What should your baby wear today?

Several thin layers beat one thick one: you can adjust quickly on the go when the weather changes. A proven starting point: in the first months, one thin layer more than you're comfortable wearing yourself. Then watch your baby, because every child runs a little warmer or cooler.

The most reliable check is the neck check: place two fingers on the back of your baby's neck. Warm and dry means all is well. Sweaty means remove a layer; cool means add one. Good moments to check: after a walk, after a car ride, and before sleep.

Usually not. Circulation to a baby's hands and feet is still developing, so cool extremities are normal. Whether your baby is actually cold is something the neck tells you, not the little hands.

Natural, breathable fabrics like cotton, wool, or wool-silk blends. They wick moisture away and keep the temperature stable. Avoid synthetics directly on the skin, because heat builds up under them quickly.

In the stroller your baby lies still and generates hardly any warmth of their own, so they need more insulation than you feel you need while walking. In cool weather, a blanket or footmuff makes a flexible outer layer. And in the sun: never drape a cloth over the stroller; heat builds up underneath. Use a parasol or a sunshade that lets air circulate.

In the carrier your body heat warms your baby too, so count it as a full layer and dress your baby in one layer less than in the stroller. In winter, a carrier cover or carrier jacket is more practical than a thick snowsuit. Always make sure the mouth and nose stay clear.

The most important rule is a safety rule: no thick jacket or padded snowsuit in the car seat. The harness can't sit snugly over bulky clothing and won't protect properly in a crash. Dress your baby in thin layers, buckle up, then lay a blanket over the harness. After the ride, as always: neck check.

The safe setup: a bodysuit, pajamas, and a sleeping bag on top. It can't slip over the face, which makes it a better choice than a blanket. How warm the bodysuit and sleeping bag should be depends on room temperature alone.

16 to 18 °C (61 to 64 °F) is ideal. That often feels chilly to adults, but it's the safest range for babies; overheating is a bigger risk during sleep than being slightly cold. A simple room thermometer takes the guesswork out of it. What counts is always the room temperature, not the weather outside.

TOG measures how warm a sleeping bag is: low ratings for warm rooms and summer, higher ratings for cool bedrooms. Two sleeping bags usually cover you at the start: a light one for warm nights and a warmer one for the rest of the year. The neck check tells you whether the combination works.

Light and airy: a short-sleeved bodysuit or loose clothing made of cotton or muslin, plus a sun hat with a wide brim and neck protection. On sunny days, thin long-sleeved clothing often beats bare skin, because it blocks UV without adding warmth.

In the first year, avoid direct sun as much as possible, especially around midday. Shade, airy clothing, and a sun hat are the most reliable protection. And be careful: UV is independent of temperature, and the UV index can be high even on cool or slightly overcast days.

As late and as sparingly as possible. In the first year, shade and clothing are the best protection; from around six months you can apply mineral sunscreen (SPF 50+) sparingly to exposed spots like the face and the backs of the hands. Sunscreen complements shade and clothing; it doesn't replace them.

Typical signs are a sweaty neck, flushed skin, fussing, or unusual drowsiness. If you spot them: out of the sun, remove a layer, and offer breast milk or formula. React early: babies handle heat far less well than adults.

Think in layers: a bodysuit, a shirt and pants or a romper, and a warm snowsuit on top. Boiled wool, for example, keeps babies warm without overheating. Add a hat and mittens, since babies lose a lot of heat through the head. Clothing shouldn't sit too tight: small air pockets between the layers insulate best.

Yes. Well bundled up, there's nothing wrong with a walk even in freezing weather. Keep the rounds shorter and glance at your baby's face now and then: rosy cheeks are fine, pale skin means head home. In severe frost and icy wind, a short round is enough for newborns.

When pale, mottled, or bluish skin comes on top of the cool extremities, or your baby is unusually listless or refusing to feed. At that point, more clothing isn't the answer: warm your baby against your body and seek medical advice if in doubt.

No warmer than usual: trapped heat is the bigger risk with a fever. Choose light, breathable clothing and change sweaty clothes promptly. If the fever climbs or your baby seems apathetic, see a doctor.