What should my newborn wear - FTM please help!

[bec1238]

Hi everyone, FTM here!

My baby is one week old and I’ve been non stop worrying about what to dress her in as we've been given so much different info on temperatures.

Can someone help me with the below please:

1. What to dress her in at night...the room temp is about 18 - 19 degrees. This feels chilly to me but I'm going off what I've read on the lullaby trust and this is apparently the perfect temp. Currently we dress her in a short sleeve vest, a basic babygrow on top and then a gro bag (sleeping bag at 2.5 tog). She doesn't have her arms inside the gro bag as does not like to be swaddled, so her arms only have one layer on them when out of the side of the sleeping bag.

1. What to wear in the day...the house is about 20 degrees in the day so we just have her in a short sleeve vest with a babygrow on top. Is that right?

I suppose I'm confused because I know it's dangerous to let her get too hot, but the 18 degrees feels so cold to me and I don't want her to get too cold (as that's also risky).

I know the best place to test is via the back of her neck and on her back, and it should be nice and warm but not hot. However, it's hard to keep checking non stop particularly when sleeping :(

As a first time mum, it's all so worrying! I can't imagine ever relaxing about it and I'm pretty exhausted already so I need to find a way to!

Thanks all x

Probably well out of date but I was taught one more layer than I'm wearing. So tonight I'll have my pjs on and baby would have pjs plus vest. I'd have duvet baby would have sleep suit.

I always followed the rule of one more layer than an adult.

I find this helpful for night time

gro.co.uk/what-to-wear/

For daytime I am less worried and think it's more common sense if they're warm enough but in this weather they might need a cardigan as well unless they feel warm with just a vest abs sleepsuit

Congratulations! It's such a minefield isnt it, the information available is so overwhelming. You will get the hang of it and it will become less stressful, I promise.

Honestly, what you describe sounds totally fine. Baby will soon tell you if they are uncomfortable. When they sleep they do cool down so hands may feel cold, and its better too cold than too hot.

If you are worried they are getting too cold you could always do a long sleeved vest under the sleepsuit. That's what I usually put DD in (although long sleeved under long sleeved is awkward AF!)

5month old here, room sane temp as you, he has on a long sleeve vest, socks, sleep suit and 2.5tog sleeping bag. Sometimes I add mits during night if his hands feel cold. Agree with pp, one more layer than you.
Don’t stress about during the day, you are keeping an eye on baby in the day. But yes don’t be over wrapping up in blankets. And just enjoy the keeping it simple with cute little sleep suits. With my dc1 I was changing her clothes every morning religiously, yes I do change dc2 in morning as part of routine but if the vest is clean I’ll be keeping it on… so much laundry and it drives me mad. Don’t stress, try to enjoy x

I had a November baby last year and I remember panicking about this too! You are doing exactly the right thing. My DS (1 year) is in a vest, long sleeved pjs and 2.5 tog. The temp is 19 degrees in his room. In the day he is wearing a vest, jumper, trousers and socks but when he was newborn I did a vest and babygrow. I assume you have the heating on in the day so should be lovely and warm. Just use blankets for cuddles and naps too. It sounds like you're doing a great job! Congratulations on your baby x

Sounds spot on. Its normal to worry but you don't need to be checking too much. Err on the side of less if you are unsure, a cold baby will cry but overheating can be dangerous.

Hello I have a 5 month old.and put him in exactly what you do at.night for the same temp!HV and MW always say to go cooler - baby will tell you if too cold - but obv overheating is dangerous!

You're doing great! I slightly bend the rules and do long sleeve vest under sleep suit and then 2.5 sleeping bag as I don't want their arms to be cold.

Sounds fine. You don't need to constantly check. Babies will cry if they're uncomfortable.

Sounds perfect to me OP. 18° - 20° is the recommend ideal temp I believe, vest, sleep suit and a 2.5 tog sleeping bag was what I did.

I'm not sure if they're still available, but Gro used to do sleep suits with quilted arms. When our house was chilly (15°), I'd use a vest, a Gro sleep suit and a 3.5 tog sleeping bag. Kept them perfectly toasty!!

Sounds right to me & I had a December newborn also

Sounds about right to me though I find it quite confusing as well.

I also always find the one layer more advice confusing as at the same temperature dh and DD are always hot, I'm too cold and my parents are freezing. I tend to take myself as the bench mark though..

Just wanted to add that I think if he gets cold he'll cry (though he might not if he gets too hot).

I always used long sleeved vests at night under the babygrow so that the arms had two layers.

Best to be too cold at night than too hot, it’s true.

The grobags all have temp guides, get a room thermometer and then there’s no guessing as to how many layers etc - I still use this and mine is 22 months!

@StopGo

Probably well out of date but I was taught one more layer than I'm wearing. So tonight I'll have my pjs on and baby would have pjs plus vest. I'd have duvet baby would have sleep suit.

This.

Sounds fine and she wont sleep if too cold.

Only thing I could think is to get the sleep suits with the fold over cuffs so her hands are covered which will keep them a smidge warmer.

Thank you all for such good advice, it's made me feel a lot more settled :) xx

@bec1238

Thank you all for such good advice, it's made me feel a lot more settled :) xx

Yeah, I do the exact same! Congrats!