The winter season is here again and it’s time to suit up to avoid ending up in the hospital over cold-related ailments. With these healthy tips we offer for the safety of your baby, you need not worry about all the cold. A baby sweater may be all you need to kill the worry, But then, let’s take it one at a time.
Though you might encounter difficulties with getting your baby dressed for winter, we have a lot of professional tips that will help in keeping your little one warm and safe, either outdoors or in the house.
Your baby needs fresh air all the time, and in every weather. Even in chilly conditions, dress the baby up in one more layer of clothing before stepping out.
News flash! Even in these extreme weather conditions, you’re not the only one who needs warmth: your baby also needs to be well covered, and this will take us on a survey of baby sweaters that are suitable for the season.
Do stay with us as we learn about sweaters.
What Are Baby Sweaters?
Baby sweaters are primarily woolen pieces of clothing which are worn by children of all genders. Nowadays however, sweaters can be made of either synthetic fibers, cotton, or any other fit material. While sweaters can be worn directly over the skin, it can also be worn over other pieces of clothing.
Types Of Baby Sweaters
Baby sweaters come in an array of designs ranging from different necklines and sleeve lengths to knitted and woven sweaters.
Among the necklines, the very common ones are the turtle neck, V-neck and crew neck.
There are various sleeve lengths ranging from short sleeves, full length, sleeveless and three-quarters.
Generally, knitted sweaters feel softer to the touch, and are more elastic than woven sweaters.
Things To Consider When Buying Baby Sweaters
A lot of parents, especially first time parents, do not give shopping for baby sweaters much thought: they just go ahead and shop! They end up buying the loveliest sweaters for their babies.
If you end up buying just the cutest sweaters for your baby, they’ll outgrow it pretty soon and where do you think all the bucks will go? Down the drains!
Shopping for baby sweaters require a mapped out strategy, as it is more than just about picking sweaters with lovely designs.
Certain things such as the size, the feel and the accessories should be put into consideration while shopping for baby sweaters. Now, you wouldn’t want your baby getting all uncomfortable in the adorable outfit, do you?
The topmost thing that should be on your mind while shopping for baby sweaters should be making practical purchases. Think of the safety, durability and cost of the sweaters. In fact, at this stage, style shouldn’t be in your mind’s eye.
Having said all these, how will you know that your choice of sweaters will fit and be comfortable on your baby? Outlined below are some tips that will help you in choosing the right sweaters for your baby:
Go For Your Baby’s Size
Baby sweaters come in different sizes for the different ages. So, know your baby’s size and choose a size bigger than his actual size. For instance, if your baby is in the range of 0 to 3 months, pick sweaters that are for 3 to 6 months. This way, its use is extended.
If you feel the sleeves are too long, they can be rolled up till the baby gets to the actual size.
Fabric
As mentioned earlier, sweaters are made from many materials with varying levels of softness. Apart from the woolen sweaters which are assured to provide warmth, you can try your hands on either organic (pure) or blended (combined with a little amount of artificial material) cotton.
While these cotton sweaters will have a silky feel on the baby’s skin, they’ll provide him with warmth and comfort.
Check For Irritants
Those clothing tags that are found behind the neckline are major irritants. All you have to do is to cut them off carefully, ensuring that every piece is gone because the remnants can even cause greater discomfort to the delicate skin of the baby. On the other hand, you can choose sweaters that don’t come with tags at all.
If you have a history of allergies in your family, you should totally avoid buying sweaters that have metal buttons as they trigger allergic reactions.
Convenience
Will the sweaters you’re choosing be easy for your baby to get into and out of? Check for sweater that stretch and have easy fasteners to help both you and your baby when there is need for a change of clothes.
Size Of The Neck And Arm Holes
You’ll agree with me that it is way easier to get a baby into and out of a cloth that has wide arm holes and neck. The necklines of the sweaters should be well-fitted: they shouldn’t be too loose or too tight.
Also, these parts of the sweaters should be elastic to avoid choking the baby. You can go for sweaters that have envelope necklines – they are always elastic, making it easier to dress your baby.
Kimono-styled Sweaters Won’t Be Bad
If you fall in the category of parents that want to have nothing to do with pulling the baby’s clothes over their heads, we suggest that you try out the sweaters that are styled like kimonos.
They come with the unique wrap design and simple fastenings that enable you dress up your baby without touching their heads.
Look Out For Removable Accessories
Please be aware that any accessory that isn’t fastened tightly to your baby’s sweater poses a choking danger. Look out for beads, ribbons, sequins and other forms of accessories that beautify sweaters.
Although these may look beautiful, they can be pulled out. Danger is potentially lurking! Also, in place of drawstrings, go with elastic bands.
Are They Comfortable?
Like every other person, your baby loves to and deserves to be comfortable in any apparel they wear. Ensure that these sweaters provide maximum comfort to them, as it helps keep them happier and makes them have better sleep.
Cost
You really do not need to break the bank just because you’re shopping for baby sweaters. Ensure that you pick sweaters that are pocket friendly.
This doesn’t mean you buy sweaters that have no value. Pick the best quality you can afford. Bear in mind to never compromise quality for price. Babies with their sensitive skins deserve to be adorned with quality pieces of clothing.
How To Care For Baby Sweaters
With the winter season upon us, it will suffice to say that these sweaters are our daily life savers. Dressing up your baby in sweaters on a daily also implies one thing – you have to take care of and keep these sweaters clean.
