DRESSING A BABY 0-3 MONTHS

How do I know if my baby is too hot or too cold? 0-3 months

Instead of judging by hands or feet (which can be cool even when the baby is fine), check their chest or the back of their neck.

Signs your baby might be too hot: 

  • Sweaty or damp hair or skin
  • Chest or back feels hot to touch
  • Flushed or very red cheeks
  • Rapid breathing or restlessness

Signs baby might be too cold:

  • Chest or back feels cool to touch
  • Pale, bluish, or mottled skin
  • Hands, feet, and chest all feel quite cool

Overheating is linked to higher SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) risk, so it’s safer to be a little on the cool side rather than too bundled.

A quick check with your hand over the baby’s chest or neck is your best guide. Warm and dry = just right. Too sweaty or too chilly? Adjust a layer.

Want to learn more?

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2022). Keeping baby warm and safe.



How should I dress my baby to sleep? 0-3 months

Safe sleep guidelines emphasize avoiding overheating and keeping loose items out of the crib.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend:

  • Place your baby on their back on a firm, flat surface for every sleep.
  • Dress your baby in one more layer than you would wear in the same room (for example, if you are wearing a t-shirt, you can dress your baby in a onesie and a light sleep sack).
  • Use sleep clothing like a wearable blanket or sleep sack instead of loose blankets.
  • No hats, weighted blankets, or weighted sleepwear for sleep once you’re home from the hospital.

Think snug and simple for sleep: one more light layer than you, a sleep sack instead of blankets, and a clear crib with just your baby on their back.

Want to learn more?

American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. (2022). Sleep-related infant deaths: Updated 2022 recommendations for reducing infant deaths in the sleep environment. Pediatrics, 150(1), e2022057990.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Safe sleep: What parents should know.

National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2023). Safe to Sleep® campaign.

Turner, S., & Williams, A. (2020). Infant sleep environments and overheating risks. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 52, 85–92.