Newborn Care
Dressing a baby and the temperature question
Overheating is a genuine risk and hands are a poor guide, and the practical rules are simpler than the shops suggest.
Babies cannot regulate their temperature as well as adults, cannot remove clothing, and cannot tell you they are too hot, which makes this a genuine safety topic rather than a matter of preference.
Judging temperature correctly
Hands and feet are normally cooler than the rest of the body in babies and are a poor indicator.
The reliable check is the chest, the back or the back of the neck, which should feel comfortably warm rather than hot or clammy.
Signs of overheating: sweating, damp hair, flushed cheeks, rapid breathing, a hot chest, and unusual restlessness or sleepiness.
Overheating is associated with increased risk of sudden infant death, which is why guidance emphasises it.
Signs of being too cold: a cool chest and back, and in newborns, lethargy and poor feeding.
The rule of thumb
One more layer than an adult is comfortable in, for a young baby indoors.
For sleep, the recommended room temperature is generally around sixteen to twenty degrees, and bedding or a sleeping bag should be chosen for that.
Sleeping bags are rated in togs, with lower tog bags for warmer rooms, and most manufacturers publish a chart matching room temperature to tog and clothing underneath.
A sleeping bag is generally safer than loose blankets, since it cannot cover the head, and it must be the correct size with a neck opening the baby cannot slip down through.
No hats indoors or for sleep, since babies lose heat through the head and this is one of their main regulation mechanisms.
Outdoors
Where the errors go both ways.
In cold weather, layers plus a hat, mittens and appropriate outer clothing.
Remove outer layers when going indoors or into a warm car, since babies overheat quickly in a heated environment while still in a snowsuit.
Bulky coats and snowsuits must not be worn under a car seat harness, since they compress in a collision and leave the harness dangerously loose — harness the child in indoor clothing and put a coat on backwards or use a blanket over the top.
In hot weather, light loose cotton, a wide-brimmed hat, and shade rather than sunscreen for babies under six months.
Never cover a pram with a blanket to create shade, since it dramatically raises the temperature inside — use a clip-on parasol or a purpose-made airy cover.
What to actually buy
Practically, since the volume of baby clothing sold is out of proportion to what is used.
Sleepsuits and bodysuits in quantity, since these are what babies live in.
Front-opening or wide-necked garments, since pulling anything over a newborn's head is unpleasant for everyone.
Poppers rather than buttons, and avoid anything with ribbons, cords or loose decorations.
Natural breathable fabrics.
Scratch mitts for the early weeks, or sleepsuits with fold-over cuffs.
Considerably fewer newborn-size items than you expect, since they are outgrown in weeks and many babies never fit them at all.
And nothing that requires ironing, which will not happen.
Washing
Simpler than marketed.
Wash new clothes before use.
Use a non-biological or fragrance-free detergent if the baby's skin is sensitive, though evidence that biological detergents cause problems in most babies is limited.
Avoid fabric softener on anything worn next to the skin, and on towels.
Rinse thoroughly.
Separate washing for the baby is generally unnecessary.
And flame-retardant nightwear standards apply in some countries, which is worth knowing when buying secondhand.
Safety points in clothing
Small and important.
No cords, ties or ribbons near the neck.
No loose decorations that could be pulled off and swallowed.
Check that poppers are secure.
Nothing with a hood cord.
Remove bibs for sleep.
Do not use amber necklaces or any jewellery, which carry strangulation and choking risks.
And check that sleepsuit feet are not too tight, since babies grow out of length before width and a compressed foot is uncomfortable and unnoticed.
Nappy-free time and skin
A related practicality.
Time without a nappy helps prevent rash and is easy to build into changes.
Skin-to-skin contact is beneficial at any age and is easier if the baby is not wrapped in several layers.
And in hot weather, a nappy alone is frequently sufficient clothing indoors.
Room thermometers
Useful and imperfect.
A simple thermometer in the room where the baby sleeps removes guesswork and is inexpensive.
Rooms vary considerably between the cot and the thermostat, so the reading should come from near the cot but not next to a radiator or window.
And temperature changes overnight, generally dropping in the early hours, which is worth allowing for when deciding bedding.
General information only, not medical advice. Follow safe sleep guidance on room temperature and bedding, and never use bulky coats under a car seat harness.
