Shopping for newborn baby clothes can be daunting and exciting in very equal parts, especially when it’s your first child. You want to be prepared and ready for whatever comes up with your little one.
The excitement of bringing a human into the world comes with the fierce need to protect and nurture this child.
So when shopping, anything you’re convinced will bring a little more comfort and protection to your child finds its way into your cart.
That’s how you end up with those baby-wipe warmers and baby sunglasses that you will never use. Let’s face it: when it comes to newborns, a lot of things we buy are just clutter.
The part where parents often go all out is shopping for baby clothes. You need to see the newborn section at a clothing store; those little pretty shoes and the pretty little gowns and ribbons.
If you’re indecisive, one moment you’re shopping for shorts for your little boy and the next moment, you’re buying a cute pink tutu.
You can get really distracted while shopping when you don’t know exactly what your baby needs and why it’s important that you stick to that.
This is why we’ve prepared this guide for you. What clothes exactly will your new baby need? You’re about to find out and we’re not just telling you what you need, we’re telling you why you need it.
Things To Consider When Shopping For Newborn Baby Clothes
Cost
First of all, it’s not terrible to shop for kids at second-hand stores. The important thing is that you disinfect the clothes and wash well.
Breathability
Always buy clothes with breathable fabric for newborns. These are fabrics that allow air to pass through them easily. You’ll see examples of this as you read on.
Look out for tags that stick out and scratch the child skin.
Safety
Safe trumps adorable; zippers and fasteners are always preferred for newborn baby clothes. You’ll agree with me that loose buttons, rhinestones and beads are all beautiful, on the baby’s outfit.
Your baby equally agrees they’re beautiful, and every beautiful thing should end up in their mouths. Also, be careful with the little baby caps with strings you can tie around their neck.
The ropes look like a choking disaster waiting to happen, and I don’t recommend them. Instead, check out those caps that button under the chin.
Convenience
At the initial stages, buttons might not look annoying to you. Wait until you have to open buttons all the times you have to change your baby diapers, dress your baby up or when you have to take the clothes off.
Throw a wriggling little child into the mix, and buttons can become a nightmare. So, try to pick fewer clothes with buttons.
Look out for clothes with wide necks. They are easy to take off without moving the child’s fragile head about.
Choose machine washable clothes because you might be too busy to hand-wash clothes that are not machine washable. If you don’t mind hand-washing however, then you can just ignore this.
Remember to pick newborn baby clothes with fabric that doesn’t shrink and therefore, doesn’t need to be ironed. You’ll find examples of these fabrics below.
Newborn baby clothes with snaps are easy to take off. While it’s easy to just rip them open, closing them is another feat. Imagine snapping all those clips close.
Sometimes, the onesies with a zipper running from bottom to top is much more convenient. That way, you don’t have to take off the entire cloth while changing or checking diapers.
Also, try to avoid clothes with loose sleeves that won’t keep steady.
Onesies are so practical because they’re easy to wear and they protect your child’s body. The snaps are also good because they allow air into the umbilical cord area so that the cord can dry out.
You might be wondering what a onesie is, and how it differs from a romper or body suit? Keep reading, you’ll find out soon.
Now, some people insist on buying newborn baby clothes that are flame retardant. If you’re in this category, second-hand stores are not for you. This is because the previous user might have ignored instructions on how to wash clothes to retain chemicals that make the newborn baby clothes fire retardant.
The flame retardant outfits usually have fabric impregnated with the chemicals. This chemical, as long as it isn’t washed out, gives the newborn baby clothes the “flame retardant” property.
You don’t know how your little one’s skin might react to these chemicals. Why not settle for newborn baby clothes made with fabric which are naturally flame retardant?
Season
If you’re shopping ahead of their birth, that’s wonderful. Keep in mind the season when your child will be born and buy clothing accordingly. Also, do not buy seasonal clothes like swimwear until you’re sure of their weight.
Ideal Fabrics For Newborn Baby Clothes
These are some of the fabrics that are ideal for newborn baby clothes:
Cotton
You cannot go wrong with cotton. The fabric is breathable and allows your child‘s skin to breathe. It’s very gentle and ideal for their sensitive skin.
Cotton/Polyester
This blend makes outfits that dry quickly. It is also easy to care for because it does not need to be ironed frequently. It is soft enough for the baby’s sensitive skin.
Cotton Spandex
This fabric is very comfortable and stretchy. It’s good for the baby’s sensitive skin. It is also easy to care for because it’s easy to wash and dries out easily.
Ideal Newborn Baby Clothes To Shop For
Infant bodysuits/rompers/onesies
They actually all mean the same thing; one-piece outfits which usually have sleeves but leave the legs uncovered. Onesie is actually a company’s brand name for these range of baby clothes.
