| One thing you can guarantee about your baby | | | | new outfit.That sort of encouragement with |
| when she is born, and that is she will have no | | | | clothes will teach the baby to appreciate them, |
| clothes on; she will be naked. There will be no | | | | leaving less scope for any insistence to be naked |
| shock horror amongst the people in the delivery | | | | all the time. When they do want to be naked, or |
| room when the baby makes her grand entry into | | | | when you're tired of changing them because |
| the human world with its social practices and | | | | they've urinated in their pants twice in 10 minutes, |
| stigma.You cannot get a more natural state than | | | | then just keep it totally relaxed, as if it is the |
| a baby with no clothes on, and it's a state you will | | | | most natural thing in the world; which of course it |
| find your baby likes to revert to sometimes as | | | | is. You do not want to make a child feel ashamed |
| she gets a bit older. That, too, is perfectly natural. | | | | of their body; that is not what discipline is about. |
| However, most modern societies frown upon | | | | It is about a steady and relaxed learning of what |
| open nudity, and it is normal for all people to be | | | | is allowed and when.Exactly what is acceptable will |
| fully dressed, at least once they emerge from | | | | vary from country to country. Here in the |
| the privacy of their home; and that includes | | | | Philippines adults tend to be coy in public about |
| babies.If you consider it from the baby's point of | | | | their bodies, because by and large it is a very |
| view, though, she does not quickly understand | | | | conservative country. Yet baby and infant |
| social stigma. She likes comfort, and if it's warm, it | | | | nakedness will not raise an eyebrow if around the |
| can be ideal for her to play with no clothes on at | | | | home and garden. It is seen and regarded as |
| all; or so she thinks. So, in the home or in the | | | | natural, and is more easily accepted than back in |
| garden on a warm summer's day, babies can be | | | | England. You really have to take into account |
| quite happy playing in the nude. | | | | what your social norm is where you live.Just in |
| This starts often at about fourteen months old, | | | | case some visitors may be uncomfortable with a |
| and is completely normal; in fact, if you are lucky | | | | boisterous nude infant giving them a hug, it is |
| it could help with potty training. But then you also | | | | probably best to ensure baby is dressed for |
| have to deal with the baby's introduction to social | | | | visitors. Your toddler may be comfortable with |
| norms; what is acceptable and what is not, and in | | | | their naked time, but friends and neighbours may |
| what situations. How, then, should a new parent | | | | not be. |
| deal with a naked toddler?It is best not to | | | | Use your child's new found freedom to |
| discourage this behaviour entirely. As with many | | | | encourage them to choose their own clothing. In |
| aspects of bringing up a baby you should set limits | | | | fact, they make the decision themselves. Our |
| about where and when your toddler can be | | | | baby girl got into the habit, at about 19 months, |
| naked, and then enforce them. It is tedious, but | | | | of pointing at what she wanted to wear. Now, at |
| repeatedly re-dressing your toddler may be the | | | | 21 months and in a bed instead of a crib, we may |
| best way to get the message across that having | | | | go in to her in the morning and find her wardrobe |
| clothes on is now the norm, rather than | | | | has been emptied, and all her clothes being sorted |
| nakedness.In practice, this is really not that difficult | | | | on the bed. Well, at least she is showing an |
| to do. By encouraging babies to take an interest | | | | interest in clothes!Perhaps the most important |
| in their clothes from a very young age, they may | | | | thing to remember is not to allow your discipline |
| start to enjoy being dressed up and looking | | | | about clothing become about your child's body. It |
| different. Our baby daughter loved getting | | | | is easy to make your sensitive baby feel |
| dressed in new clothes long before she was a | | | | ashamed of their naked body, even if you do not |
| year old, and it was not long before she was | | | | intend to do so. This kind of discomfort can go a |
| checking her new look in the mirror. If you buy | | | | long way in determining how your growing child will |
| new clothes, make a fuss of her when she tries | | | | feel about their body in the longer term, right up |
| them on; my wife always says 'show Dada' when | | | | into adulthood.This baby care article was written |
| our toddler is trying on something new. She | | | | by Roy Thomsitt, owner author of the Bouncing |
| comes to me with a beaming smile to model her | | | | New Baby website. |