My mother used to complain to me that I wasn't dressing my babies warmly enough. I didn't dress them much more warmly than I dressed my self. I did use those cute little caps to keep their heads warm (lots of body heat is lost thru the head) and kept a blanket on hand. Her biggest complaint was that I didn't use an undershirt. Finally, I asked my doctor about this. His reply was “Are you cold without an undershirt on?” When I replied I was fine, he said “well there you go then. Babies usually don't get much colder or hotter than we do.”


Over the years, my mom continued to complain about the way I dressed my sons. They would be playing outside in shorts when she thought they should be wearing long pants etc. By this time they were plenty old enough to know if they were cold or not. Finally, I pointed out the number of times they were sick as compared to the other children in our family. My kids were rarely ill. I guess that made my point and she never again complained to me about how cold she thought my kids were.

I've always worn less than alot of people. My mom probably stuffed me into more clothes than necessary when I was younger, but once I was a teenager I was allowed to wear a tank top and jeans or a tank top and shorts. If its cold I wear jeans and a fleece, if its really cold I put on a parka, if its hot I wear shorts. But I still usually only wear a tank top under it all, not a tshirt or long sleeved shirt. I don't get sick much either, maybe once a year.

My guess is your mom couldn't handle not being in control of what your kids wore and complained about it instead hoping you'd listen to her "superior" wisdom. Letting go is hard and my mom still sends my dog treats like I can't figure out what to feed him or buy it myself after being away from home for years, lol. I can only imagine what she'll be like if/when we have kids. She'd probably make your mom look like a saint.

Well your doctor forgot to tell you that a babies body can't regulate it's temperature like ours can. Just because YOU feel ok, doesn't mean the baby does.

If it's cold outside or cool, dress your baby a little warmer than you. If it's hot outside, put a little more effort in to keeping your baby cool.

It's true that if it's a nice temp outside and you are very comfortable, then your baby probably will be too. BUT it's not an unquestionable fact. Like I said, babies don't regulate their body temp as effectively as adults do (as in blood coming closer to the surface in cool, further in heat and sweating to boot). You need to consider that. Your mom was on the right track, though she sounds like she might have been on the extreme side!

It's news to me that my body regulates any kind of temp... lolz!
I'm always so cold. I instinctively assume he is as cold as me. Then I get yelled at. I'm the complete opposite. :(

Me too, HoneyMuffin, I'm always colder than everyone else for some reason. Mamasita's right and it's just as important to make sure that the baby doesn't overheat as it is that they're not too cold.

I'd say use commonsense. Feel your baby's back and/or tummy under their clothes when you're changing their diaper and see how their skin feels. Is it cold or hot to the touch, clammy or just about right? Is their face showing signs of coldness or being too hot, for example sweating round the neckline or hairline and a red face. Is the baby crying a lot? They'll do that if they're uncomfortably hot or cold. If at all concerned, check it out with a medical professional.