How to Layer Your Baby for Winter

Why is it Important to Layer a Baby in Winter?

When dressing a baby in winter, they’re often better-suited to wearing lighter layers compared to wearing one thick piece of winter baby clothing, as this allows their warmth to become trapped between them and their clothing and insulates your little one much more effectively. It also means more subtle and precise adjustments can be made to their body temperature by varying the number of layers, rather than just pulling off one thick garment. Thin layers are also much less bulky than jumpers when worn underneath coats and jackets. This approach is key for effective baby winter layering, which is one of the best tips on how to keep a baby warm in winter.

How to Dress a Baby in Winter

Young babies should always wear a hat or beanie when going outside as they lose a lot of their body heat through their heads. Although it's true that cold hands and feet are not an accurate gauge of your babies' temperature, they should be covered just as regularly as the babies' head with mittens and booties, or clothing with inbuilt hand and foot covers. These are essential winter baby accessories.

When dressing a baby for cold weather, it’s recommended for them to be wearing singlets or vests as their base layer to keep their core warm before you start layering their clothes. It is also important that their little legs are covered with pants or tights when going outdoors to avoid wind chill. These items form the foundation of a cozy newborn wardrobe and are considered winter newborn essentials you should add to your winter newborn clothes checklist.

How to Layer Your Baby for Sleep

When sleeping, you need to assess the temperature of your child's room. The ideal sleeping temperature is approximately 18 to 20 degrees. We recommend older babies sleep in a sleeping bag so that you can rest assured they won't become cold overnight. This ensures a safe and warm baby sleep temperature.

On cooler evenings, particularly when dressing your baby for sleep in winter, it is recommended that you layer up your baby underneath the sleeping bag. The ideal winter sleeping bag should have at least a 1.5 TOG rating.

For more information on baby sleeping bags, read our guide on how to choose a sleeping bag for your baby.

Refer to our TOG Rating Guide, also called a baby clothing temperature chart, on how to dress them based on room temperature.

How to Check if Your Baby is Too Hot or Cold?

The easiest way to check your baby’s temperature is using a thermometer which you can place in the baby’s armpit or under their tongue for an accurate reading. Otherwise, another option is to place the back of your hand on your little one's chest or tummy.

• What if they feel hot?

  If they are perspiring or feel more than warm, remove a layer of clothing and then check again shortly after.

• What if they feel cool?

  If your little one feels cool, add one thin layer at a time until they feel comfortable to the touch.

When dressing your newborn in winter, it’s important to check on them regularly as babies' cooling systems are not as effective as adults’, which is why overheating or getting too cold can be commonplace.

How Many Layers are Too Many Layers?

Always dress your little one for the current temperature. That may mean putting them in additional layers when they’re outside, and removing them when they come inside. If they are starting to feel warm, taking off a layer or two until they return to a safe temperature is recommended.

• Use common sense (and a weather report) when determining how many layers they need. The general rule of thumb is babies typically should wear one more layer than we would. So for example, if you are going outside in a t-shirt, pants and puffer jacket, then they could wear a singlet underneath their

  growsuit

  , with a coat or

  cardigan

  on top, alongside mittens, booties and a beanie. This layered approach keeps winter baby clothing practical.

Just like when they’re snug and cozy in bed, layering your baby for the cool temperatures of a winter day is equally important. Light layers that can be easily added or removed will help you easily regulate their temperature. Here are a few of our favourite layering options for winter:

• Bottom Layer:

  Choose something nice and snug like an organic cotton layering growsuit that will cover their little arms and legs. Alternatively, a singlet will keep their torso nice and warm.

• Mid Layer:

  Depending on your choice of bottom layer, a jumper or cardigan pairs well with a growsuit. If you opted for a singlet as a bottom layer, you can layer a growsuit over the top, or consider a tee, leggings, bodysuit or romper.

• Top Layer:

  When it’s really cold outside, then a top layer might be needed. Coats, jackets and knitwear will comfortably fit over the top of their other layers and are easy to remove if they start getting hot. Don’t forget accessories such as booties, beanies and mittens to also help your little one trap heat against their body. These layers complete a cozy outfit.

If it’s your first time dressing your baby in winter and layering their clothes for cold weather, it can be a bit tricky trying to find that perfect balance between too hot and too cold, especially if they’re transitioning between indoor and outdoor environments often. However, you’ll quickly learn which outfit combinations work when you dress your baby in winter indoors vs outdoors, making it easy to quickly grab exactly what they’ll need to wear to stay perfectly comfortable. Shop the full range of Purebaby’s organic cotton baby clothing, which is ideal for winter layering at home, outdoors and when they go to bed.