Dressing Baby

Everyone loves dressing a baby, and your friends and family will all want to buy clothes for your baby as soon as she is born. You are bound to take great pride in her appearance, and might wish to buy some dressy clothes for special occasions, but there’s no need to spend a lot of money – she will grow out of clothes very quickly. Remember that as far as your baby is concerned anything goes as long as it’s soft and comfortable to wear, and can be put on and taken off without too much disturbance.

Your baby will spit up and drool on her clothes, and there are bound to be accidents and leaks from diapers, so buy only machine washable, colorfast clothing, and avoid white – it quickly gets dirty, and frequent washing makes it drab.

Look for soft and comfortable clothes with no stiff seams or rough stitching. Toweling, cotton, or pure wool clothes will feel nicer on your baby’s skin. If you buy clothes made of artificial fibers, check that they feel soft. By law, sleepwear must be flame retardant. Look for special labeling and washing instructions before buying.

Avoid open-weave knits, because your baby’s fingers could get caught in the holes. Check the fastenings, too: snaps in the crotch allow easy access to the diaper area, and snaps at the mean your baby won’t grow out of something too quickly just because her head is too big for the neck opening. Babies hate having their faces covered, so look for wide necks or clothes also allow you to dress your baby without having to turn her over. This will make dressing much more comfortable for her and easier for you.

Make a note of your baby’s measurements and bring it with you when you’re shopping. Babies of the same age vary a great deal in size, so look at the height and weight given on the label rather that the age. If in doubt, but the larger size: loose-fitting clothes are warmer and more comfortable than clothes that are too small, and your baby will soon grow into them.