The Summer Take-Home Checklist: Breathable, Photo-Ready Outfits for Newborns

You've packed the hospital bag, installed the car seat, and put together the crib. The one thing still undecided? What your baby will actually wear on the ride home. For summer babies, that decision gets trickier than it sounds. It's warm outside, but hospital rooms tend to run cold, and newborns can't yet regulate their own body temperature. Picking the right going-home outfit for your newborn means finding the balance between keeping your baby warm and letting their skin breathe, all before you've had a full night's sleep.

Here's what actually matters, and what you can skip.

Why Summer Babies Need a Different Approach

The outfit plan for winter outings basically works itself out: layers, hat, blanket. For summer babies? That just isn't the case. You've got a baby coming out of an air-conditioned hospital room into sweltering heat and humidity, then a ride in a cold car, and eventually you arrive home with the baby. Whatever your new arrival wears has to account for this journey.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends dressing a newborn in one layer more than you would personally wear for the same situation. A baby's summer going-home outfit, then, is typically a lightweight, breathable outfit for inside the hospital and a light swaddle or blanket for the ride home.

Cotton is almost always the best fabric choice for newborns. One of the highest-quality options is Pima cotton, which is used in Caprilina's kimono footies. Pima cotton is softer and more breathable than many other cotton varieties. That's a huge consideration for the first thing ever to touch your baby's skin.

The Essentials for a Summer Baby Newborn Coming Home Outfit

A summer take-home outfit for a newborn is surprisingly simple. For most summer babies, the go-to look is something like this:

• Kimono footie or onesie in 100% pima cotton: easy to put on without having to pass anything over the head first;

• Lightweight hat: to help protect your baby's still-soft head from sunlight during the ride home; 

• Muslin blanket: a light muslin to wrap your baby for the ride home, which you then remove once you're out of the car, and never under or around the straps of the car seat.

That's about it. The booties, socks, bows, and headbands on newborns make for great photos! But most of them don't stay on for more than five minutes. If you want them on for the photos, dress baby in them at the hospital, then remove them before you head out the door to the car seat.

The Essentials for a Baby Girl Going Home Outfit

A traditional baby girl coming home outfit consists of a floral romper, kimono gown, or footed sleeper with a matching head wrap. A footie may seem like an unusual choice for summer, but the quality pima cotton footies at Caprilina can actually be more comfortable in warm weather than a dress that leaves the legs exposed, and a footie isn't heavy enough to trap heat underneath.

The Caprilina Ellis Kimono Footie is made in 100% premium cotton, and also features a delicate English point trim to really make the photos pop. The trim feels just as soft against the baby's skin as the pima cotton underneath. Choose from soft pink or baby blue, and remember that the wrap on a kimono makes dressing a baby so much easier at 3 a.m. when you're running on very little sleep. 

Don't forget about personalized clothes too! Personalizing your baby's outfit with an embroidered name or birth information turns a simple going-home outfit into a keepsake you'll hold onto for years.

Summer Going Home Outfits for Baby Boys

The same advice applies to baby boys: just one breathable outfit layer that's easy for the nurse to unbutton if the baby needs to be examined, and simple enough to fasten with one hand while you're holding a fussy newborn with the other. A single-layer, short sleeve kimono footie or a single-layer, short-sleeve onesie with a matching hat are often all you need for the trip home. 

As a great example of a take-home outfit, the Champagne Mini Star Kimono Footie works perfectly for babies of all genders, featuring a star print that's subtle and classically elegant without being a stereotypical boy or girl design. The pima cotton is hypoallergenic and comfortable for your newborn, while the fold-over cuffs cover baby's hands enough to keep them comfortable while being carried through a chilly hospital hallway without causing overheating once you're outside. 

Personalizing a New Baby Going Home Outfit Without Adding Stress or Work

Keep any personalization minimal. A baby's name on the chest of the outfit or a birth date near the hem is enough to personalize the outfit for photos, and it doesn't look messy on a tiny piece. Personalizing a matching hat or bib can add a special touch without making the outfit feel overdone. 

Caprilina offers personalization on coming home sets, footies, gowns, onesies, and accessories. Standard turnaround is 1 to 2 weeks, with a rush option available if your due date is approaching.

Packing a Coming Home Bag the Right Way

Bring two going home outfits. The unpredictable nature of newborns means there's always a chance your primary outfit will be ruined. Fortunately, packing a second going-home outfit won't add much bulk to your diaper bag. Bring your favorite outfit, and pack one simple cotton onesie too. Either you'll need it or you won't, but there's no real downside to having it available.

Pack a light knitted blanket for the car ride, which you can use as a burp cloth during a feed or to cover you and baby in chilly hospital halls. Place the blanket on top of the baby (not underneath) once the baby is secured in the car seat.

The first picture you take of your baby outside in natural light will be one you hold dear for the rest of your life. Dress the baby in a soft cotton outfit, match it with a coordinating hat, and if you want to add a personal touch, personalize it with your baby's name or birthdate. That's all you need for bringing your new baby home on a summer day. 

Caprilina's coming home collection has everything from pima cotton kimono footies to matching hats and personalization, so you can put together an outfit that's as memorable as the day itself.