Shopping for clothes for your newborn can be a pleasure and a chore at the same time. While clothing is cute and easy to get stuck shopping for, it can also be expensive and confusing. There are so many different styles, materials, and designs available when shopping for newborn clothes that finding the right clothes can be difficult. Here are five tips for shopping for newborn clothes.
Ease
While elegant dresses and pantsuits are adorable, putting them on and taking them off can be quite painful. It’s not something we can think of when buying clothes for them, but babies don’t help much when you’re trying to put their arm through a sleeve or a leg through pants.
The simpler parents can make the process, the better for the tired parent and the tired baby. Look for simple clothing with wide armholes and easy zippers. Better yet, clothes with adjustable straps that go over the head are great too.
Activities
While newborns don’t have full-day planners, they do participate in a variety of activities ranging from sleeping to joining their parents at weddings and formal events. Having clothes for all of these occasions will eliminate the stressful rush to the store to get your child something appropriate to go to church on Sunday or to the park for their playdate.
Keep in mind that some of these clothes will get dirty, especially clothes for the park or for everyday wear, so clothes that are easy to wash and don’t stain are also a great buy.
Temperature
Like adults, babies also get hot and cold. However, it is usually very important to keep them warm and cozy. For this reason, you will want to choose clothing made from simple, sturdy materials that will keep your baby warm without causing itching. Cottons and blends are good options to keep your baby warm.
If you know that your baby will spend some time in the sun or if you live in a warm climate, then you will want to make sure you have hats to protect your face from sunburn.
Dangers
While some fancy outfits can be great for taking pictures, avoid dressing your babies in these types of outfits on a regular basis. Some laces are sized appropriately to trap baby’s fingers, and buttons that fall off clothing can be perfect for causing a choking hazard. In addition, some materials such as tulle, polyesters or wool can cause allergic reactions or skin irritations.
Quantity
While it may seem like babies can go through a ridiculous amount of laundry in a day and a parent will need to stock up, it may be best to just do laundry more often. Newborns will quickly outgrow clothes and new clothes will need to be purchased.
Buying large quantities of clothing for a baby of any size can quickly become expensive. It may be tempting to return that baby shower gift of a larger baby outfit, but it will grow into it. In fact, baby clothes that have elastic not only make it easier to dress, but it can also mean that a particular garment may last longer than one without elastic.
