Prepare for an autumn or winter birth

If your baby is due in autumn or winter, the changing weather is worth considering as you get closer to your due date. Colder temperatures, darker evenings and more time indoors can affect some of the practical details around the final weeks of pregnancy and the first few weeks at home. A little preparation can make those changes easier to manage.

Think about staying warm at home

As the weather gets colder, it is worth making sure your home is comfortable and warm enough before your baby arrives. The NHS guidance on dressing a newborn recommends keeping a sleeping baby’s room at around 16 to 20°C, with lighter bedding or a lightweight, well-fitting sleeping bag rather than relying on a very warm room.

You do not need to make your home unusually warm, but checking that your heating is working properly before the colder months arrive can be useful. It is also worth thinking about the rooms you are likely to spend most time in after the birth and whether they are easy to heat.

Choose practical clothing for a winter newborn

Newborn babies need to be kept comfortably warm, but there is also a difference between keeping a baby warm and overheating them. The NHS suggests using around one extra layer of clothing compared with an adult and removing hats and extra clothing when you go indoors or get into a warm vehicle.

For an autumn or winter birth, you may therefore want to have a few suitable layers ready, such as vests, sleepsuits and a cardigan or other light outer layer. If you are going outside in colder weather, additional clothing may be needed depending on the conditions.

At night, avoid wrapping a baby in excessive layers or bedding, as newborn babies can find it harder to regulate their temperature and can become too hot. A suitable sleeping bag or lightweight bedding can help keep your baby comfortable while avoiding too much warmth.

Consider how colder weather may affect getting around

The final weeks of pregnancy can already involve regular appointments, and colder weather may make some journeys less straightforward. If you have antenatal appointments coming up, think about how you will get there if the weather is particularly wet, icy or difficult and allow a little extra time if needed.

If you are travelling further from home during pregnancy, the NHS advice on travelling in pregnancy recommends considering where you could access healthcare at your destination and taking your maternity records with you. If you are travelling by car, make sure you follow current road safety advice and plan ahead for longer journeys.

Prepare for more time at home

An autumn or winter birth can mean spending more time indoors during the early weeks. Rather than trying to prepare for every possible situation, it can help to think about the everyday things that will make those weeks easier. You could make sure the things you use regularly are easy to reach, organise somewhere comfortable to feed and settle your baby and keep basic household essentials topped up. If you have older children, pets or other responsibilities, it is also worth considering how these will fit around the first few weeks after the birth.

For more ideas on getting organised before your due date, take a look at our guide to preparing for the final weeks with confidence. It covers practical preparations for the final weeks of pregnancy, including getting your home ready, thinking about support after birth and making sure you have the important details to hand. You do not need to have everything perfectly organised. The aim is simply to make the practical side of being at home a little easier while you recover from birth and get used to caring for your newborn.

Check the essentials before your due date

There is no need to buy everything marketed as a newborn essential. The NHS guidance on what to buy for your newborn baby focuses on the basics you are likely to need, including suitable clothing, somewhere safe for your baby to sleep and a car seat if you are travelling by car.

For a colder-weather birth, check that you have suitable layers ready and that your baby’s sleeping space is prepared before your due date. You can then add other items as you discover what is useful for you and your baby.

Your due date is an estimate, so having the essentials ready in advance is more useful than trying to predict exactly when your baby will arrive.

Remember the seasonal vaccinations

Autumn and winter also bring seasonal considerations for pregnancy and newborn care. One of these is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which can cause more serious illness in some young babies.

The NHS and UKHSA guidance on RSV vaccination during pregnancy explains that pregnant people in England should be offered the RSV vaccine from 28 weeks of pregnancy. It is offered during every pregnancy, with vaccination ideally taking place around 28 weeks.

Your midwife, maternity service or GP can provide information about the vaccines recommended during pregnancy and when they are offered. Flu vaccination during pregnancy will be covered separately in our seasonal pregnancy advice.

A few simple preparations can help

An autumn or winter birth does not require a completely different approach to preparing for a baby. It is mainly about considering how colder weather may affect the practical side of the final weeks and the early days at home.

Check your heating, prepare suitable layers for your baby, think about journeys in colder weather and make sure the basic essentials are ready. You can then adapt as you see what you and your baby actually need.

The season may influence some of the practical details, but it does not change the importance of your routine maternity care. Keep attending your antenatal appointments and follow the advice from your midwife or maternity team as your pregnancy progresses.