Part of preparing for the birth of a baby is preparing the baby’s clothes. For many mothers, shopping for baby apparel can be one of the most exciting parts of the pregnancy. However, fun as it may be, shopping for the first set of clothes for a baby is also very serious task. Many first time mothers fail to consider the needs of their babies, focusing their shopping perspective on their preferences instead. Obviously, babies do not care about the style and the designs of their clothes-their concern is the comfort the clothes provide. Another consideration when shopping for baby clothes is the variety. Babies need a number of specific baby apparel-from onesies to baby booties. Mothers can never have enough of these items.
Mother should first buy the set of clothes the child would wear-commonly known as the layette. Layettes are usually composed of undershirt, infant gowns, sleepers, and booties. While not considered as baby apparel, it is also advisable to buy blankets and baby bibs. For the undershirts, mothers should buy onesies. This baby apparel is tied on the side or snapped on the bottom, primarily for convenience. Meanwhile, infant gowns make for convenient diaper changes. Sleepers or stretch suits, on the other hand, are non-essentials, although they make great alternatives for onesies. However, this baby apparel could be inconvenient for diaper changes, so parent should make sure the sleeper or the stretch suit they are going to buy zip up easily from the front. Booties or baby socks, too, are important, to keep the baby’s feet warm. Unlike regular shoes, this baby apparel contorts easily to the square-shaped feet of babies. Hats are not as important as the other items mentioned, but it is safe to have at least one.
According to experts, parents should at least six undershirts, four infant gowns, six stretch suits, and four pairs of baby socks or booties. There are baby apparel or layette sets available in the market, for those who do not want to trouble themselves with individual selection. However, there is nothing wrong if parents want to buy these baby apparel items individually, since doing so would give variety to the clothes of the baby.
When buying baby apparel, parents should consider cotton clothes. Cotton clothes are great indoors and are soft and light. Also, mother should get clothes that are easy to remove. This is useful especially for emergencies and during diaper changes.
Of course, clothes made from cotton are more suited for indoor wear. For the outdoors, babies should have warm clothes such as sweaters, fleeces, and jackets, since babies need protection from the cold weather. However, regardless if the baby apparel is for indoor or outdoor use, baby clothes should always provide protection and comfort.
Clifton Johnson is a freelance writer and product selector for the online retailer http://www.childclothingoutlet.com/
He’s written for a variety of news providers reviewing products, emerging markets, and parenting. Some of the products mentioned in this article are available there. He’s 26 and lives in New England.