How to layer your baby for winter

Learn the importance of layering your babies’ clothing in winter. Find out how to layer your baby for sleep and outdoors with Purebaby.

Compared to wearing one thick piece of clothing, wearing layers is better as their warmth becomes trapped between them, insulating your little one much more effectively. It also means more subtle adjustments can be made to their body temperature by varying the number of layers, rather than just pulling off one thick garment. Thin layers are also much less bulky than jumpers when worn underneath coats and jackets.

Young babies should always wear a hat or beanie when going outside as they lose a lot of their body heat through their heads. Although it's true that cold hands and feet are not an accurate gauge of your babies' temperature, they should be covered just as regularly as the babies' head with mittens and booties.

Children should be wearing singlets or vests throughout the winter months. It is also important that their little legs are covered with pants or tights when going outdoors.

How to Layer Your Baby for Sleep

When sleeping, you need to assess the temperature of your child's room. The ideal sleeping temperature is approximately 18 to 20 degrees. We recommend older babies sleep in a sleeping bag so that you can rest assured they won't become cold overnight.

On cooler evenings, it is recommended that you layer up your baby underneath the sleeping bag. The ideal winter sleeping bag should have at least a 1.5 TOG rating.

A few simple steps to assess your baby is comfortable:

1. Place the back of your hand on your little one's chest or tummy.
2. If they are perspiring or feel more than warm, remove a layer of clothing and then check again shortly after.
3. If your little one feels cool, dress them in a thin layer at a time until they feel comfortable to touch.
4. Regularly checking your little one is extremely important as babies' cooling systems are not effective like adults which is why overheating can be common place.

Shop our range of sleeping bags with a variety of TOG ratings and designs.