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Winter baby - what clothes do I need?

16 replies

TipBoov · 04/08/2016 16:20

I already have a DS, but he was born in spring, and so he tended to wear a short-sleeved vest, Sleepsuit and cardigan in the early days.

DC2 is due in December - do you think a long-sleeved vest and Sleepsuit with socks and a cardigan will be ok for indoors, with a pram suit for going outside? Also I've seen pram suits are soft whereas snowsuits are waterproof - would a snowsuit be warmer?

I'll be doing the school run twice a day, so baby will be in the pram with a blanket too. Do I buy a woolly hat? Can you even get woolly hats for babies? I've only seen cotton ones!

Plus I remember you shouldn't put babies in coats in the car seat - does a thick cardigan count?

Sorry, I feel so confused! DS is 4 so it's been a while since I've had to dress a baby!

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RuskBaby · 04/08/2016 17:44

My little one is due in November so questioning this too. I have been advised that long sleeved vests are a nightmare to get on under a babygro though. Hopefully someone will be along soon with tips.

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Fedupithink · 04/08/2016 18:38

I'm due in November and wondering this too! It's my first and I have literally no idea what I'm doing!

Also, when the shops say vests there seem to be a selection - some with no arms or legs, some with just long sleeves and some with both arms and legs... Which ones are we all talking about?! So confused!

I gather the rule is one more later than us at all times so thinking an armless/legless vest under a baby grow with long arms and legs and feet covers will be sufficient with a hat? Or do I need a cardigan too?

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m33r · 04/08/2016 19:59

I freaked about temperature - still do and LB is 16 months - but I noticed that indoors was warm anyway so it was just a short sleeved vest and a sleep suit and maybe a cardi if the house is cold (we had our heating on all the time). When going outside, I always made sure my LB's ears were covered - the very cute woolly hats with ear covers and Pom poms looked so cozy. I preferred lots of removable layers as outside was freezing but then I'd pop into a shop or whatever and just took a blanket away and hat off rather than messing around snow suits (but I never went HIGE long walks in th country! Blush )

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TipBoov · 04/08/2016 20:01

Yes I can imagine actually that long sleeved vests might be difficult to put a Sleepsuit over, I only ever used them under tshirts for DS so didn't think of that!

So confusing! I'm thinking cardigan over the top might be enough then with a long-sleeved Sleepsuit and short sleeved vest.

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TipBoov · 04/08/2016 20:02

Ooh just remembered that I had a poncho for DS, it was much easier to put that on and off when we were in and out of shops. I don't fancy wrestling a pramsuit on and off!

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welshweasel · 04/08/2016 20:07

DS was born in January and was 5 weeks early. He wore a short sleeved vest and babygrow in the house, when we went out we put a cardigan on, a hat when he allowed, and tucked a blanket over him. It's not that cold in the UK and you really don't need them in that many layers. Long sleeved vests useful for going under dungarees but would be a nightmare under a babygrow. I never had a snowsuit as he was either in the sling (so taking my body heat) or under a blanket in the pram. Just a reminder that you shouldn't put babies in a car seat in a snowsuit either.

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PickledLilly · 04/08/2016 20:08

I'm another one who is somewhat confused as I had my last child in a heatwave do she mostly just wore a nappy! Not quite sure what to buy for a September baby as it might be a bit cold or might be hot? I'm going to go with the very scientific way of sticking your hand down back of babygrow and seeing if baby feels warm or cold and add/remove layers as necessary. This may not be the approved method...

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Blueberry234 · 04/08/2016 20:08

Highly recommend a morrck hoodie as you could unwrap once you enter a shop rather than stress your baby is overheating in a shop in a snowsuit

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sunnydayinmay · 04/08/2016 20:13

I have two winterborns, and lived in a freezing old cottage when they were babies.

I always used shortsleeved vests, babygrow and the cardigan if they were still cold. Or blankets in the carrycot.

Outside, I had a snowsuit, but it was a pain, and again I found it easier to layer with a coat and blankets. Nice warm cover for the pram worked well.

I'm sure I had a woolly hat, but the coats and sleepsuits had warm hoods.

My MIL had a thing about putting ds1's pram outside on the patio (in the snow!), but he was always snug and warm when I went out to rescue him.

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TheLittlestBear · 04/08/2016 20:23

My DS was born in January. I had no idea what to put him in. But he mainly wore short sleeved vest, baby grow and cardi. Or long sleeved vest with a pair of baby tights with dunagrees/little joggers and a cardi. Out and about, it was lots of blankets and hand made cashmere/silk blend hats and booties. (I had a lot of time on my hands while pregnant to knot!)

I really wouldn't bother with a snowsuit/all in one puffy coat. We bought several of these, each one a waste of money (IMO). They are difficult to put on little babies and you can't use them in the car and should take them off when you get inside shops/cafes etc. Add that to the amount newborns sleep, you wouldn't want to do all that taking off/putting on with a sleeping new born.

Hth. :)

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eastcoastmum2014 · 04/08/2016 20:24

I had my DD in January last year (it was -5 the night we took her home)! This is what we did-
Inside a short sleeves vest and one extra layer like a sleep suit or outfit. Night time we just used a cellular blanket until she grew into a 2.5 tog sleeping bag.
Outside I would add either a coat and blanket or a soft pram suit. I had a snowsuit puffer but didn't use it made her too hot and sweaty!
The general rule of thumb is one extra layer to you- you don't want to wrap them up too much even though its cold as newborns cant regulate their body temperatures effectively and are at risk of over heating xx

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TipBoov · 04/08/2016 20:54

Thanks that makes sense - I won't bother with the snowsuit then. Apart from the school run twice a day, I'll mainly be using the car, so it will be a big faff with a snowsuit. Think I'll just stock up on cardigans, and will use socks under the body suit if it's really chilly.

Do you think a cellular blanket or a fleece blanket under the pram apron?

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sunnydayinmay · 04/08/2016 20:58

I just had either a cellular blanket, or wool blanket, but my pram had a warm cover.

You just need to layer blankets, as well as clothes. Far easier for getting in and out of cars or buildings.

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AudreyBradshaw · 04/08/2016 21:36

I'm due mid November. Planning on getting a tuppence and crumble 'starsnug' (they're so cute!)

And then layering!

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Artandco · 04/08/2016 21:41

Look up ' baby bug in a rug'. They are basically wrap over blankets with feet. So you pop babies legs in, and wrap over and can pop in pram, then when you go in car you place baby in then just unwrap front so you can strap in safely. In shops do the same so they don't overheat, then back wrapped over outside. Can be used in a sling also ( about £20)

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PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon · 04/08/2016 21:48

Don't put anything like a thick jumper on baby in a car seat. Use a blanket (or two) over the baby once strapped in.

Get both vests & long sleeve vests as well as grows for indoors and you can layer up with a cardie/jumper/blanket if needed

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