Dressing a Newborn Through a Pakistani Summer
The instinct in most Pakistani households is to keep a newborn wrapped. In a Karachi June that instinct is the wrong one, and overheating is the bigger risk.
In most Pakistani households the instinct with a newborn is to keep her covered. Extra layers, a cap indoors, a light blanket even in warm weather, and a general anxiety about draughts. That instinct comes from somewhere reasonable — babies genuinely do lose heat faster than adults, and in a cold room they need more than you do. But in a Karachi, Multan or Lahore summer it is the wrong instinct, and it is applied hardest exactly when it should be relaxed. Overheating in a newborn is a more common problem in this climate than being too cold, it is harder to notice, and it carries real risks — including a raised risk of sudden infant death. This is how to judge it properly, in a climate that regularly runs past forty degrees.
How Many Layers She Actually Needs
The rule that works everywhere: **one thin layer more than you are comfortable in.** Not three, and not a blanket on top of that. In practical terms for a Pakistani summer: **Indoors, 30°C and above with a fan:** a short-sleeved cotton bodysuit, or just a nappy and a vest. Nothing else. **Indoors with air conditioning at 24–26°C:** a long-sleeved cotton sleepsuit, or a bodysuit with a thin muslin over her legs. **Sleeping, warm room:** a nappy and a thin cotton bodysuit. No swaddle, no sleep sack, no blanket. **Outdoors in the heat:** the lightest possible cotton with long loose sleeves for sun protection, and a wide-brimmed hat. Loose long sleeves are cooler in direct sun than bare skin. **No hat indoors.** A baby loses a meaningful amount of heat through her head, and that is a mechanism she needs in hot weather. Caps indoors are common practice here and they should come off once she is a few days old and settled.
How to Tell If She Is Too Hot
The check most people use is wrong, and it is why overheating goes unnoticed. **Do not judge by her hands or feet.** Babies have cool hands and feet almost all the time, including when they are perfectly warm and including when they are too hot. Cold hands are not a reason to add a layer. **Judge at the chest or the back of the neck.** Slide a hand inside her clothing. Warm and dry is correct. **Signs she is too hot:** damp or sweaty neck and back, hair damp at the hairline, flushed cheeks, rapid breathing, restlessness, or unusual sleepiness and difficulty rousing. The last one is the serious sign. **Signs she is too cold:** a cool chest or back — not cool hands. **Room temperature:** 16–20°C is the ideal for sleep. Pakistani rooms in June are nowhere near that, which is why a fan or air conditioning is not a luxury for a newborn in the hot months. Aim to get the room as close to that range as you can, and reduce the layers accordingly. Our [safe sleep guide](/journal/safe-sleep-baby-bedding-pakistan-guide) covers the wider sleep environment.
Fabric: This Is Not a Preference
In this climate the fibre content of what touches her skin matters more than anything else on this page. **Pure cotton, always.** It absorbs moisture away from the skin and lets air move through. Look for 100% cotton on the label rather than "soft" or "cotton-rich". **Muslin for anything over her.** Open weave, breathable, and it becomes softer with each wash. Our [swaddling guide](/journal/baby-swaddle-guide-how-to-swaddle-safely) covers using it safely, and why swaddling itself needs care in heat. **Avoid polyester and blends entirely** against the skin. Synthetic fabric traps both heat and moisture against her, and it is the most common cause of a hot, restless, rashy baby. A great deal of inexpensive baby clothing is polyester, and it feels soft in the shop. **Avoid fleece, velour and anything padded** in summer, including in the pram. **Check the lining of anything decorative.** A pretty cotton outer with a polyester lining is worse than a plain cotton garment. **Wash everything before first use**, at 60°C where the label allows, to remove finishing chemicals. And wash new clothes separately the first time — dyes bleed.
Heat Rash: Preventing and Treating
Heat rash — small red or clear bumps, usually on the neck, chest, back, and in skin folds — is extremely common here and almost entirely preventable. It happens when sweat ducts block, which happens when skin stays damp and covered. **Prevention:** **Fewer layers**, which is the whole answer most of the time. **Dry the skin folds properly** after every bath and after any sweating. Neck, armpits, groin, behind the knees, and behind the ears. This is where it starts. **Loose clothing**, not fitted. Air needs to move. **No powder.** Talc is still widely used here and it makes heat rash worse — it cakes in damp folds and blocks the ducts further. It is also a respiratory risk for infants. **Treatment:** **Cool her down and remove the layer.** The rash resolves on its own once the skin can breathe. **A cool — not cold — bath**, then air dry rather than rubbing. **Nothing greasy on it.** Oils and thick creams trap heat and make it worse. **See a doctor if** the bumps become pustules, the skin looks infected, or she has a fever.
