Tips for Dressing Your Newborn for Winter Weather
So, how do you dress a newborn in winter? Whether indoors or outside, it's all about choosing the right layers and accessories to add warmth without sacrificing breathability, comfort, or safety. Read on to find our best tips for how to dress a newborn in winter ahead.
Why Layering Is Key for Newborn Winter Dressing
Layering is the name of the game when it comes to keeping your little one warm in the winter—even if you're headed somewhere for a winter beach vacation. Dressing them in multiple clothing pieces made of thin, breathable fabrics can add insulation without overheating or restricting movement.
With layers, you always have the option to remove or add another article of clothing if your newborn gets too hot or cold. That said, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that although parents can add layers to their baby's outfits, it should be no more than one additional layer than an adult would wear.
How to Layer Your Newborn's Clothes
Again, the general rule of thumb when dressing a newborn or infant for warmth is to have them wear the same number of layers you're wearing, plus one extra.
For instance, when you're heading outdoors for a walk in the winter months, you might wear long pants, thick socks, a long-sleeve shirt, and a coat. For the same outing, you could dress your newborn baby in:
- A long-sleeve onesie
- Leggings
- A sweater
- A coat
- Mittens
- A knit hat
- Socks and booties
- A blanket over their legs
You can also find stroller muffs (aka footmuffs), which are essentially sleeping bag-coat hybrids for newborn babies to use in strollers instead of blankets or regular coats.
Remember, your body temperature might rise while you're walking because the movement gets your blood flowing. But your baby will be sitting still and needs additional layers and accessories—like mittens to prevent cold hands—to stay warm outside.
If you're spending time indoors in the winter, you might dress your newborn baby in a long-sleeve onesie, a sweater, leggings, and socks.
Types of Fabrics to Use for Layering Newborn Clothes
The best fabrics for layering baby clothes tend to be lightweight and breathable, meaning air can pass through the material. Ideally, they should also be moisture-wicking to draw sweat away from your baby's skin. These fabrics include cotton, linen, bamboo, and lyocell, the latter of which is derived from tree pulp (cellulose).
Dressing Your Newborn Baby for Sleep in the Winter
For sleeping, the AAP recommends adding layers to footed pajamas like a sleep sack or sleepsuit, if new parents are worried about their newborn getting cold. Layering is considered safer for infants sleeping in cribs than blankets in reducing the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
Also, your baby's head should never be covered, and the bedroom temperature should be comfortable, not too hot or cold.
Essential Winter Clothing for Newborns
Whether you're currently caring for a newborn or are in the middle of pregnancy with a wintertime due date, you're wise to prepare essential baby clothing for the season.
Here are the pieces we suggest having on hand:
- Long-sleeve onesies and bodysuits
- Long-sleeve rompers (like pajamas but without the feet)
- Knit pants and leggings
- Sweaters (knit cardigans and pull-overs)
- Sweatshirts (non-hooded crewneck)
- Footie pajamas
These are just the basics. You'll also want to have the right outerwear and accessories for your baby.
Choosing the Right Outerwear
The sizing for baby coats, jackets, and even fleeces often starts at 3 months, as bulky coats aren't necessarily practical (or safe) for small babies. But there are alternatives for the zero-to-3-month set, like a pram suit, which is like an outerwear version of a long-sleeve romper.
You can also get full-body puffer suits or bunting suits, the infant version of a snowsuit. As mentioned, stroller muffs can be a good option for bringing newborns on winter walks.
Selecting Cold-Weather Newborn Accessories
We also recommend getting winter accessories to keep your baby's hands, feet, and head warm. You might consider:
- Cotton tights
- Cozy booties
- Soft thumbless mittens
- A knit hat or ribbed beanie
- A bonnet or balaclava
- Socks that can be tucked under leggings
This may go without saying, but you'll likely only need a hat, mittens, and booties for car rides, stroller rides, and other outdoor outings. These pieces won't be necessary indoors. For guidance on how to keep your newborn warm at night, note that per the AAP's guidelines, never cover your infant's head (even with a hat) when they're sleeping.
Dressing Newborns for Cold-Weather Outings
To recap, dressing newborns for cold-weather outings is all about choosing lightweight, breathable pieces. Generally speaking, you can dress your baby in the same number of layers you're wearing, plus one more for extra warmth.
This includes outerwear, so the extra layer might just be a sweater or a long-sleeve cotton shirt over your baby's onesie.
How to Dress for Walks or Errands in Winter
You want to bundle up your newborn for walks and errands in the winter. As noted, your baby isn't walking like you are, so they won't have the same blood flow to help warm them up. The extra layer—plus mittens, fuzzy booties, and a knit hat—should be enough.
The idea behind layering is to help a baby stay warm in cold temperatures without restricting movement, sacrificing breathability, or making them sweat—yep, babies can sweat, too!
Warm Footmuffs and Car Seat Covers From Maisonette
When your infant is too young or small to wear a proper coat, a footmuff or infant wrap is your best bet for car rides and stroller walks. If you carry your baby in a front-facing carrier, you can also get a poncho-style cover.
Shop Layerable Clothing and Accessories to Protect Newborns From the Cold
Now that you're up to speed on how to dress a baby in winter, you can shop for layerable baby clothing and baby accessories at Maisonette. As a family brand founded by moms, you can bet we carry a thoughtful selection of products to meet parents' and children's needs for every season.
When you explore the collections, you'll find must-have winter clothing and outerwear from some of our favorite parent-approved brands. From onesies, rompers, sweaters, and leggings to footmuffs, puff suits, and pram suits, we have all the basics and outerwear pieces for layering. Whether you're looking for practical options or searching for cute, stylish family Christmas photo outfits, our carefully curated offers have you covered.