During your little explorer's first year of life, new tasks and challenges constantly arise—and choosing the right clothing for your baby is definitely one of them. From selecting the right baby clothes to mastering the best technique for changing outfits, everything is probably new to you. To make dressing your baby easy and stress-free, we’ve compiled the most useful tips for you.
7 tips on how to dress your baby properly
In a previous article, we already summarized which baby clothes you absolutely need. So if you followed our tips when choosing baby clothes, you should already have everything you need to dress your baby properly. A wriggling, moving baby can sometimes be quite a challenge on the changing table. But how do you dress a baby? To make dressing easier for you and your little explorer, we’ve put together 7 helpful tips.
Tip 1: Never leave your baby unattended on the changing table
The safety of your little explorer is the top priority when dressing—of course! And even if your baby has been calm so far and hasn’t rolled over yet, things can change very quickly. Little explorers can be surprisingly fast sometimes. ;) So, when dressing your baby, always make sure to keep at least one hand on them and never take your baby off the changing table. To make sure you never have a reason to leave your little one unattended, follow our second tip, too.
Tip 2: Pick out the right clothing items before putting them on
What should you dress your baby in today? Many proud moms and dads ask themselves this question—because on the one hand, your child should look as cute as possible, and on the other hand, they should be dressed appropriately for the temperature so they don’t get cold or sweaty. That’s why it’s best to plan your little explorer’s outfit before you bring them to the changing table. Place Diapers , Wet wipes and the baby clothes for the day within reach, so you avoid any reason to take your eyes off your baby.
Tip 3: Opt for garments made of wool-silk or vegan alternatives
Especially during the cold season, we recommend dressing your little explorer in materials that keep them warm, feel pleasant on sensitive skin, and don’t irritate it . For you as a parent, baby clothing also needs to be easy to care for, because there’s often no time for elaborate hand-washing in everyday life with a baby. ;) Clothing made from wool-silk is therefore a great choice, as these materials help regulate body temperature. But there are also plenty of vegan alternatives, such as pure organic cotton.
Tip 4: Talk to your little explorer during the changing process
When dressing your baby, it helps to put yourself in their shoes. If someone is tugging at you all the time, it can become uncomfortable after a while, don’t you think? It’s much nicer when you entertain and accompany your little explorer with small games while dressing and undressing . Tell your little one what you’re doing at each step, and you’ll see—you’ll often get responses, too. :)
Tip 5: Crumple the clothing before putting it on
Dressing your baby properly presents many new parents with new challenges: How do you put on a cardigan without hurting your child, and why does your little explorer resist every time you try to put on tights? Our tip: rolling up the clothing makes dressing much quicker. This is not only more comfortable for your baby, but also saves you a lot of time .
Tip 6: Roll your baby onto their side when dressing
Some garments are difficult to put on without lifting your little explorer. However, they probably won’t like that very much because babies prefer to lie on a firm, secure surface . Instead, you can put these clothes on your baby by gently rolling them onto their side. This way, you can dress arm by arm and leg by leg without moving your baby too much.
Tip 7: Check if your little explorer is too warm or too cold
Especially in winter, parents tend to bundle their child up too warmly. Proper protection against the cold should of course be provided, but too many layers can make your little explorer sweat. After dressing, check with two fingers on the back of your baby’s neck whether they are too warm or too cold. A cold neck indicates that your baby is cold, while warmth combined with moisture suggests they’re dressed too warmly. A comfortable temperature without sweating means you’ve dressed your baby properly.
Baby clothing for the summer
The concern about dressing your baby too lightly—or perhaps even too warmly—in summer is probably shared by many parents. Especially for new moms and dads, it can be difficult to assess which clothing items little explorers should wear on warm days.
Newborns have skin that is five times thinner than that of adults, so they also need the right clothing in summer to prevent them from getting cold and losing energy. In general, my rule of thumb is that newborns and babies should wear one more layer than you do.
