Choosing Your Baby’s Outfit
1. Dress the baby as you would dress yourself. The general rule is to dress your baby the same way you are dressed. As you adjust your clothing throughout the day, adjust your baby’s clothing in a similar manner.
- If you are wearing a T-shirt and shorts, your baby can wear the same.
- If you add a hoodie on a cooler day, don’t forget to add one for your baby.
- Check the weather forecast everyday to make sure that both you and your baby are dressed appropriately.
2. Stick with short sleeves and apply sunscreen if they’ll be outdoors. Short sleeves are best for activities where the baby is playing outside in hot temperatures. Babies older than 6 months can have sunscreen applied to their exposed skin.
3. Cover their arms and legs to protect them from insects. If you will be by a lake or pool, you may want to consider covering up the baby’s arms and legs to protect them from bites. Make sure they don’t get overheated, though!
- Alternatively, dress your baby is short sleeves and shorts and apply an insect repellant formulated for infants.
4. Carry an extra layer of clothing with you. Most babies will be fine in a basic onesie and shorts or a skirt. To avoid overheating, keep your baby in a single layer most of the time. Pack an extra layer, such as a button-up shirt or sweater, in the diaper bag just in case you head somewhere cooler.
- For example, the baby may wear short sleeves at home, but if you go to the grocery store, they may need a light sweater.
- Avoid any extra layers if the temperature is above 75 °F (24 °C).
5. Skip the socks when you go outside. If you will be playing outside, leave the socks off of your baby’s feet. That said, socks can be a great way of keeping a baby’s feet warm if they are inside an air-conditioned room.
- Babies that aren’t yet walking do not need to wear shoes or socks.
6. Put on a onesie for bed. Even at night, overheating can be a problem. Instead of heavy PJs, dress your baby in a onesie or leave them in just their diaper. If you have an air-conditioned home or the baby’s room tends to be cooler, dress them in a heavier sleeper or swaddle them in a muslin blanket.
- Avoid fleece nightclothes in the summer.
- Never add loose blankets to your baby’s crib to keep them warm, as they can be a suffocation hazard.
