Baby clothes

Buying baby clothes is often an enjoyable experience for expectant mums; however, it can also be a bit daunting, especially if this is your first baby and you’re not sure what you’ll need for the first few weeks of your baby’s life. The article below will offer information and advice on buying baby clothes.

Buying clothes for a newborn baby

It can be tempting to go out and buy lots of clothes and different outfits for your newborn baby, especially as the selection in the shops is getting better all the time; however, you should think of practicality first and remember than your newborn will spend most of their first few days asleep. Comfort is the most important thing for your newborn, so try to buy soft, light clothes, which will be comfortable for your baby to wear.

If you don’t know the sex of your newborn, resist buying clothes that are either girly or boyish before you have your baby; instead stick to neutral colours like cream and white; you will probably find that once your baby is born you will get inundated with little outfits from friends and relatives so don’t go mad with the shopping before your baby is born.

To start with, you will need:

  • 8 vests (to wear under a babygrow if it is cold or on its own if it is hot)
  • 6 pairs of baby socks
  • 8 sleep suits (with poppers to make it easier for you to change your baby’s nappy and feet to keep your baby’s toes warm)
  • 1 pair of booties (to keep your baby’s feet warm if you take them out)
  • 2 cardigans (cardigans are better because you can take them off more easily than jumpers)
  • A coat or snow suit (for the winter)
  • 2 hats
  • Scratch mittens (these are to protect your baby from scratching themselves)

As your baby gets older, you can start to dress them in a variety of different clothes but try to make sure they are comfortable and soft; leggings are more comfortable than jeans, for example. It is also a good idea to use thin layers to keep your baby warm, rather than bulky jumpers.

Although you may want to splash out, remember that your baby will grow out of their clothes fast so resist the temptation to spend lots of money on their newborn clothes. You will find that you are constantly washing clothes when you have a newborn so stock up on vests and babygrows.

Baby clothes:

  • Sleep suits: try to make sure you buy sleep suits with poppers so that you can change your baby’s nappy more easily. You can choose between sleep suits with feet or without feet; in the winter it is a good idea to put your baby is a suit with feet so that their toes don’t get cold during the night. Make sure the feet fit your baby’s feet; if they are too tight this will be uncomfortable for your baby; if your baby has started to walk, it may be better to put them in suits without feet so that they are less likely to fall over. Try to avoid putting your baby to bed in very thick, fleecy sleep suits as your baby may get too hot; instead put a vest under a normal sleep suit.
  • Socks, tights and booties: try to get the right size socks for your baby; if they are too big, you will find you spend most of your days picking them up off the floor and if they are too small this may be uncomfortable for the baby. Babies only really need to wear booties when they are going out; socks are usually sufficient for wearing during the day at home.
  • Shoes: babies do not need shoes until they have learnt to walk and are solid on their feet; however, there are baby shoes available to buy. Baby shoes are much softer than normal shoes and are more like booties; some babies hate wearing shoes, while others don’t mind.
  • Vests: vests are a staple item for your baby’s wardrobe; in the summer, your baby can relax in their vest and in the winter you can put a vest under your baby’s outfit to make sure they are warm enough. Try to ensure you get vests with poppers as they make it easier to change your baby’s nappy and get your baby changed.
  • Babygrows: babygrows are comfortable and light for your baby; they are ideal for newborn babies. Babygrows are also useful for parents because they have poppers, which make it easier to change babies’ nappies.
  • Skirts and dresses: most mums look forward to dressing their little girl up in skirts and dresses and there is now a huge range of clothes on offer. If your baby is learning to crawl, dresses can be a bit of a pain for them as they get stuck under their legs; leggings and trousers are better at this stage.
  • Cardigans and jumpers: cardigans and jumpers are essential during most months of the year so stock up; cardigans are better because you can layer up and take them off easily if your baby gets too hot.
  • Trousers: trousers are great for babies that are learning to crawl, as they protect the baby’s knees from the ground; make sure you roll your baby’s trousers up if they are too long, especially if they are learning to walk, as this will help to reduce the risk of them tripping over.
  • Hats: hats are essential during the summer and the winter; in the summer, hats protect baby’s faces from the sun and in the winter, they keep your baby’s head warm. Some babies hate wearing hats and you may find you have a bit of a battle when you want your baby to wear their hat.

Where can I buy baby clothes?

There is now a huge range of high street stores with children’s ranges; from supermarkets to designer stores, children’s clothes are available everywhere. You can also order children’s clothes online.

Budget baby clothes

If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on baby clothes, don’t panic. There are now lots of shops, including Marks and Spencer, Mothercare and Next offering value ranges of essential items (these usually include sleep suits, vests, socks and babygrows) and shops like Matalan and all the major supermarkets have large ranges of very affordable baby clothes. If you have had a child recently, you can recycle the clothes for your newborn baby and then just buy the additional items you need.

Caring for your newborn:

Mother, Baby and Beyond

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