Baby Clothes 101: Needs and Proper Care

The right baby clothes for your new babythrough his or her first month of life. After that, it
If you are a first time parent, there are manyis not as crucial unless you are taking them
needs that must be accomplished before youroutside on a chilly or cold day. For this purpose,
baby's arrival. One important, and fun job, isyou should have 1 or 2 fairly snug, but not too
purchasing baby clothing. However, with such arestrictive, hats for your baby.
large selection of baby clothes, you may beProper Care for Baby Clothing
asking yourself which of these adorable little itemsWhen caring for baby clothing, there are two
are required.schools of thought. The first is that your little
Onesiesbundle of joy's clothes should be washed in special
"Onesies" are basically baby t-shirts and are adetergents to alleviate the risk of skin allergies.
necessary baby clothing purchase. To keep theThere are numerous varieties of mild laundry
onesie from creeping up and exposing your baby'ssoaps that are scent and dye-free. Many of these
belly, most onesies have easy close snaps. Theydetergents are aimed at the baby market, such
can be worn alone or as an undergarment.as Dreft that boasts "A gentle clean. Just for
Onesies, also known as rompers, come in basicbaby".
white, colored or patterned varieties. For yourThe other idea is that "gentle" laundry soaps are
basics, you should have between 5 to 10 onesies.required for baby clothing. If your baby's skin
Sleepersdoes not react adversely to certain detergents,
Sleepers are one-piece items with long legs andthen a special detergent is not necessary.
long or short sleeves. They usually have snapsStain Removal
down the legs for easy accessibility for late nightYour bundle of pink or blue will not think twice
diaper changes.about staining their cutest outfits. Certain
When preparing your basics, you should haveformulas, baby food and stains caused by leaking
between 5 to 8 baby sleepers. These arediapers are often difficult to remove from baby
necessary as it is recommended that a newbornclothing. If pretreated before washing, some of
not sleep with thick blankets. This couldthe most stubborn stains can be eliminated,
inadvertently cause suffocation. The best materialleaving the clothing both clean and in pristine
for both your baby's warmth and comfort arecondition. One tried and true stain remover is
cotton or fleece sleepers.Oxi-Clean. You may want to "audition" or try
Baby Socksdifferent stain removers to find the one best
For your baby's requirements, you shouldsuited for your laundry needs.
purchase between 6 to 8 pairs of baby socks.Wash New Clothes Before Wear
Although socks are not necessary in warmBefore dressing your baby in new clothes, it is
weather, they should be worn if taking your littleessential that you wash them first. Although baby
one outside in chilly temperatures. They are alsoclothing may look fresh and clean on department
indispensable at night if your baby is wearing astore hangers, many have come into contact with
sleeper without feet.dirt, little four legged creatures and bugs during
Baby socks are made of either thick or thinthe shipping and packaging process.
weaves. You should purchase a combination ofMinor skin irritations may occur from sizing placed
both, as thin socks are desirable if your baby is toon many pieces of baby clothing. Sizing is used to
wear shoes.keep items looking nice until they are purchased.
HatsGetting prepared for your little one's new arrival is
Hats are baby clothing essentials for your littleboth a joyous and stressful time. Knowing what
bundle. When taking care of your newborn, it isbaby clothing is essential in your little one's layette
important to keep them adequately warm.and how to properly care for their clothing is one
Newborns often have difficulty regulating theirof the many tasks that lay before you.
body temperature and much of their heatKnowledge is power and being prepared is half the
escapes through their head.battle.
It is recommended that your newborn wear a hat