind speed and wind chill before leaving the house.
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Avoid overheating: Common signs of overheating include - sweating, damp hair, flushed cheeks and rapid breathing. If your baby develops any of these symptoms, you should remove some layers or lower the room temperature immediately.
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Hats and gloves: It’s important to cover their head, hands and feet when leaving the house in colder weather. Remember to remove hats, gloves and extra clothing layers as soon as you enter a warm house, car, bus or train – even if it wakes them up.
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Preparation is key: We know the idea of taking them outside when it’s cold can be daunting, but fresh air is important for new babies (and new parents). Pediatrician Erika Landau, MD believes that, “unless it’s dangerously cold, being outside helps infants acclimate to the seasons and the day-and-night cycle, and it often calms fussiness”.
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Newborns are more susceptible to colds and infections in the colder months. Luckily there are a few steps you can take to prevent your baby from falling ill.
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Keep up with their vaccinations: The most important thing you can do to protect your baby from infectious diseases is getting them vaccinated. You can find lots of advice about vaccinations on the CDC website.
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Moisturize: Cold, dry weather can often leave you (and your baby) with dry, irritated skin. Luckily, you can apply mild body washes and baby-safe moisturizers to keep their skin soft. It’s also a good idea to check their diapers a little more often in winter. If they’re left to sit in a wet diaper, they’re more likely to develop a rash.
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Humidifiers: Placing a humidifier in their room may improve their sleeping conditions (and make breathing easier) as they add moisture to the air. This can help loosen any mucus buildup in nasal passages.
What should my baby wear at bedtime in winter?
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Breathable fabrics: As we’ve already mentioned, light layers of breathable fabrics will keep them safe and snug, and they’re easy to remove if they start to overheat.
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No coats in the car: We know it can be tempting to leave them in their coat sometimes (especially if they’re sleeping) but it isn’t safe. Not only could it prevent their safety harnesses from working effectively, but it leaves them at a greater risk of overheating.
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Avoid loose bedding: You should keep blankets, quilts, pillows, even sheepskins away from where your baby sleeps. They might seem warm and cozy, but loose bedding is associated with cot death. Head to the The American Academy of Pediatrics website to find out more.
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Dressing them to go in a baby carrier
Baby carriers are a great choice for winter as your body heat will keep them cosy and warm. Here are a couple of things to consider before dressing your baby to go in their carrier:
- Our golden rule once again, opt for light layers of breathable fabric. Every time. Remember – you count as one layer of clothing, and your sling (or wrap) will count as another.
- If you’re leaving the house in rainy weather (a sure thing in winter), a carrier cover will help stop your sling from getting wet and add another layer of warmth. Alternatively, you could put your coat around both of you (but remove as soon as you go indoors).
- Protect their extremities with hats, socks and shoes.
- You should regularly check that your baby’s face isn’t pressed against your chest or clothing (to keep their airway free).
Keeping your baby warm at night
You might be surprised to learn that research shows it’s safer for babies to be cooler, than too hot. If they overheat, the chance of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome, also known as Cot death) increases.
This might sound scary, but there are simple steps you can take to keep them snug and safe while they sleep.
- Set the temperature: We recommend keeping your baby’s room between 61-68°F.
- Safe and sound: Sleepbags and swaddles are an absolute lifesaver. They're snug, soft and help to regulate baby's temperature while they sleep. If you’re using a sleepbag but you think that they’re still cold, add an extra layer of clothing underneath. Throwing extra blankets over their sleepbag puts them at greater risk of overheating.
Which tog should I choose for my baby in winter?
If you decide to put your baby in a sleepbag or swaddlebag, you might want to check the tog (i.e. the measure of a fabric's thermal insulance).
If you think they're too cold, you should choose a sleepbag with a higher tog.
Use this simple table to help you decide which tog to choose for your baby.
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