Dressing your newborn baby can be fun but sometimes challenging. Newborns typically don't cooperate with putting on shirts or onesies. They often cry or withdraw their arms and legs.  If this is normal. It is safe to gently pull baby arms and legs through arm and leg holes of clothing.  Be careful not to bend fingers and toes in the wrong directions.  If in general, a newborn should dress in a light layers. A newborn or young infant typically requires one light layer more than what is comfortable for the adults in the room.  For example, if an adult is comfortable in a tee shirt, then the infant should be in a onesie and covered with a light blanket. Premature infants require extra bundling because they have less ability to regulate their own body temperature.

How should I dress my infant on a hot day?

Your infant should be dressed in one light layer more than what is comfortable for an adult in the same environment. In general, an infant should avoid being placed in direct sunlight.  It is difficult to judge when an infant will become overheated in direct sun.  You can feel an infant's skin under their clothing to see if they are sweating or hot to the touch. Infants thrive in mildly warm temperatures.  Temperatures hot enough to make an adult sweat are probably unsafe for an infant for more than a few minutes.  If an infant is caught in a situation where they are out in the sun or heat, they should be put in a shady spot and undressed up to just a diaper with or without a tee shirt.

How should I dress my infant on a cold day?

Your infant should be dressed in one light layer more than what is comfortable for an adult in the same environment.  If you are comfortable in a light coat, the infant should probably be wrapped in a thick blanket or two light blankets. Infants should avoid cold environments for extended periods of time.  Remember that an infant loses significant amounts of body heat through the face and head.  A light stocking cap for the infant is often appropriate when adults are wearing lightweight coats.

When should I swaddle my infant?

In the first few weeks of life infants are comforted when wrapped in a receiving blanket.  Not only does this keep them warm, but also gives them a sense of security. Swaddling an infant with a blanket provides more warmth than a loosely placed blanket.  In warm environments, this might make the infant too hot.  The infant's skin temperature should be checked with your hand on a regular basis.  Infants in baby carriers also can become too warm if not monitored.  This is especially true for soft carriers that are worn against a parent's chest or back.

Snap, button, zip!

Snaps, buttons, and zippers on infant clothing make diaper changing much easier!

Infant clothing should not have strings or ribbons which could wrap around the baby's neck, arms, legs, finger or toes and cause harm to the baby.

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