dressing baby

C

catan

Registered User
I carry my baby in a sling a lot and tend to dress her in thin sleeveless onesies. I get many comments from my relatives about how it's bad for her health to keep her legs and arms uncovered. However, my baby tends to be very warm, especially when I'm carrying her, and I worry she'll overheat in this summer heat! She doesn't cry much so I assume she's comfortable most of the time?

I'm just learning as I go along... would appreciate any feedback!
 
We normally dress our baby in a sleeveless one-sie too, and simply use a blanket to shield her from any vicious shopping mall/restaurant air-con as necessary. It isn't cold in the Hong Kong summer, babies don't need to be covered simply to satisfy relatives.... it's pretty easy to see if he/she is content or not.
 
It depends on what you do around with your baby. If we go out, knowing we'll spend a lot of time in a taxi/bus or in a mall, we put some long or half-long shorts and a long sleeves light top on our girl, or take a little jacket if she has only short sleeves (I also carry my daughter a lot)... but most of the time we never need it.
If we spend more time out, no pants, no sleeves, a little bit of sun cream and a cap, and she's fine !
Why do they tell you it's bad for the baby, what is the reason ?
 
Babies have a layer of fat so they keep pretty insulated against the cold. We dress our baby in a sleeveless onesie and carry her in a front pack. We also pack a pair of sweatpants and a little long-sleeve shirt or jacket for her in case we feel her legs are getting cold--if we're in under cold A/C for long periods of time. If we overdress our daughter she just screams because she's too hot so it's easy for us to tell if she's dressed warmly enough.
 
It's pretty easy to tell if a baby is too hot or too cold - just feel the back of their neck. If it's nice and toasty, they're fine. If their hands and feet are a bit cold, they might like a light jacket. But if they're pretty warm, don't bother. And if they're sweaty, or if their hands and feet are really hot, then they're probably overheating!! A LOT of babies over here are completely overdressed, and not only is it uncomfortable for them, but it can also cause some (minor) developmental delays since it is harder for them to move around.
 
I agree with nicolejoy that a lot of people in HK overdress their babies. If your baby is thriving, healthy, looks content and doesn't feel cold, then sleeveless onesies are fine.
 
Same here, I think a lot of people here overdress their babies. They'll let you know if they're too cold and in this weather unless they're right under the aircon, it's unlikely.
 
They tell you that because they still believe these ridiculous superstitions about "wind". I've been hearing about "wind" my whole life. It's the reason (allegedly) that you can't drink anything cold and or why pregnant ladies like myself have to cut our long hair -- in case we don't blow-dry it and "wind" enters our heads. Never mind that it's 33 degrees outside.

It's all hogwash. I drink cold things every day and I never blow-dry my long hair. And I almost never get colds, flus or headaches. Our secretary at work wraps up in winter fleeces all summer -- including neck scarf -- takes endless Chinese medicine to get rid of "wind", refuses to drink even a Coke and is still sick constantly. Honestly, I think it's all in people's heads.

It's why you see these poor local tykes sweating it out in a hat, jacket and mittens in the Hong Kong summer. I'm SO looking forward to having a baby. I'm SO not looking forward to having to argue with Chinese aunties over this stuff when she comes.
 
The back of my baby's neck is usually hot, as is her body. It's usually her hands and feet that are slightly cool when in a/c areas. Not cool enough to worry me though. But with so many people telling me about this I started to wonder if I was missing something.


nicolejoy said:
It's pretty easy to tell if a baby is too hot or too cold - just feel the back of their neck. If it's nice and toasty, they're fine. If their hands and feet are a bit cold, they might like a light jacket. But if they're pretty warm, don't bother. And if they're sweaty, or if their hands and feet are really hot, then they're probably overheating!! A LOT of babies over here are completely overdressed, and not only is it uncomfortable for them, but it can also cause some (minor) developmental delays since it is harder for them to move around.
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Yup, my mother is constantly on my case about 'wind.' During my confinement period everyone was on my case about wearing long sleeves, long pants, and socks. In this weather!! I don't blow dry my hair either and kept it long during pregnancy. It worked out just fine for me! I wasn't supposed to drink water for a month after childbirth, but I did (you get sooo thirsty when breastfeeding) and nothing happened, lol. My mom and all my aunties claim it's something you can't understand until I get older and regret it.

Whenever I leave my daughter with my mother for an hour, I find her swaddled in non a/c room and heating up!

Interestingly, my husband who's from India thinks it's good to keep the baby only in diapers without a/c, and finds the idea of wrapping the baby up in a blanket strange. It's not common over there.


Gracey said:
They tell you that because they still believe these ridiculous superstitions about "wind". I've been hearing about "wind" my whole life. It's the reason (allegedly) that you can't drink anything cold and or why pregnant ladies like myself have to cut our long hair -- in case we don't blow-dry it and "wind" enters our heads. Never mind that it's 33 degrees outside.

