How to Dress a Baby for Hot and Cold Weather

The basic rule

• Dress the baby in about one more layer than an adult would be comfortable in, in the same place.
• Layers beat one thick outfit: easy to add or remove as you move between outdoors, car and shops.
• Check warmth on the chest, tummy or back of the neck. Cool hands and feet are normal in young babies because circulation to them is still developing.
• Too warm: sweaty hair, damp neck, flushed cheeks, fast breathing, fussiness. Too cold: cool chest, pale or mottled skin, unusual quietness.

Cold weather

• Hat, socks, mittens and a warm outer layer when outdoors. Babies lose heat quickly from the head.
• Keep outings short in very cold or windy weather and bring the baby in if they seem cold.
• Take off hats and outer layers once inside, in the car and in shops, so the baby doesn't overheat.
• Car seats: no puffy coats or snowsuits under the harness. They compress in a crash and leave straps too loose. Buckle the baby in thin layers, then lay a blanket or coat over the harness. See the car seat guide.
• Stroller covers and footmuffs are fine while awake and supervised; keep the face clear.

Hot weather

• One light, loose, breathable layer, often just a diaper and a light shirt indoors.
• Under 6 months, keep babies out of direct sun: shade, a wide-brimmed hat, lightweight long sleeves, and avoiding the strongest midday sun. If shade isn't possible, a small amount of sunscreen on exposed areas like the face and backs of hands is acceptable.
• From 6 months, use broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or more on exposed skin, reapplied every 2 hours and after water.
• Don't cover a stroller with a blanket to block sun. It traps heat. Use a canopy or clip-on shade with airflow.
• Offer extra breast milk or formula feeds when hot. Babies under 6 months don't need water.
• Never leave a baby in a parked car, even for a minute.

Sleep clothing

• Indoors at night: a onesie plus a sleep sack or footed sleeper is usually plenty. No hats indoors for sleep after the first hours in the hospital. More in the room temperature guide.

Different climates and traditions

• Families from many cultures bundle babies warmly. Warmth is caring; the goal is just to avoid overheating, which is linked with sleep-related deaths. Feel the neck or chest rather than going by how many layers there are.
• Air-conditioned homes and buses can be cooler than the weather outside. Keep a light layer handy.

When to check in

• Ask at a checkup about clothing if your baby often seems too hot or too cold, or has heat rash (tiny red bumps in skin folds) that keeps coming back.
• A baby who has been in heat and is now listless, very sleepy, not feeding or vomiting needs prompt care. A baby left in a hot car, or one who is hard to wake after heat or cold exposure, needs 911.