How to keep your baby safe in cold weather

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 to keep your baby warm in winter  

Winter with a baby can feel like a balancing act. You want to keep them warm, but not too warm, cosy 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). 

• Bundle up: Keep them warm and safe with layers of lightweight blankets and soft, breathable fabrics. The NHS recommends dressing your baby in one more layer of clothing than you’d wear yourself.  
• 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. 
• 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.
• 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).    
• 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 recommends 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”.  Our advice? Take a quick trip to the shops, stop at a cosy cafe, then head back home (after all, winter weather is the perfect excuse to slow down and stay snug in the house).  

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. 

• Keep up with their vaccinations: The most important thing you can do to protect your baby from catching any infectious diseases is getting them vaccinated. You can find lots of advice about vaccinations on the NHS website.

• Moisturise: 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 feeling soft and rehydrated. It’s also a good idea to check their nappies a little more often in winter, if they’re left to sit in a wet nappy, they’re more likely to develop nappy rash.  

• 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. 

How to dress your baby in winter for sleep  

• 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. 

• 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. 

• Choose your tog: If you decide to use a sleepbag or swaddlebag,  it's a good idea to double check the tog (in case you're wondering, a tog is the measure of thermal insulance). If you think they're too cold, choose a sleepbag with a higher tog. 

What should your baby wear in a carrier for Winter?  

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, 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).  

How to keep 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.  

As scary as this sounds, there are simple steps you can take to keep them snug and safe while they sleep.  

• Set the temperature: The NHS recommends keeping your baby’s room between 16-20°C (that’s 61-68°F). If you’re looking for an easy way to check the temperature, we’ve got you. The GroEgg2 room thermometer gives you peace of mind, at a glance.  
• Safe and sound: Sleepbags and swaddlebags are an absolute lifesaver. They're snug, soft and help to regulate baby's temperature while they sleep. Our sleepbags are crafted for comfort and safer sleep, without the need for loose covers.  

The NHS recommends that if you’re using a sleepbag but feel like they’re still cold, add an extra layer of clothing underneath. Throwing extra blankets over their sleepbag puts them at greater risk of overheating. 

What tog sleeping bag do I need for my baby in Winter? 

We've created this simple guide to help you decide which tog to choose for bedtime. And if you need a little more support, our colour-coded GroEgg2 can help!