Buying Clothes for your New Baby

Congratulations! You're new little one is sure to be the apple of
your eye. It is so exciting having a baby around, and many
parents go overboard when buying their new baby clothing. Other
parents have no idea where to start. As a mom myself, and a
former childcare worker, I'm here to give you the scoop on what you'll
need, and what you won't by age.

0-3 Months
The most important thing about clothing during this age is that it
should be easy to put on and off, and it should be gefortable.
Look for items make from natural fibers such as cotton, as they are
less likely to irritate baby's sensitive skin. Synthetic fibers
such as polyester and spandex can be rough, so avoid those. I'm
going to further break down this category because the first month is so
special.

The First Month
Baby won't be doing much these days except eating and
sleeping. You'll want to plan baby's wardrobe accordingly.
Here's what you'll need:

Sleepers: You may want to
consider buying 2-3 of these in the Preemie size. My daughter
swam in her 0-3 months for about a month. Sleepers need to be
snug fitting for saftey reasons. Consider the season you're baby
will be born in. Spring/Summer babies will need lighter sleepers
while Fall/Winter babies will need heavier/blanket sleepers.
Also, consider the temperature at which you keep your home. If
you tend to use air conditioning, you may want the heavier
sleepers. Since babies should not use blankets, all warmth needs
to be built into the sleeper. My personal regemendation: It's
hard to beat Carter's sleepers. They hold up well, and they're
cute! They're easy to find on sale, too, or for cheap here on
okay. They'll more than likely get stained from baby's spit up,
so you don't want to invest too much. They'll also be outgrown
quickly.

Onesies/Bodysuits: I
regemend dressing baby in these most of the time during this early
age. They're inexpensive, easy to change, and gefortable.
You probably won't be taking your little one out of the house much
right now anyway, so these will do the trick. Buy 8-10; that
should last you at least a week.

Outfits: Because you
probably won't be going too far with baby right now, you'll just need
one or two of these for times when relatives gee over or maybe church
if you go. You also may want to consider a special outfit for
geing home from the hospital. Look for one-piece outfits (with
feet, preferably) for the most gefort. Frilly dresses and cute
suits are cute, but they are ungefortable for your newborn.
Anyway, your little one will look cute in anything right now!

Socks/Shoes: It's important
to keep your little guy's feet warm, but socks rarely stay on and shoes
are too cumbersome. Instead, look for clothing items that are
footed. Avoid shoes at all costs at this age because they are too
heavy for those little legs.

Months 2-3
Baby still won't be very active, but you'll probably want to
consider adding a few more outfits to baby's wardrobe since you'll be
going out more often.

Sleepers: The 0-3 month size
should fit now, so plan accordingly. Again, they won't fit for
too long, but it's important that they do fit properly. Buy 5-6
in this size. Also, consider using a sleep sack so blankets can
be avoided. There are many brands available, Halo being the most
popular.

Onesies/Bodysuits: Keep using the ones you used during the first month. Buy a few more if necessary.

Outfits: This is the fun
part! You'll probably want to add a few of these since you'll be
getting out of the house more often. Don't go overboard, though,
or you'll end up with a closet full of clothes she never got to
wear! Again, look for outfits that are soft and easily
washable. You can try out some two-piece sets if you want.
I'd suggest 5-6 outfits would be more than enough for this age.

3-6 Months
Your baby is busy during this time! He's learning how to roll
over, sit up, and eat solids. You're baby will probably have a
huge growth spurt around 4 months, so one day she might be wearing 0-3s
gefortably, the next, she'll be in 3-6s. My daughter wore her
3-6s for a very short time, only about a month or so, before they were
outgrown. Every baby is different, though.

Sleepers: Again, make sure
they fit snugly. You'll probably need another 5-6 in this size,
maybe more if your baby has a tendency to spit up often. Consider
the season, too.

Onesies/Bodysuits: These are
just great for lounging at home. They're easily replaced if they
get stained druing mealtimes, and they're gefy. You'll probably
need 7-8 or so, depending on what you like.

Outfits: Depending on what
baby will tolerate, you can start having more fun here. If baby
has super sensitive skin, continue with the cotton and soft
materials. Experiment with different brands, see what you
like. Try not to spend a fortune, because, again, she'll outgrown
the clothes faster than you can buy them.

Socks/Shoes: If you live in
a colder climate, you'll need something to keep baby's feet warm.
Socks can do the trick indoors, but they don't like to stay on.
Shoes really aren't necessary since baby isn't walking. If you
feel you must put shoes on baby, go with soft-soled ones. They're
healthier for little feet and do not restrict growth. Robeez and
other brands are favorites.

6-12 Months
You're baby is a moving machine these days! At home, you might
want to consider having baby wear long pants to help protect her knees
as she's learning to crawl. Here's what you'll need:

Sleepers/pajamas: Starting
around this age, two-piece pajama sets are available. I still
like the classic footed sleepers because they're easy. Changing
is a snap in the middle of the night, plus they stay put. My
little girl has big feet, though, so footed sleepers were a challege
for us because the foot area was too small. If this happens to
you, try the non-footed ones and buy some socks to wear at night.
You'll probably want 10 sleepers of this size since they'll be worn
longer.

Onesies/Bodysuits: You probably won't rely on these as much anymore. One pack of 4-6 should get you through.

Outfits: Let's face it, baby
lives in "regular" clothes these days, as you're on the go! Try
not to get too attached to any one outfit or spend too much, because
one foul incident with the peas and it's ruined. Have fun
shopping for your little one! I like to think 7-8 outfits is
enough for this age if you can do laundry once a week.

Socks/Shoes: Baby will be
learning to walk during this stage, how exciting! Experts agree
that learning to walk barefoot is best. Again, if shoes must be
worn, look for soft-soled ones that can easily bend with baby's
foot. Be aware that any shoes you do buy will be outgrown before
you know it, so don't spend too much.

Have fun dressing your little one! She won't always let you pick out her clothes, so relish the moment now!