Baby Clothes Tips

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Clothes Basics for Newbors

As time goes by you'll probably buy and receive many new sets of clothes for your baby. To get you started, however, here are a few basics that you will need to head you off:


  • About three or four sets of one-piece pajamas. Get light cotton for warmer weather, or the thicker fleecy ones for winter. If you like to keep your house cool during the summer, then the fleecy ones should be fine so the baby doesn't get too cold being that, for safety, she won't be using blankets yet.

  • Six or seven onsies, or footsies depending on the weather. You may want to get a few of both, since it may be good to dress the baby with footsies when going to the supermarket or mall.

  • Eight to ten pairs of socks, get the 0-6 month size so that you'll be able to get good use out of them.

  • Get two or three swaddeling sacks. Kiddapotamous makes really practical swaddler that closes with velcro, they are easy to put on and babies love them.

  • A couple of sun bonnets or warm hats, depending on the season.

  • A few soft blankets for using in the stroller, the car seat, floor time etc...

  • Eight or ten pairs of pants to pull over the onsies for a quick outfit.

  • Around eight pairs of shirts that can also be worn with the pants

  • Four or five dresses with matching underwear/diaper cover-ups for baby girls during summer time

This should be good to get you started. A good idea when adding to the baby's wardrobe is to buy the next size or so from your baby's current age. Baby's clothes sizes usually come in month ranges (0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12), so if your baby is 4 or 5 months old get the 6-9 size, this way the clothes will last longer.

   

Shoes for Baby

Babies don't really need shoes. Although there are many cute baby shoes out there, it is better to let the baby go barefoot or with socks only until she starts to walk. Many doctors say that putting shoes on a baby's feet too early can affect their development. You can put shoes on the baby for a special occasion, but avoid doing so too often or for prolonged use. Wait until the baby is walking or cruising, then shoes can be worn to protect the baby's feet.

There are types of baby's booties that are made of leather all around, even the sole, these are okay for wear because they are flexible and don't constrict the foot. These booties are especially good for when the weather is colder and socks are not enough to keep the baby's feet warm.

   

Girl/Boy Baby Clothes

These days the old pink or blue rule has gotten much more lax when it comes to baby's clothes. Of course, you can still get plenty of cute pink outfits for your little princess and great boy blue ones for your boy as well. But you don't have to limit yourself to those colors. There are lots of great different colors to choose from that will still make your little one look as cute as a button.

Even in other colors, outfits can still look sweet and feminine when they are for girls or boyish and cute when they are for little boys. Yellow, for example is a great color that works well for both as does green, orange, beige, white and red.

There are even many blue outfits for girls that have enough charm and detail that they won't make people mistake your sweet doll for a boy.

Of course we all love our babies not matter what they are wearing or look like, but we also all know that most babies are not very distinguishable between boys and girls when they are that small. Their features are still being developed and won't become more gender defined until after the baby's first year or so. Most times this isn't a big deal, but many parents don't want to keep correcting well meaning admirers when they comment on what a cute boy Susie is.

Dressing the baby in clothes that should make the baby's sex obvious is an easy way to avoid expected but sometimes uncomfortable gender mistake moments. Plus, all those adorable outfits make it impossible not to want to put them on, they're too cute to resist!

   

Easy Baby Outfits

There are so many cute baby clothes out there to choose from that you may not know what to get. Although you surely will want a couple of those adorable two and three piece ensembles, it’s best to keep it simple. You will soon find out that easy is best, specially when you have to change the baby’s diaper multiple times a day. The outfits you’ll end up using most are the one-piece types, otherwise known as the ‘onesies’.

Onesies come with or without legs. For warmer weather you’ll want the ones without legs and with the snaps underneath. These make it a lot easier to get those diapers changed in a flash. When it’s colder get a few with legs and feet, these come with snaps up and down the legs and underneath as well as with zippers from top to bottom.

With all the other things you’ll be doing as a new mom, having to dismantle a ‘cute’ complicated outfit over and over again won’t be very practical. Leave the cute outfits for special outings or occasions and make it easier on yourself. Invest in a bunch of onsies, you'll see it'll be the type of outfit you will use the most on a daily basis.

   
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Baby Clothes

When purchasing baby clothing, here are a few things to consider in regards to safety and economics:


  • Buy big (unless your baby was born prematurely, he or she will outgrow baby clothing rather quickly)

  • Look for flame-retardant pajamas and clothing to assure your baby's safety

  • Try to find snaps in the crotch area for easier diaper changes, or better yet try onsies that have a zipper going from top to bottom. These are easy to get on and off as well as for diaper changes

  • Avoid baby clothing that is tight around the neck, arms or legs (not only can this be a safety hazard for your baby, but it is also uncomfortable)

  • Scrutinize baby clothes for loose buttons or long ribbons and strings, as they are potential choking hazards

  • Regular baby clothes are pretty inexpensive, places like Target, Walmart and department stores have large assortments at low prices. They often have sales also, where you can get really good deals

* Buy ahead of time. If you see clothing for older babies on sale, buy it now and buy it in bulk. Keep the receipts and tags on until needed, in case the clothes don't work out for some reason. All of these tips will end up saving you significant money in the future.

   
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