Small babies and warm weather

[Ecgwynn]

It's going to be 26 degrees here tomorrow. How many layers do I need to dress my 3wk old DS in? Currently (at about 16 degrees), if we go out he wears a hooded cardigan, a baby grow and a vest. Should I ditch the vest?

Silly question, I know, but I'm clueless!

One thin-ish layer more than you're wearing I think was the rule of thumb when ds was a baby.

Feel his tummy regularly to check his temp throughout the day.

And no, it's not a silly question! :)

Babies can warm themselves up much easier than they can cool themselves down (the fat that babies have can actually burn calories to produce warmth, but the ability to sweat is minimal) so it's actually better to always err on the side of too cold.

At 26 degrees, I doubt more than a baby grow.

I have been wondering much the same, in the end I ditched the vest and put DD in a dress, then took a cardi and a thin blanket out with me so that I could layer her up if needed, and TBH she was roasting in her thin little dress so didnt need anything more

In 26degrees, a sleepsuit, with a blanket over.

Same layers as you have on. I would just put a baby grow on, and a blanket if out in the wind. He'll soon let you know if he's too cold or hot!

Anything over 20 degrees C is a good 5 degrees hotter than a normal room temperature in your home, so really a thin shortsleeved vest/bodysuit should be enough, and using a sheet over the baby or a thin summer 1.0 tog grobag if you want them to go to sleep. I suspect a young baby may still overtheat very easily in anything over 25 degrees though, so bare skin (except for nappy) and cool flannels may need to be used to keep baby cool. Outdoors, I think you should keep a young baby less than a month old completely shaded.

Meant to add if you're going to be out and about all day, i suggest taking several thin layers of cotton clothes, such as extra t-shirt and extra long sleeved shirt, plus a cardigan - you can eaily slip an additonal layer such as a long sleeved t-shirt on over a bodysuit/vest if it goes under 20 degrees and obviuosly if 18-16 or lower, the cardigan can go over that. Generally babies need about the same layers on as us - with just one extra layer if it's very cold and proably actually one layer less (i.e. nothing!) if it's very hot as they are not able to regulate their body tempreature quite as well as us.

I've been puttin ds (16wk) in shorts and t shirt no vest a thin zipper and socks usually by the time we do the school drop the zippers been pulled off and by 10.30 the socks are off 2. Since it was so warm in the house and garden ds was gettin sweaty so i left him naked and put one of the pampers disposable change mats under him.

If you have any muslin squares i've been using them over his legs in he buggy to keep the sun off since our parasol doesn't cover him from every angle and over him when he's sleeping

It's much safer for your baby to be too cold than too hot.

It also depends whether you're out in the car, using a sling/pushchair/in a house with thick walls and small windows, whether the baby is awake or asleep, etc.

I'd start with just a simple short sleeved body suit and add layers if he's clearly cold.