They are usually called the foundation clothes because the baby could have them on when it’s warm. When it gets cold, you could throw a warm jacket on it, and maybe some leggings for their feet.
They’re so convenient because some come with snaps at the bottom; you can easily open them and take off diapers. You could buy onesies with very basic colors that don’t show stains easily.
One-piece pyjamas
These are very convenient to sleep a child into. They cover the baby from neck to toe, and they are usually made of cotton. They are usually soft and comfortable, ideal for sleeping time.
Sweaters
Babies are not able to control their temperature like adults and the general rule is, one extra layer on whatever is suitable for yourself to be wearing.
It doesn’t matter which season your child is born in, newborns have really sensitive skin and can feel changes in temperature more than adults.
In addition, weather conditions can be a puzzle; it’s warm one minute and cold the other. Either way, it’s very wise that the child has a few sweaters and jackets, and not a whole bundle of sweaters since they’ll grow out of them soon.
You might want to pick button down sweaters for them because they’re easier to slip on and any piece of clothing we can get on a child without moving the head is a yes yes.
Soft shoes
Maybe two of these will do, for those random visits when you want your baby to look prim and pretty. But the conventional shoes will not be necessary now.
Yes, those tiny shoes might look so tempting in the store but I don’t even recommend conventional shoes until a child is learning to walk.
Shoes can confine the feet and I see shoes first as an accessory for protecting the feet before they are beauty accessories.
So, if the child isn’t using the feet to walk, then soft shoes or soft soled baby shoes will do.
Caps
Those knitted caps for kids are very ideal for protecting the ears and also protecting your child’s delicate head. They come in diverse colors with cute designs.
Since these caps always find a way to fall of the baby’s head, pick the caps that can be buttoned under the chin.
Sleepsuits
Since babies spend a lot of time sleeping, it’s very wise to buy them as many sleep suits as possible. Of course, this is bearing in mind that the child will outgrow them in some months.
Pick the ones made with breathable fabrics like cotton, which are soft and gentle on the baby’s gentle skin. Some of them come with soles to cover the baby’s feet and are recommended since they don’t get unattached and fall off.
Socks
Although this could be a nuisance with the way they come off and get missing, they are important to keep the babies feet warm. Another alternative is leggings that come with soles.
Blankets
There will always be the need to cover the child with a blanket. So, this is one article you won’t regret having no matter how hot the season is when you purchase the clothing.
While shopping, try to select preferably, those with holes, to prevent the baby from overheating.
Bibs
These are very important during feeding times, which is mostly what baby will be doing. The bibs serve as that extra piece of clothing between the baby’s mouth and her dress so that you have less dirt to wash off the cloth (there’ll always be dirt but we prefer less to more).
Infant gowns
These are necessary to be worn by the baby to air the cord stump until it falls off.
Care Of Newborn Baby Clothes
Try to organize your baby clothes according to use. It might be tempting to just fold all the clothes into the drawer.
But during those late nights when you’re sleepy and you just want to open the drawers, reach in and find the exact change of clothes you need, you’ll appreciate the order.
Store the little accessories together, the socks, the bibs, the little caps. You could put them in separate bags/drawers, sock drawer, cap drawer, bib bag.
The important thing is, don’t store them with the larger clothes. They just disappear in there and make life harder for everyone.
Treat stains as soon as they happen. Yes, even before washing because the longer a stain is on a cloth, the harder it sticks and the harder it is for it to be taken off. So, as soon as that stain occurs, treat it.
Always separate the clothes into whites and colored before washing. This way, you wash the whites together. You can separate the colored clothes further into colour codes.
Wash clothes within the same colour range together.
For clothes that start to lose the dye, you can soak briefly in salted water, this helps to stick the dye. After washing you can rinse thoroughly.
For parents who use reusable diapers, always wash the diapers separately and never with other clothes.
Wash and rinse bleach off thoroughly after bleaching baby clothes.
Turn the clothes inside out before washing to extend their lifespan and prevent them from washing off.
Ensure that all the clothes are completely dry before packing them in the wardrobe. Even a single damp piece of clothing can make the others smell foul or encourage growth of mildew.
Remember to wash brand new clothes before they are worn. This ensures you wash off any likely impurities before putting them on your baby’s skin.
Conclusion
Now, if you’ve listened throughout, you understand that for newborns, comfort is a very important property to look out for. Right now, you know all the important things about newborn baby clothing.
Armed with this knowledge, I trust you won’t get carried away by the catchy designs and bring home a bunch of clothes that you might never use. Keep all you’ve read in mind, and I’m sure you’ll make the right choices.