Baby Care

Your little girl is more active now, so she won’t always be bundled up when she’s outdoors. Look for outdoor clothes that are comfortable and won’t restrict her movements.

• Heavy tights are warm and comfortable, and can be bought on colors and patterns to match your daughter’s dress
• In very cold weather, a short cape over your little girl’s coat will keep her extra warm
• Mittens can be clipped to sleeves or joined with a ribbon and slipped through the sleeves
• Sun hats are not just pretty; they are essential if your child spends any length of time in the sunshine.

Now that your baby is more active, you will need to look for clothes that allow easy movement. He will be awake longer, and moving around, so his clothes are more likely to get dirty and you’ll therefore need more of them. You’ll also have to consider whether they are tough enough for the wear and tear that your child will give them: look for sturdy fabrics that last well and strong fastenings that won’t break or fall off. If your baby is crawling, make sure his clothes protect his knees. Once he begins to walk he’ll need shoes.

When you’re buying clothes, check the label to see what kind of material they are made from. Natural fibers are both strong and comfortable, so look for pure cotton or a fabric with a high cotton content. Toweling, denim, and corduroy are all strong and hardwearing. Look, too, for clothes that can be easily pulled down or up once your child is learning how to use the potty, and avoid zippers or complicated fastenings; elastic waists are by far the easiest for him to manage.

Until he’s walking, socks or woolen bootees are all your baby needs, even when he’s crawling. Fabric bootees with elastic at the ankles stay on better. Ensure there’s plenty of room for movement; the bones in your baby’s feet are so soft and pliable that even tightly fitting socks could misshape the toes if worn regularly.

Once your baby has learned to crawl he’ll be far less willing to sit or lie still while you dress him. On the other hand, he is now much more able to help you as you put on his clothes. For example, an 11 month old baby can make a fist or stretch out an arm, if you ask him to, or hold his arm still while you pull his sleeve into place. If he’s very restless you can sing a song to him or engage his attention with a toy, or involve him in the whole dressing process by naming each item of clothing as you put it on or take it off, and getting him to repeat the names after you, for example. You could also turn dressing into a peek-a-boo game: “Where’s baby’s foot? Oh, look, here it is!”

Here are some tips for dressing your baby if it’s difficult to get him to hold still:

• Stand him between your legs so that he’s immobilized while you pull up his pants.
• Sit him in his high chair so that you can put on his shoes.
• You can make a game out of putting on his shoes by placing them at the bottom of the stairs and getting him to step down into them carefully while you steady him.

When your baby is three or four months old he will have enough muscle control to sit on your lap while you take off his clothes.

Sit with your legs crossed so that your baby will fit neatly in the hollow of your legs and cradle him with your arm, as his back will still need some support. You may find it easier to deal with the bottom half while he’s lying flat.

You may worry that your new baby is not warm enough, but a few commonsense precautions will keep him comfortable and safe. Remember that babies can easily become too hot; this could lead to heat rash and is also a factor in crib death (SIDS).

• A great deal of body heat is lost through a bare head; make sure your baby always wear a hat when you take him outdoors.
• Very young babies have trouble regulating body heat, and should be undressed only in a well-heated room and out of drafts
• The baby’s room should be at a constant temperature, and the amount of covering he needs will depend on this temperature
• If your baby is cold you may need to warm him up. Adding a layer of clothes is not enough in itself; you need to put him in a warmer place first so he can regain his normal body temperature, or hold him close to share your baby heat
• Never leave your baby to sleep in the sun or close to a source of direct heat such as a radiator
• Wrap your baby up if you take him outdoors, but remove outdoor clothes once you bring him inside again; otherwise, he won’t be able to cool down efficiently.

Pull the neck wide open and lift the undershirt over your baby’s head, keeping the fabric off his face.

Grasp each sleeve by the cuff and gently slide your baby’s hand out. If he’s wearing an undershirt, roll it up toward the neck and gently pull his arms from the sleeves, holding him by each elbow as you do so.

Lift the baby’s legs up while you slide the suit underneath his back as far as his shoulders.

Put your baby on a flat surface and unfasten the suit. If his diaper needs changing, gently pull both legs out of the suit so that his top remains covered while you change him.

Lay your baby on top of the open suit. Gather up each sleeve and guide his fists through, pulling the sleeve up the arm as you do so. Open up each leg and guide his foot in, making sure it reaches right into the toe. Finally, fasten the suit.