What should my baby wear?
The simple answer for every temperature – for outdoors, stroller, baby carrier, car, at home and for sleep. With a calculator, charts and the most important safety tips.
In short: dress your baby in one thin layer more than you would wear yourself (layering principle). Check whether it fits at the neck – warm & dry is just right. Choose the temperature and the situation below for a specific recommendation.
Clothing calculator
Pick the situation, slide the temperature – done.
Sleep sack calculator
For sleeping indoors: room temperature → TOG rating.
📏The most important rule of thumb
Babies can't regulate their temperature well in the first months. That's why:
- One thin layer more than you would wear yourself.
- Layering principle: several thin layers rather than one thick one – the air in between insulates and you can add or remove layers flexibly.
- Neck check instead of hands: feel the back of the neck or the upper back. Warm and dry = perfect. Sweaty = too warm. Cool = one layer more. Hands and feet are often cooler and not a good indicator.
- Overheating is more dangerous than being cold: when in doubt, one layer less.
🚶Outdoors: chart by temperature
Guide values for a walk. In the stroller (pram) the same applies (there's no body heat from you), and a footmuff replaces the thick blanket.
| Temperature | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| from 28 °C very hot | Diaper only or a thin short-sleeve bodysuit · sun hat with neck flap · thin muslin cloth for shade. Avoid the midday sun (11 a.m.–3 p.m.), feed/offer drinks more often. |
| 23–27 °C warm | Short-sleeve bodysuit · thin trousers or a light romper · sun hat · thin socks. |
| 18–22 °C mild | Long-sleeve bodysuit · trousers or romper · thin hat · light jacket within reach. |
| 13–17 °C cool | Long-sleeve bodysuit · sweater + trousers or a warm romper · light jacket · hat · socks. |
| 8–12 °C cold | Long-sleeve bodysuit · boiled-wool or fleece suit · jacket · hat over the ears · mittens · footmuff in the stroller. |
| 3–7 °C very cold | Long-sleeve bodysuit + sleepsuit/boiled wool · winter jacket or snowsuit · warm hat · mittens · warm footmuff. |
| below 3 °C frost | Warm winter all-in-one · thick hat over the ears · neck scarf (no loose scarf) · thick mittens · sheepskin footmuff. Keep outings short, check cheeks/neck. |
👶In the baby carrier
In the carrier your body heat counts as one layer – dress your baby in one layer less than in the stroller. Cover legs and feet extra because they hang out freely. In winter, use a babywearing jacket or carrier cover over both of you instead of a thick jacket for the baby.
🚗In the car & car seat
Here safety matters more than warmth:
🏠At home: by room temperature
| Room temperature | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| from 24 °C | Short-sleeve bodysuit · thin trousers if needed · barefoot or thin socks. Watch for overheating, air the room. |
| 20–23 °C | Long-sleeve bodysuit · romper or light trousers · socks. |
| 18–20 °C (ideal) | Long-sleeve bodysuit · romper · socks. |
| below 18 °C | Long-sleeve bodysuit · romper + light sweater · socks · thin hat if needed. |
🌙For sleep: TOG rating & what goes underneath
A baby sleep sack replaces loose blankets (which don't belong in the crib). The TOG rating tells you how warm the sleep sack is – matched to the room temperature. The sleep sack calculator at the top gives you the right value; here is the chart for reference:
| Room temperature | TOG rating | Under the sleep sack |
|---|---|---|
| from 24 °C | 0.5 TOG (summer) | Diaper only or a short-sleeve bodysuit |
| 20–23 °C | 1.0 TOG (spring/autumn) | Short- or long-sleeve bodysuit |
| 16–20 °C | 2.5 TOG (all year) | Long-sleeve bodysuit (+ romper at ~16–18 °C) |
| below 16 °C | 3.5 TOG (winter) | Long-sleeve bodysuit + sleepsuit |
📚More dressing guides
- Dressing your baby in summer – heat, sun protection, car
- Dressing your baby in winter – layers, frost, car seat
- Dressing your baby in spring & autumn – changeable weather
- Dressing a newborn – the first weeks & the starter wardrobe
- Dressing your baby at night – sleep sack & TOG rating
- How many layers? – rule of thumb & neck check
- Sleep sack TOG calculator – which TOG at which room temperature?
- Stroller in winter – footmuff & layers in the cold
- Dressing your baby for the car seat – why no thick jacket (ADAC)
Frequently asked questions
How much should I dress my baby in?
One thin layer more than yourself, using the layering principle. Check the neck – warm and dry is right. Sweaty = too warm, cool = one layer more. Hands/feet aren't suitable for checking.
How do I tell whether it's too warm or too cold?
Feel the back of the neck or the upper back. Warm and dry = all good. Sweaty and hot = overheating, remove a layer. Cool = one layer more.
What should my baby wear in the car seat?
No thick/padded jacket and no snowsuit. Dress thin, fasten the harness snugly and lay a blanket over the fastened harness (ADAC advice).
What should my baby wear in the baby carrier?
One layer less than in the stroller, because your body heat counts. Cover legs and feet extra. Keep the airway clear.
Which TOG rating suits which room temperature?
0.5 TOG from ~24 °C, 1.0 TOG at 20–23 °C, 2.5 TOG at 16–20 °C, 3.5 TOG below 16 °C. 16–20 °C is ideal.
Can I cover the stroller with a blanket?
No – heat builds up underneath (at 26 °C outside up to ~37 °C within 30 min). Use a breathable sun canopy/parasol instead.
Never wonder again – with HeyFini
The HeyFini app does the working-out for you: it uses the current weather at your location and automatically suggests suitable clothing for outdoors, stroller, carrier, car and sleep – plus feeding, sleep & growth. Private in your iCloud.
General guidance, not medical advice. Every child feels warmth differently – the neck/chest check is what counts. When in doubt, ask your paediatrician or midwife.