Some pointers on clothing your child

Newsflash: your baby does not follow fashion, you must be his fashion advisor. First, you should aim for simplicity, and comfort.

Your baby will need to change clothes several times a day.

Fluffy is cute, but it can be irritating for your baby’s skin. The softer, the better. Ideally, remove any unnecessary tags, buttons, and ribbons. You cannot trust your child with these.

Next, size can be tricky. You need to buy different sizes for the same outfit. Why? In my case, some of my babies would wear the same size for months, and some quickly outgrow the newborn size. My daughter’s baby skipped it altogether!

So I would try and get all sizes, keep what works, and return what doesn’t.

You should also consider laundry, so the number of each outfit is determined by how many times you are willing to do laundry.

So here’s some of the baby outfits recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics:

Fleece wear or snowsuit: In winter, it is imperative to keep your baby warm without suffocating it with layers and layers of clothes. Usually, a hooded fleece suit does the trick. If you want to avoid snowsuits, you can always get a fleece sack for the stroller, when you go out.

Socks: They are crucial for babies because they help regulate its body heat. They are needed indoors and outdoors.

Pajamas: This can be tricky, but don’t worry, again aim for simplicity and baby’s safety. You will need 4 to 7 pieces. Avoid those with complicated designs to help your baby sleep better.

Hats: They can contribute to increasing warmth in winter. In summer, use hats made of a light material not covering the ears like in the winter hats.

Sweater: To avoid irritating your baby with pulling clothes on and off its head. Babies hate that! A sweater with buttons on the front is a better route for your baby’s warmth. You will need two pieces at most.

One-piece outfits: There are ideal for naps and playing. You will need about seven pieces of these. Treat it is your daily baby gear.

Shirts: Take care to choose shirts with wide necks, to quickly put on the baby and avoid choke hazard. Baby’s get irritated quickly, especially if it is hot. So unless it is cold, avoid using shirts with tight necks.

Also, every baby is different, try as many as clothes as you can. Adjust, and make the clothes fit your baby. Pay close attention and you will understand what your baby needs in no time.

Other things to look for is the fabric of the clothes, the detergents and fabric softeners you use in laundry. Sometimes even your cleaning service will leave behind chemicals that may be harsh on your baby. Changing time can be an intimate time with your baby, so make it an enjoyable experience for it.

If you are a brand new mom (or dad), use a changing table until you have enough experience to change your baby’s clothes on your lap. Take care, because babies tend to be slippery sometimes.