Tweet

When expecting the baby for the first time, choosing baby clothes can be quite a challenging task. Purchasing baby clothes is not that easy as one may think. To begin with, one may probably be not aware of the baby’s gender during the course of pregnancy, but that is a minor point of consideration for the newborn.

Looking for the right baby clothes is a practical affair. One has to be very careful in selecting the right material, the right fit and has to keep various points under consideration before any purchases are done. For being more practical in approach, one may ask other friends and relatives who already have had their babies. They may have some valuable tips to offer.

Often parents keep the practicality factor aside when they go shopping for baby clothes. They are more drawn towards those clothes that appear attractive, prettier and very ‘adult like’ and follow the trend of adorning their newborns with designer wear considering less for the fact that their child might be uncomfortable in it. They want to stay ahead in the fashion parade of the newborns. It is to be understood that comfort, right fit and few other considerations are far more important than the look when purchasing baby clothes.

First and foremost, it is crucial to keep in mind that the skin of the newborn is very delicate, sensitive and tender. While the clothes you have bought may be extravagant and pretty, they might cause enough discomfort to the child. If it is made of the wrong fabric, it can obstruct easy breathing, can be restrictive in movement and can also irritate the skin of the baby, thereby causing rashes. To avoid this, baby clothes should be made from natural fibers, should be absorbent and soft to touch. It is best if baby clothes are made of pure cotton as it is the best absorbent in fabrics. These days organic fabrics like organic bamboo and cotton are also available in baby clothes. Similarly, it is better if parents avoid buying clothes that use chemical dyes, they should opt for vegetables dyes instead. These are free from pesticide residues and hence are safe for the child’ skin. If the fabric quality of baby’s clothes is poor, it will make the child too warm, too moist and simply uncomfortable. As the baby is not able to shift easily if the fabric is rough and irritate their skin, the smoother the fabric is the better.

Usually it is seen that first time parents often forget the accessibility of baby clothes. They are unaware that the baby would require clothes to be changed on a frequent basis during the day. Hence, clothes that are easy to slip on, wash and maintain should be bought. There should not be too many straps, buttons or fasteners, else they would cause a lot of trouble when changing them a number of times in a day. Also, if the clothes are easy to slip on, it would not take much time to place the diaper quickly when on an outing. Further, it should be understood that spending extravagantly on every baby outfit is sheer non-practicality. Parents should realize that if the child requires frequent change of clothes, buying expensive ones will not serve the purpose. It is better to opt for affordable yet comfortable clothing for the newborns.

Another thing that needs to be kept in mind while purchasing baby clothes is how easy their maintenance and care would be. Looking at the care labels on the clothes will give you a fair idea of how the clothes need to be maintained. See if they are machine washable and come without specific restrictions regarding bleaches, fabric softeners or detergents. It would be every rare when a baby garment would require dry cleaning, but it is always better to be sure before you pay the bill.

One important thing to consider while buying clothes for the newborn is that they should be of the right size. If the clothes are too small, they would cause discomfort, while bigger clothes will obstruct the child’s easy movement and increase the chances of the child tripping over.

For babies who are about 3 months old, look for clothes without any straps, snaps, ribbons or buttons as these can choke the baby if he/ she takes them in mouth. Clothes with zippers and Velcro are best for them. For babies who are 6-9 months old, buy larger clothes as they will soon grow out of them. But for babies, who are a year or two old, buy clothes of their age.  Keep in mind that these clothes should be durable and easy to wear.

The maintenance and care of the baby clothes is as important as buying the right ones. To ensure that the child’s skin and heath is not affected, always use a mild detergent sans any fragrance when washing baby clothes. It is important as hard detergents may harm the sensitive skin of the babies. While you may wash your newborn’s clothes with family clothes ensure that neither of the two contaminates each other, especially baby nappies. If you are using re-usable cloth nappies, wash them separately. Store them as sanitarily as possible until they are washed. Keep the bucket where they are kept covered so that no foul odour is emanated from it. Sterilise the bucket later to eradicate every speck of germs present. It is very important that every item of the baby, from clothes to toys is kept germ free to save the child from any rashes and other ailments that may prove dangerous for them.