Introduction
You may be attracted to girl colors, boy colors or adorable prints when shopping for your newborns. This being the reality, priority needs to be given to safety, comfort and practicality. Easy-to-use and easy-to-wash are two criteria that come to the aid of decision making.
Newborn Wardrobe Checklist
Let’s take a quick peek into the wardrobe essentials for your baby:
- Onesies: 3 or 4 Nos
- Sleepers or Stretch Suits: 3 to 6 Nos
- Socks or Booties: 3 to 4 Pairs
- Gowns that covers feet: 3 to 4 Nos
- Hats or Caps or Bonnets: 1 to 2 Nos
- Undershirts: 4 to 6 Short or Long Sleeves
- Light Mittens: 1 or 2 Pairs
- Sweaters: 1 or 2 Nos
- Bunting: 1 is sufficient for cold weather
Plan and be prepared with everything in double, if you are having twins. That saves a lot of laundry time.
Safety
For anything to do with newborns, safety comes first! Say a big no to buttons, ties or bows. Decorative rhinestones may look good on your little one, but they pose choking risks. Avoid clothes that are too tight, especially around arms, legs and neck when worn. Decorations should be sewed on tight.
Nowadays fire-safe sleepwears are available for infants. Flame-retardant fabric material ensures their safety in case of any unfortunate events of fire, especially during the night. Such clothes have different laundry instructions. Take good care of these clothes so that their fire-retardant abilities are kept intact. Check for established brands when it comes to fire resistant clothes.
Practicality
A lot of people go shopping for newborn clothes based on age. This is a good practice but never a better one! Weight- that’s the decision maker! Shop by your newborn’s body weight. Different brands and non-brands have clothes at different sizes for each age group. Weight is considered to be a better measure. Established newborn clothing brands have tags that carry weight and age group details.
Practicality of newborn clothing takes a serious turn when it comes to actually ‘wearing them’. Not only the material and dimensions, but also the ease of use while putting on and taking off is important. Think of the difficulties dressing a wiggling baby. It can certainly be a struggle. Take a look at some easy to follow dressing tips with your newborn.
- Choose clothes with wide necks or snaps. For newborns it is advisable to have more clothes with soft closures in the front or back. The ones to be worn over the head can cause panic.
- Ensure you have soft zippers or short length fabric ties for safety. You can dress your baby comfortably this way.
- It is ideal to have loose sleeves that can be pulled on and off more easily when compared to tight ones. Forget about the looks for sometime, at least till the baby is little grown up.
- Snaps and similar openings at the crotch can make it easy for you to change diapers and clean. You don’t always have to take off all the clothes.
- Many tend to buy hand-washable clothes for infants. Truly this does not make any sense. Machine-washable clothes can be used with proper care.
- Ideally, cotton clothes are the best for infants. They have been in use for many generations. We certainly have come across the same in our early days!
Conclusion
You are all set to welcome your newborn. Physical care for them starts with finding proper clothes. These tips can help you plan purchases for your newborn. The do’s and don’ts are to be noted to prioritize safety of your little one. The checklist ensures all essentials for your infant’s wardrobe. Welcome them with not just the best, but with the safest and most comfortable.