The amount of special attention paid to sweaters cannot be overemphasized, if you want them to last long for you. You spent a reasonable amount in purchasing them, so, putting in a little extra effort in taking care of them shouldn’t hurt. Or should it?
Sweaters are usually made from very special fibers, be it man-made or natural, and these fibers require special care if they must maintain their new and superb look over time.
Are you having challenges with taking care of your baby’s sweaters? Stay with us as we take you through a detailed list of how you should take care of your baby sweaters.
Do Not Hang Sweaters!
Fold them. When you hang sweaters, they stretch and become a bit bigger than their original sizes. Sweaters are generally meant to be stored either on a shelf or in a drawer, folded of course.
In addition to losing their original shapes, putting sweaters in hangers can make them develop ‘hanger shoulders’. This happens when the shoulders of the sweaters take the shape of hangers and do not sit well on your shoulders when worn. This is not good at all.
Remove Pills From Sweaters
Pills are the hairy protrusions that are caused by rubbing when sweaters are worn. They are very prominent on the sleeves, under the armpits and around the elbows. They can also be found on other parts of the sweater.
Once you notice the presence of pills on your baby’s sweaters, remove them as they give the wearer an unkempt look. You can either pick them with your hands, or get rid of them with an electric depilling shaver or a handheld depiller. Â They can also be gotten rid of with a small pair of scissors.
Get Rid Of Dust And Dirt Regularly
With the aid of a soft hairbrush, brush off particles of dust and dirt that might have been attracted to the knitted or woven fabric of the sweaters. Doing this regularly keeps the sweaters looking new and neat.
Fix Tiny Faults As Soon As Possible
Try to fix any faults that develop on the sweaters (such as the loss of an accessory or the appearance of a hole) as soon as possible. If you do not, the fault might expand and make the sweater look unpresentable. You wouldn’t want to dump your lovely sweaters over avoidable faults, would you?
Avoid Dressing Your Baby In One Sweater Frequently
Just like everyone else, your baby will have a favorite sweater which they’ll like to rock always. Make sure that they alternate between their different sweaters. Letting them wear one sweater regularly can make it go out of shape and that is not a good thing.
Laundry
When it comes to laundering sweaters, it is important to pay attention to the care label found inside the sweater. Every fabric is not the same. While cotton sweaters are washing machine friendly, angora should be washed by hand.
Note that the temperature of the water used in washing sweaters contribute to their lifespan. Making use of cold water helps sweaters retain their shapes.
Majority of sweaters are washed by hand, unless there are explicit instructions to wash the sweaters with machine.
If you have a lot of time on your hands and you want the sweaters to stay around for a lot longer, washing by hand is the real deal.
Wash the woolen sweaters in a solution of mild soap, baby shampoo or delicate detergent. In a bowl of lukewarm water, swirl in your soap or add soap flakes.
It is important that you turn the sweater inside out to wash. This reduces the incidence of pilling on the sweater. Pills are simply those tardy clusters of fiber that appear at strategic parts of a sweater, that can quickly make a new sweater look like a product from eons ago.
Most importantly, DO NOT wring sweaters. Just let the excess water drip off, or you can roll it up in a towel to get rid of excess water. Wringing sweaters make them lose shape and might destroy some delicate knitting. Â In the case of a cardigan, buttoning it up before washing helps prevent it from expanding.
Also, exercise caution when washing sweaters with accessories such as embroidery works and beads to avoid pulling them off.
Care For Sweaters Made From Delicate Fabrics
Sweaters that are made from delicate fabrics (such as cashmere, lambswool, mohair and angora) should be treated carefully. Although these fabrics are fine, their softness make them susceptible to pilling.
To care for them, use very mild solutions (such as lux flakes or woolite) to wash them. After washing, DO NOT wring. Rather, roll in a towel to absorb the excess water.
Do not put into dryer, rather air dry them to keep the integrity of the materials.
Storage
Sweaters should be stored with caution. In place of moth balls (which not only emit a bad smell but are also a health hazard to man), you can place dry bay leaves, cedar balls, mixed herbal sachets or cedar sawdust placed in small calico bags in between the layers of clothes.
Ensure that the wardrobes for storing the clothes are kept clean.
Sweaters to be stored must be crisp dry. No matter the length of time you intend putting the sweaters away, they should never stored away damp. Damp storage of sweaters accelerated the growth of mold and mildew, which will spread to other clothes and give off bad smell.
Also make sure that all the sweaters you want to put away are well washed and dried. This is to avoid the infestation of moths.
Neutralizing Odors
If the sweaters are already developing odors, the surest way to neutralize the odors and make the sweaters smell squeaky clean again is to resoak the sweater in mild soap solution. Then, add 3/4 cup of white vinegar to it.
To rinse, pour out the soap solution and refill the bowl with clean cold water. Â Be careful not to apply water pressure directly on the sweaters to avoid stretching the fabric.
Taking Care Of Loose Threads
If you ever see a thread hanging loose from any part of a sweater, don’t just go ahead to pull away. You might just be creating a big hole in the cloth and making a huge mess of the lovely sweater.
All you need do is to turn the sweater inside out and locate the origin of the loose thread. Then, pull it back in gently.
Conclusion
Baby sweaters can be treasures if they’re well taken care of. The steps to getting the ideal sweaters for your baby are already explained above. Following the care tips religiously will leave the sweaters always looking as good as new. Ultimately, good baby sweaters that are well taken care of will result to having the right sweater for your baby through the cold seasons. We hope you and your baby enjoy the winter season!