Have you been struggling to work out how many layers your baby needs? Whether you are taking them out for a stroll, going for a drive in the car, or staying indoors, babies need to be dressed in layers. These guidelines for layering will help you figure out how many should be enough.
A Multilayered Approach
Full-on snowsuits on their own seem like the perfect solution for keeping your baby warm when it is cold, but in most cases, adding (and taking away layers as it warms up) is the way to go. To determine how many layers your baby needs, consider what you're wearing, and put them in one more layer than what you have. So, for example, if you have a jacket on top of your clothes, you should put your baby in a jacket (or snowsuit, depending on your preferences) and a blanket.
Dressing your baby in layers gives you more control when it comes to adjusting to their needs. The bottom layer, which is in direct contact with the body, can be snug, like leggings or a bodysuit. You can add another layer of cotton pants and a long sleeve shirt. On top of that, add a jacket that you can easily peel off if the weather starts warming up.
Babies tend to lose a lot of heat from their heads, so while layering, remember to add a hat to their ensemble. A woolly or insulated hat will keep your little one's head during winter. You want to go for a hat that will also shield the ears from the chill.
Mittens are another must-have item when it comes to layering. They are great for keeping hands warm because unlike gloves, they keep the fingers together instead of separating them, leading to the generation of more heat.
Layering In The Car
If your baby has a puffy coat as an outer layer, you may want to take it off before putting them in their car seat. This is because if there is too much material between the car seat straps and your baby, the material of the coat could compress in case of an accident, subsequently leaving some space for your little one to become unsecured from the car seat and potentially get injured as a result.
Therefore, to add layers in the car, you want to first secure your baby in the car seat, and then layer. If you use a car seat cover, consider going for one that doesn't wedge between the baby and the car seat. Ideally, the cover should be positioned over the lower part of the baby. An alternative to this is to use a coat or blanket, which you can place on top of the seat, and then remove when the car starts to warm up to keep your little one from getting overheated.
Final Thoughts
It is important to layer your baby's clothing, especially if the weather or indoor temperature is below the desirable range for babies. Thin cotton clothes work best as layers as they are breathable. If the weather warms up, take away any unnecessary layers to reduce the risk of your baby overheating.