Sleeping Through a Hot Night
The hardest part, particularly during load shedding. **A nappy and a thin cotton bodysuit** is enough in a warm room. In very hot conditions a nappy alone is acceptable. **No swaddle, no sleep sack, no blanket** when the room is above about 26°C. The swaddle counts as a layer and a hot swaddled baby cannot kick anything off. **A fan is safe** and helps considerably — position it to move air around the room rather than blowing directly onto her. **Cotton sheet on the mattress**, and nothing else in the cot. Our [safe sleep guide](/journal/safe-sleep-baby-bedding-pakistan-guide) covers what belongs there. **Plan for load shedding.** A battery fan, and putting her in the coolest room of the house rather than the one with the nursery furniture in it. A cool room matters more than a decorated one. **Check her overnight** in a heatwave, and if she is damp, remove a layer rather than adding one. **Offer more feeds.** Babies lose fluid faster in heat. Under six months this means more breast or formula feeds, not water — water is not appropriate for a young infant and can be harmful.
Going Outside
**Avoid direct sun entirely under six months.** Her skin has very little natural protection and sunscreen is generally not recommended for young infants. **Stay indoors between eleven and four** during the hot months where you can. **Loose long sleeves and long trousers in fine cotton** are better sun protection than bare skin, and cooler than they sound. **A wide-brimmed hat**, not a cap. It needs to shade the ears and the back of the neck. **Never drape a blanket or muslin over the pram to shade her.** This is the most common and most dangerous mistake in hot weather — a covered pram traps air and the temperature underneath rises sharply within minutes. Use a clip-on shade attached to one side that leaves the air moving. **Check the car before putting her in.** A car parked in Pakistani sun reaches dangerous temperatures within minutes, and the metal parts of a car seat can burn. **Carry water for yourself and extra muslins.** Our [nursery checklist](/journal/nursery-setup-checklist-pakistani-homes) covers what is worth having in the [baby bag](/baby/baby-bags).
What to Buy for a Summer Baby
The list is shorter than for a winter baby, and cheaper. **Short-sleeved cotton bodysuits — eight or more.** The main garment for the whole season. **Two or three long-sleeved cotton sleepsuits** for air-conditioned rooms and cooler nights. **Muslins — eight.** Used constantly, and more useful in summer than anything else you will buy. The [swaddle](/baby/baby-swaddle) section has them. **Cotton fitted sheets — four to six.** More in summer, because they need changing more often. **A wide-brimmed cotton hat.** **One light cotton cardigan** for air conditioning and for the transition into autumn. **What not to buy for a summer baby:** sleep sacks in anything but the lightest weight, fleece anything, padded outerwear, and multiple pairs of socks. Buy less than the lists tell you. A summer newborn genuinely needs very little, and she will outgrow the newborn size before the season changes. You can see the range in the [baby collection](/baby), and our [nursery checklist](/journal/nursery-setup-checklist-pakistani-homes) covers the rest of the setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
One thin layer more than you are comfortable in. Indoors above 30°C with a fan, that means a short-sleeved cotton bodysuit or just a nappy and a vest. In an air-conditioned room at 24–26°C, a light cotton sleepsuit. No blanket, and no cap indoors.
Check her chest or the back of her neck, not her hands — babies have cool hands almost all the time, including when they are overheating. A damp neck or back, hair damp at the hairline, flushed cheeks or unusual difficulty rousing all mean she is too hot.
Fewer layers, pure cotton against the skin, loose rather than fitted clothing, and drying the skin folds properly after every bath and any sweating — neck, armpits, groin and behind the knees. Do not use talcum powder, which cakes in damp folds and makes it worse.
No. Draping anything over a pram traps air and the temperature underneath rises sharply within minutes — it is one of the most dangerous hot-weather mistakes. Use a clip-on shade attached to one side so air keeps moving through.
Not under six months. Babies that age get all the fluid they need from breast milk or formula, and water can be harmful. In hot weather offer more frequent feeds rather than water. From six months, small amounts of water alongside feeds are fine.
About the Author
Habiba Minhas
Founder and creative director of Habiba Minhas, Pakistan's leading handcrafted fashion brand based in Karachi. With a passion for preserving traditional Pakistani craftsmanship while embracing modern design, she has built a brand serving over 5,000 customers nationwide.
Specializing in premium ladies suits, kids festive wear, and baby products, Habiba works directly with artisan embroiderers and skilled tailors to create pieces that honor Pakistani heritage.
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