Shopping for those all-important first items of clothing for a newborn baby should be one of the most enjoyable experiences for a couple to share, and all part of the anticipation of the joy to come. However, knowing what should go into your baby`s first wardrobe is not always as straightforward as we might imagine. It is worth putting some thought into it and taking heed of some useful tips to ensure that the experience is a pleasure rather than a daunting task.
Although it is tempting to fill the baby wardrobe with cute colour coordinated designer clothes, leave that task to doting friends and relatives! It is definitely more sensible for you to concentrate on practical items to get you through those first few months. Whilst this will be a hectic time for you, your baby will spend most of this time sleeping, eating and crying, and most importantly, growing at a phenomenal rate. Invest in several babygros and sleepsuits, at least 6 of each, bearing in mind that front opening suits will be more comfortable and practical, and those without enclosed feet will last longer as they allow for growth.
Those that fasten down the inside of the legs with press studs are great for ease of nappy changing; in fact in general, all items that fasten with press-studs or better still with velcro, will be easier to handle than those with zips, buttons and fiddly hooks and eyes. Ensure that sleepsuits are only used at night-time, to get your baby used to the routine of changing for bedtime.
When baby ventures outside in his pram, you will need to ensure that he keeps warm, so invest in at least two cardigans, and perhaps a fleecy jacket in winter, together with a woolly hat and mittens. In summer always ensure that your baby`s skin is covered from the sun with a light shawl. You will find that baby will dribble and often wet his clothes and you may find yourself changing his outfit throughout the day, so ensure that you have enough items in reserve to cope with this.
As a general rule, six complete outfits is a good measure - that way you will always have a clean change of clothes while other items are being washed. It is always wise of course to take preventative measures against spillages and dribbles, and plastic backed towelling bibs are great for this; baby can dribble and you won`t have to wash the whole outfit, so always keep several of these to hand when you are both out and about.
When it comes to baby`s feet, enjoy those early days when you can choose from the wide selection of cute and cosy bootees and slippers. You needn`t worry about buying real shoes until he starts to take his first steps, so until then you can enjoy buying cute designs in soft snug leather with plenty of space for him to wiggle his toes.
A newborn baby`s skin is sensitive, so bear this in mind when selecting clothes, ensuring that fabrics feel smooth and that any inside labels and stitching are not likely to feel scratchy. Natural cotton fabrics allow air to circulate well, and there are even items available now in hypoallergenic organic cotton for extra sensitive skin.
Whichever fabrics you opt for, it`s sensible to give them a wash before your baby wears them for the first time. When it comes to washing, no special measures are needed for baby clothes, except perhaps adding a little white vinegar in the rinse cycle - a great tip for eliminating milk and urine odours - and it`s certainly an advantage if they can be tumble-dried on a `gentle heat` programme to prevent shrinkages.
Always check the care labels on #LINK#baby clothing and accessories for instructions on how to get the most out of them, and it is worth looking out for `easy care` items, which can be tumble-dried then hung out to dry without the need for ironing, saving you bags of time and effort.