In summer, you can dress your baby in a
Dressing your baby properly in winter
In late autumn and winter, your main goal with your newborn’s clothing is simple: your baby shouldn’t get cold and should maintain a constant body temperature—whether you’re indoors or outside. The best choice for cold days is the onion look , where you can put on multiple layers and remove them individually as needed. Practical, isn’t it? :) A classic winter outfit that helps you dress your baby properly in cold temperatures could look like this:
-
As underwear for babies, the
serves as the body . You pull it directly over the diaper . -
When it gets colder, you can put socks on your baby.
-
As a top in winter, warm knitted cardigans or sweaters work well.
-
If you leave the house, you should also put pants on your child.
-
A beanie, mittens, a scarf, and woolen booties also shouldn’t be missing when you head out for a walk in the cold.
Dress the baby at night
Putting your baby to sleep for the night raises many questions for you. For example: What’s the right clothing so your little explorer doesn’t get cold or sweat too much? Don’t worry—this affects many new parents. :) The best way to support healthy baby sleep is to adjust your child’s sleep outfit to the room temperature . You can do this by layering. A sleeping bag is especially recommended at night for newborns. It keeps your little explorer warm and has the great advantage that they can’t kick it off.
What you can dress your baby in during hot summer nights
Especially on hot days, when the sun shines into your baby’s room during the day, you should <\/span> darken rooms properly . This helps keep the room temperature as low as possible so it doesn’t get too warm for your little explorer to sleep at night. To find out what your baby should wear at night, you can refer to our table. It’s also best to check again with two fingers on the back of the neck to see whether your child is sweating or cold once they’re in their sleepwear.

What you can dress your baby in at night during cold temperatures
When the days get shorter and the nights get colder, the temperature in the children’s room can drop quickly. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye on how warm or cold it is in your little explorer’s room , even in winter. In our temperature table, you can see how to dress your baby properly at night:

If you follow our tips for dressing your baby, you’ll help protect them from both overheating and getting too cold—during the day and at night. If you’re still unsure about how to dress your baby properly, you can also contact your midwife. She will surely be happy to give you more tips on baby clothing.
Overzicht
Veelgestelde vragen
How do you dress a baby?
How do you dress a baby?
The most important thing when dressing your baby is to keep your little explorer in sight. Hold your child securely on the changing table and do not turn away from them. To make dressing your baby as stress-free as possible, we recommend rolling up the clothes beforehand, as this makes dressing quicker. Also, gently roll your baby onto their side to put on garments such as cardigans quickly and easily.
What should I dress my baby in during the summer?
What should I dress my baby in during the summer?
In summer, your baby is best dressed in a bodysuit or romper – depending on the temperature, with short or long sleeves. If it gets a bit cooler outside, you can also put a cotton shirt on them. The most important thing is to pay attention to the right sun protection and, for example, have your baby wear a hat.
What should I dress my baby in during winter?
What should I dress my baby in during winter?
In winter, you should ensure that your baby is dressed warmly enough without sweating. First, put a bodysuit, tights, and a warm knitted cardigan or sweater on your child. Outside, your baby should also wear pants, wool booties, a hat, a scarf, and mittens, and be warmly wrapped in the stroller.
What can I dress my baby in at night for sleeping?
What can I dress my baby in at night for sleeping?
Depending on how warm or cold your baby's nursery is, they should wear a different number of layers of clothing. If the room temperature in summer exceeds 26 degrees Celsius, you can dress your baby in only a short-sleeved bodysuit for sleep, at 22 to 23 degrees Celsius you should opt for a sleeping bag and pajamas. In winter, at 20 to 21 degrees Celsius, a sleeping bag, pajamas, and a short-sleeved bodysuit are suitable. If the nursery is colder than 16 degrees Celsius, you should bundle your baby warmly and use a sleeping bag, pajamas, long-sleeved bodysuit, socks, and possibly even a hat and mittens.