It's all hogwash. I drink cold things every day and I never blow-dry my long hair. And I almost never get colds, flus or headaches. Our secretary at work wraps up in winter fleeces all summer -- including neck scarf -- takes endless Chinese medicine to get rid of "wind", refuses to drink even a Coke and is still sick constantly. Honestly, I think it's all in people's heads.

It's why you see these poor local tykes sweating it out in a hat, jacket and mittens in the Hong Kong summer. I'm SO looking forward to having a baby. I'm SO not looking forward to having to argue with Chinese aunties over this stuff when she comes.
Click to expand...
 
I grew up in the tropics, and most of my baby photos I am wearing only a nappy! My mum never swaddled me or overdressed me, we were running around in just our underpants a lot of the time because it was so hot... Aside from the usual childhood illnesses like chickenpox, we didn't get sick much.

Because I dress my baby mostly in just onesies, I get stared at by the old ladies who probably think I am neglectful hehe... I think overdressing and overheating is far more of a health risk.. Thats the view where I come from anyway.
 
I get those stares too, especially from older people. Firstly, disapproving of my going outside with a young baby, and then the fact that her arms and legs aren't covered up. I worry more about baby overheating than not wearing enough.


Lali07 said:
I grew up in the tropics, and most of my baby photos I am wearing only a nappy! My mum never swaddled me or overdressed me, we were running around in just our underpants a lot of the time because it was so hot... Aside from the usual childhood illnesses like chickenpox, we didn't get sick much.

Because I dress my baby mostly in just onesies, I get stared at by the old ladies who probably think I am neglectful hehe... I think overdressing and overheating is far more of a health risk.. Thats the view where I come from anyway.
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As a rule of thumb, an infant needs one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear at the same temperature. Checking the back of her neck is good advice. Hands are a terrible indicator (too many variables). If her neck is cold--she is definitely cold! If her neck is really sweaty, and especially if her cheeks are red or hot, too--she's definitely too hot. I have found that when the back of her neck is pleasantly warm, she always seems comfortable
 
Gracey said:
It's why you see these poor local tykes sweating it out in a hat, jacket and mittens in the Hong Kong summer. I'm SO looking forward to having a baby. I'm SO not looking forward to having to argue with Chinese aunties over this stuff when she comes.
Click to expand...

Wait till it's winter and the comments get even worse... I remember a time in January when it was around 12 degrees Celsius and I was told on the street that it was too cold to bring my baby (then 2 months old) out, even though I had dressed her accordingly. And that's just 1 example of many many more...
 
Apparently, people in HK don't bring their babies out. They always say (somewhat rudely) "how can you take a baby that young out?" And everyone feels the need to tell me to put socks and a hat on her!
 
Catan, get used to it! Earlier in the year when it was a bit cooler I was still getting comments about the boy being dressed in shorts and a t-shirt even though he's old enough to tell me if he's feeling cold!
 
Funny! Now I know why I get so many stares when I go out with my 4 week old (and have been doing so since day 3). She wears a sleeveless onesie and I carry her in a wrap on my front most of the time. Even then it gets too hot...let alone if I swaddled her or added extra layers of clothing. I think if you wear your baby next to your body then temperature regulation isn't really an issue, although I stay right out of the heat as much as possible as we both get a bit sweaty.
 
I was told by my MIL who is Chinese about the "wind" (advises such as not to wash your hair that often when you're pregnant). She is Chinese, but not too strict with these superstitions and so she never really told us off if we don't follow her. However, other women here in HK seem like they have the need to tell us off eventhough they don't know us. I was at MCH once and a Chinese mom told my husband in Cantonese to tell me not to wear sleeveless summer dress and that I have to cover myself up because I might get joint problems. It's 33 degrees outside (and yes, she was wearing two layers - a sweater and jumper - and Uggs... ridiculous!). Also older people here are fond of babies which is very endearing, but then once they find out that my baby is only 2 month old then they give us a little talk for taking the baby out so young. Apparently, you shouldn't take them out that often if they're under 3 months and not to take them out at all if they're under one month because of "evil spirits and dead souls roaming around and that these spirits follow them and thus, the babies will have a hard time sleeping".

Btw, you will know when your baby is hot or cold. Just feel the nape of their neck or their chest. Their feet and hands are almost always cold because babies still have under-developed body circulation and so the feet/hands are the last to receive that body heat.
 
My mom started in on the whole long hair / blow-drying / no-cold-drinks / "wind" thing when I was a teenager. She said I'd see when I got older and got headaches and joint pain.
It's been 15 years now, and still I almost never get headaches and joint pain.
Now my mom says that I should just wait and see -- when I get arthritis when I'm 60 or 70, it will be because of cold drinks, not blow-drying my hair and "wind."
Ha! I love my mom. My if I get arthritis when I'm 65, it will be because of old age!
 
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