What does a newborn wear in a pram in April?

[Fagin99]

I'm due my first child in early April and I'm still struggling to know how best to dress them when we go for our walks. I understand the one-extra-layer rule, but I'm still wearing a coat outside.

Would a vest, sleepsuit, cardigan, hat and layered cellular blankets be enough??
Or should I buy a little coat or pramsuit?

It's the one thing that has really stumped me as spring weather is so changeable!

Thanks so much in advance! x

My little girl was born at the end of March last year. We had her pretty much exclusively in sleepsuits with a warm snuggly cardigan over the top and a blanket and light hat.

DC1 was born in March. It took us a couple of weeks to be ready to venture out. I had bought him a little pram suit but barely used it. I found it much more convenient to just pop a cardigan and hat on him, and blanket over him. (He wore a vest and sleepsuit indoors, he was quite a warm baby and our house is warm.) When we went out, he was in the pram carrycot so he was pretty snug in there, protected from the cold and wind.

When DC2 was born, a friend gave us a Tuppence and Crumble star wrap which was handy, easier to get baby in and out of a pram suit. But she was a September baby so we were going out and about in autumn/winter - also during covid lockdowns so we spent quite a bit more time outside than we might have done otherwise.

Our twins wore thin fleece hooded onesie, sleepsuit and bodysuit. If it was very breezy I would put the raincover on the pram.
They were March babies.

easier to get baby in and out of than a pram suit

Think a couple of months ahead as IME it takes a few weeks until you really feel together enough to be going for walks etc.

I personally never found pramsuits to be very helpful, I would get a hat and a little knitted cardy like the ones in M&S (I had one from Gap) in size 0-3 months and then blankets. You can put the raincover on against wind chill. But I wouldn't buy loads of cold weather stuff as it will be warmer soon enough.

Such a perfect time to have a baby, really lovely to have a newborn over spring and summer months

I’d go for layers personally, a little coat / thick onesie is hard to get on and off and the weather in spring can be very changeable and switch between hot and cold quite quickly

Layers like blankets are great as you’ll always use them, a coat or something they’ll grow out of very quickly

Congrats, it’s a lovely time!

My first baby was born in early March and the pramsuit only got used a couple of times. My second was due in April so I didn't buy one till the Autumn. They're only good for long walks as they're a pain to take on and off in shops and cafés and too puffy for carseats. Blankets can be easily removed in the pram often without waking the baby and can be put over car seat straps.

My eldest was born in March. It snowed the night we brought him home and was the coldest Easter on record that year as well apparently (was last weekend in March).

My youngest was born in May and there were some days I had him in just a vest, sleepsuit and blanket. Others he was still in a coat and hat.

My first was born May 3rd last year. When we'd go out she'd wear exactly what you've said in your OP. Short sleeve vest, sleepsuit, cardigan and then a hat with a nice blanket.
This time last year it was hot(ish) in April so we didn't have a coat or pramsuit. Depending on the weather I'd say they'd be a bit too hot.

My second is now due April 16th and I'm planning to put him in the exact same outfit. It's really nice having a Spring baby so enjoy!

Thank you so much everyone for your swift replies and we'll wishes! It's great to have the support on here.

Good advice to think a few weeks ahead, and fingers crossed it will be warmer by then. Relieved to know I'm hopefully on the right track (I agree, cellular blankets are so easy) but I might get a couple of extra cardigans of different thickness.

Thanks again xx

We have lots of knitters in our family so I didn't even have to buy cardigans or blankets! Plenty of nice ones available to buy though.

Pramsuits are a pain, if you go inside anywhere you need to take them off. I'd just layer up in blankets.

Tuppence and Crumble star wrap is amazing!! A friend bought us one for DC2, admittedly an autumn baby so maybe we got more use out of it than we would for a spring baby, though he's pretty big so has sadly outgrown it recently (5mo). With the improving weather and the fact that I will start sitting him more upright in the pram soon I don't think it's worth us buying the bigger size one for him, however I would recommend it for a spring newborn. It's really easy to open up/get their limbs out if you go inside somewhere and need to remove layers. It's also really warm and toasty and you can layer additional blankets over it if needed. DC2 used to nap in it better than anywhere else too, I'm gutted that he's outgrown it now!

I found it helpful for my autumn baby but I don't think I would have used it for my spring baby.

Cardigans are faffy with newborns as their arms are still all scrunched up. Blankets much easier and you can pull up/down and get them in/out very easily.

December baby- pramsuit used a fair amount. Otherwise vest/ sleepsuit and hat.

Feb baby- been too hot for pramsuit so just vest/ sleepsuit and knitted blanket.

Pram bassinets are very snug, babies are very protected in them. I have a sheepskin liner too which helps regulate temperature.

In slings, I've always just had vest, footless sleepsuits, socks. If particularly cold then either thicker sling or fleece sleepsuit.