How to Dress Baby for Sleep
Select sleepwear that is appropriate for the season., Choose sleepwear made from natural fibers., Feel your baby’s skin., Dress your baby in fitted sleepwear., Layer your baby's sleepwear., Determine if you need to add a cap and booties.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Select sleepwear that is appropriate for the season.
Overdressing babies in winter is a common problem, while underdressing babies in the summer is a problem.
In the spring and fall, rapid temperature changes can also lead to over and under dressing.
Try not to overdress your baby in the winter.
If you have a newborn and you are still swaddling, then you can dress your baby in a cotton long-sleeved onesie with footies or socks under the swaddling.
For babies past swaddling age, a heavier weight cotton long-sleeved onesie with footies or socks is a good choice.Provide enough clothing in the summer.
For newborns, swaddling in a lightweight cotton blanket should be enough, but feel your baby’s skin to be sure.
Your baby can wear a lightweight short-sleeved onesie under the swaddling if it's not too hot.
Babies past swaddling age can wear a short-sleeved one-piece pajama.
Check your baby's skin often in spring and fall.
In the spring and fall, rapid temperature changes mean that you will have to check your baby’s skin often to see if he or she is comfortable.
Try dressing your baby in layers in spring and fall so that you can add and remove layers as needed. -
Step 2: Choose sleepwear made from natural fibers.
Natural fibers are more effective in hot and cold weather.
In hot weather, natural fibers can absorb sweat better and pull moisture away from your baby’s body.
In cold weather, natural fibers provide more effective insulation and they are easier to layer.Natural fibers also collect less static than synthetic fibers.
Some good natural fibers to choose for your baby include:
Cotton Silk Wool Cashmere Hemp Linen , Your baby’s skin is a good indicator of how cold or how warm he or she is.
To see if your baby is too warm or too cold, touch your baby’s skin in a few different places.
Your baby’s skin should be at a comfortable temperature.
For example, if your baby’s toes feel cold, then your baby may be too cold and you may want to put on some booties.
If your baby’s skin feels too warm under her clothes, then she may be too warm and you should remove a layer of clothing.
You can check any area of baby’s skin, but the back of the neck is a great indicator.
The back of your baby’s neck should be a bit cool to the touch and there should be no sweat.
Sweating can be a sign of overheating in babies., You can start dressing your baby in fitted sleepwear after your baby is about three months old or sooner if you are not swaddling your baby.
Choose one-piece sleepwear and avoid any sleepwear that has ribbons, ties, strings, or anything else that your baby might get tangled up in., Dressing your baby in layers makes it easier to adjust your baby’s sleepwear as needed.
For example, you can remove a layer if your baby feels too warm or add a layer if your baby feels too cold.
Add one more layer than you would wear.
Babies are often colder than adults, so a good rule of thumb is to dress your baby in one more layer than you would wear.For example, if you are comfortable in a t-shirt, then your baby may need a t-shirt and a lightweight long-sleeve shirt as well. , Babies lose a lot of heat from their heads and feet.
Check the skin on your baby’s scalp and feet.
If this skin feels cooler than other parts of the body, then add a cap or some socks.
Make sure the cap cannot come down and cover the mouth or nose so that it won't obstruct the baby's breathing.
Check your baby’s head and feet often.
If your baby’s scalp gets sweaty, take off the cap.
If your baby’s feet get sweaty, then remove the socks. -
Step 3: Feel your baby’s skin.
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Step 4: Dress your baby in fitted sleepwear.
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Step 5: Layer your baby's sleepwear.
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Step 6: Determine if you need to add a cap and booties.
Detailed Guide
Overdressing babies in winter is a common problem, while underdressing babies in the summer is a problem.
In the spring and fall, rapid temperature changes can also lead to over and under dressing.
Try not to overdress your baby in the winter.
If you have a newborn and you are still swaddling, then you can dress your baby in a cotton long-sleeved onesie with footies or socks under the swaddling.
For babies past swaddling age, a heavier weight cotton long-sleeved onesie with footies or socks is a good choice.Provide enough clothing in the summer.
For newborns, swaddling in a lightweight cotton blanket should be enough, but feel your baby’s skin to be sure.
Your baby can wear a lightweight short-sleeved onesie under the swaddling if it's not too hot.
Babies past swaddling age can wear a short-sleeved one-piece pajama.
Check your baby's skin often in spring and fall.
In the spring and fall, rapid temperature changes mean that you will have to check your baby’s skin often to see if he or she is comfortable.
Try dressing your baby in layers in spring and fall so that you can add and remove layers as needed.
Natural fibers are more effective in hot and cold weather.
In hot weather, natural fibers can absorb sweat better and pull moisture away from your baby’s body.
In cold weather, natural fibers provide more effective insulation and they are easier to layer.Natural fibers also collect less static than synthetic fibers.
Some good natural fibers to choose for your baby include:
Cotton Silk Wool Cashmere Hemp Linen , Your baby’s skin is a good indicator of how cold or how warm he or she is.
To see if your baby is too warm or too cold, touch your baby’s skin in a few different places.
Your baby’s skin should be at a comfortable temperature.
For example, if your baby’s toes feel cold, then your baby may be too cold and you may want to put on some booties.
If your baby’s skin feels too warm under her clothes, then she may be too warm and you should remove a layer of clothing.
You can check any area of baby’s skin, but the back of the neck is a great indicator.
The back of your baby’s neck should be a bit cool to the touch and there should be no sweat.
Sweating can be a sign of overheating in babies., You can start dressing your baby in fitted sleepwear after your baby is about three months old or sooner if you are not swaddling your baby.
Choose one-piece sleepwear and avoid any sleepwear that has ribbons, ties, strings, or anything else that your baby might get tangled up in., Dressing your baby in layers makes it easier to adjust your baby’s sleepwear as needed.
For example, you can remove a layer if your baby feels too warm or add a layer if your baby feels too cold.
Add one more layer than you would wear.
Babies are often colder than adults, so a good rule of thumb is to dress your baby in one more layer than you would wear.For example, if you are comfortable in a t-shirt, then your baby may need a t-shirt and a lightweight long-sleeve shirt as well. , Babies lose a lot of heat from their heads and feet.
Check the skin on your baby’s scalp and feet.
If this skin feels cooler than other parts of the body, then add a cap or some socks.
Make sure the cap cannot come down and cover the mouth or nose so that it won't obstruct the baby's breathing.
Check your baby’s head and feet often.
If your baby’s scalp gets sweaty, take off the cap.
If your baby’s feet get sweaty, then remove the socks.
About the Author
Debra Jenkins
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
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