Baby Essentials: Clothing for Newborns

Baby Essentials: Clothing for Newborns – what you need and what you don’t for baby’s first few months!

By Melissa Lawrence

So, you are busily preparing your home for a new baby – congrats! If you have already had your baby shower, chances are you are up to your ears in baby clothes from friends and family! You might be thinking ‘what am I going to do with all of these clothes – especially all these frilly tutus and fancy sneakers for a baby who can’t even walk yet?!’ I am just getting myself to donate and store away the used infant clothes now that my fifth and last baby is four years old (sniff!), so the topic of newborn baby clothes is near and dear to my heart. I was definitely overwhelmed at first, but after my second child, I finally felt like I had the whole “how to dress a newborn” thing down to a science. Here is my list of essential baby clothes you’ll need for your newborn!

Hats
Besides being so darn cute, hats serve the very important purpose of keeping your baby nice and warm. Make sure they are stretchy and fitted, but not too tight. I would recommend having at least 3 or 4; they are very easy to lose! Also, hang on to the ones the nurse gives you at the hospital – these will probably serve you well the first few weeks!

Side-Snap Tees
This is definitely my number 1 item when it comes to dressing a newborn baby. They are so easy to put on (no fussing with getting it over their wobbly head and it won’t rub against the umbilical cord stub!) I would recommend having about 6 in your house before your baby arrives, just to avoid doing laundry every hour! And while you’re at the hospital, ask the nurse if they have any extras – the hospital tees tend to be made of thick, soft, and good-quality cotton.

Onesies
Ah. The infant onesie. A true classic and a must have for baby. These are great because they can come in both long-sleeve or short-sleeved style and last forever! I have had some onesies for all five of my babies! It’s a great way to graduate from the side-snap t-shirt and will keep your baby warm during the night. Also makes changing your baby’s diaper a breeze with the snaps at the bottom. Check out my video here on dressing a squirmy baby in a onesie!

 

Front Snap PJs
Be sure to stock up on these before your baby’s arrival! They are honestly the easiest outfit to get on and off your baby. Just lay your baby on top, snap the buttons, and voila! Get them big because your baby will grow faster than you will believe! Here’s a quick video on how to change even the squirmiest of babies!

Winter Clothes
Brrr! For all you mamas out there battling the bitter winter this year, it’s more important than ever to keep your baby safe and warm! At night, I liked to dress my babies in their infant onesie, a footed pajama, and swaddled them in a hospital burp cloth. Outside during the day, warm your baby up in a baby cardigan and a pair of socks over these other layers and finish off the look with a flexible, down coat.

So that’s it, Mamas. My advice is to keep it simple, buy only what you really need, and buy big to keep your clothes in use for as long as possible! And remember to wash all of these clothes in baby laundry detergent before dressing your new bundle of joy. Good luck dressing your newborns!

Melissa Lawrence, co-founder of CloudMom, lives in New York City with her husband and 5 young children. With more than a few parenting tricks up her sleeve, Melissa posts daily how-to videos and blogs for moms just like you! Happy parenting!

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