As a first-time mother to a baby born during the wintertime, you may wonder how to dress your baby appropriately in the winter. If you’re anything like me, you’ll spend hours researching things to place on your baby registry. You’ll soon realize, however, that much of what’s hanging in your newborn’s closet is not needed. When shopping for an infant, go for practical over cute—especially when dressing baby in the winter!

Tips for Dressing Baby in the Winter

1. Zippers are your friend

Don’t bother with anything that doesn’t zip up: it’s 3 am in the middle of winter, and your week-old baby has pooped all over his snap-crotch onesie, his button-up bodysuit and his swaddle . . . oh wait, is that poop in his hair too?! Forget the cute bodysuit, matching attire, and muslin swaddle. Zip-up bodysuits with feet and attached hand covers saved my life. We went from 30 minutes of removing clothes, washing baby’s soiled self, and putting new clothes on, through tears, struggle, and mom’s bloodshot eyes, to 5 quick minutes of a change. Not only will you be too exhausted for the cute outfits with the buttons down the legs, on the back, heck, on the shoulders too, but you will feel so much better when you can slip something on your child quickly without all the fuss. Save the complicated outfits for months down the road.

2. Look for winter sets

Cloud Island Sleep’ N Play sets are a must-have! They come with attached hand covers so your baby won’t scratch themself and are super safe. So much better than those loose mittens that will also get lost. And . . . wait for it . . . they zip down! A zipper instead of buttons! Down instead of up for those quick and easy middle-of-the-night diaper changes.

3. Buy microfleece!

Microfleece sleep sets and/or sleep sacks are perfect for dressing babies in the winter. Even my winter sheets are microfleece, so why not baby’s sleepwear? But be careful not to put too many layers on your infant, especially when wearing microfleece, as they can overheat quickly.

4. Keep swaddling simple

SwaddleMe swaddles. One, two, three, velcro. ’nuff said. It’s super quick and gives you peace of mind not worrying about loose blankets.

5. Keep in mind growth patterns & the seasons

Your child will grow faster than you can believe. So don’t buy a 10-pack of newborn onesies. You’ll need a few, but not a closet full of newborn clothes. And since you’ll most likely be layering your baby’s clothes, short sleeve onesies are nicer to have as an undergarment.

6. Hats!

They wear them the few nights you’re at the hospital, right? So you assume they should keep wearing them. Then a week later, your baby’s head is too big, and you’re searching everywhere for a lightweight hat and can’t find one . . . Babies don’t need hats while sleeping and shouldn’t wear hats overnight as that’s one way all that extra body heat can leave the body instead of overheating. Relax, and buy a nice little hat with the velcro under the chin for the outdoors instead. This one even comes with cozy matching mittens!

7. Keep baby warm in his car seat

Get yourself a Bundleme car seat cover. The canopy and stretch covers are beautiful but pretty unnecessary for dressing a winter baby. And by the time the weather gets warm enough for a canopy cover, you’re no longer carrying your baby out with the car seat because 15 pounds of baby plus 10 pounds of car seat is ridiculously heavy! Instead, opt for the JJ Cole Bundleme cover that’s perfectly warm and insulated for those cold first few months of a baby’s life.

8. Invest in a mattress cover

Did you know that mattress covers heat the bed? Most newborns sleep in a bassinet, but if your infant is sleeping in their crib, I recommend investing in a mattress cover. It will protect the mattress from wet messes and keep your baby warm. Yes, this is undoubtedly a nuisance come summertime when you can’t figure out why your baby is sweating when she only slept in a onesie, but it’s perfect for those cold winter nights! However, avoid a mattress cover if you’re co-sleeping since, in that case, the fewer things that heat baby, the better.

9. Don’t forget to do skin-to-skin

While layers are your baby’s friend in the winter, being naked is perfect, too; enjoy those skin-to-skin moments with just a blanket over you and your baby.

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