Sleeves for Newborns?

Our baby arrives next week and we have a bunch of clothes we received as gifts. But thinking about it now, we don't have any short-sleeved ones in newborn size.


Do newborns need short sleeves as well? Or do they need to be warmer? But long sleeves seem a bit much for the HK summer.

depends on the temprature in the baby's room? a general rule of thumb is whatever you are wearing plus one layer.


We used to have a short-sleved babygro in summer (in UK, in hot weather) plus a swaddling blanket. here in hk - since we run AC in their room -more often than not - long sleeves and a sleeping bag

we did short sleeve onesies for any time he wasn't sleeping which meant he wasn't in the air con. (he was also a newborn in summer). and for sleeping he wore long-sleeve onesies, wrapped in a swaddling cloth (very light cotton one). later we used the grow bag at about 3 months. basically in summer he has always slept with the aircon so even now he's in a long sleeve jumpsuit. always long sleeves for sleeping it seems!

Agreed that it depends on the temperature. Idsllvn has the rule of thumb right.


Note that hands need not be warm. In fact if the hands are warm your baby is too warm. The hands should be cool or lukewarm. If the upper arms (and especially torso) are cold, baby is too cold. Keeping feet warm is much more important than keeping arms warm.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think I'll go ahead and buy 3-4 short-sleeved onesies for those times the a/c is not on.

A/C can be tricky since it won't keep the temperature really exact. 2 degrees one way or another is enough to get the kids from sweating to freezing.


The one thing which keeps my wife from having an ulcer about this issue is an Oregon Scientific projection clock with remote temperature sensor. The remote sensor is supposed to go outside but we put it in the kid's room. So in the middle of the night if she wakes up she need only look up to the ceiling to see the exact temperature in the childrens' room. It's not that bright, only visible at night, so it doesn't disturb your sleep.


Currently we keep the night time temp at about 25 degrees in the childrens' room. Granted, they are not babies any more. It's pretty good with tank top, panties and bedsheet (no blanket). Even if they throw the sheet off they will not freeze.


For babies, 25 degrees is fine in short sleeves and grobag. But it does depend on your child. Some may require long sleeves. As I said before, the hands are not the important thing. Feel the torso and neck. If those are nice and cozy he/she is fine. If the hands are warm they are too warm.


Contrast this to our #1s first winter in the US, with night time temperatures of 16-17 degrees in the bedroom. Short sleeve onesie, socks, long sleeve pajamas with feet, grobag, cap, mittens. She did sleep extremely well. Cold in the bedroom promotes good sleep.


We also subscribe to the Swedish tradition of naps outside in winter. Down to about minus 10-15 degrees. Take the above list minus grobag and add jacket, snow suit, winter cap, thick gloves and blanket. Her checks were all red but she slept so peacefully. Nothing like seeing your baby's breath in icy cold weather during a long walk.