Dressing Your Baby - It's Not a Fashion Statement

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

I know I may offend some moms when I say the following, but I have never understood those parents who feel like they have to dress their baby up for everything. Little baby girls in dresses can have trouble crawling and are very unlikely to stay neat and proper the way they are dressed. Your baby also doesn't need a shoe for every occasion.

In fact, in my baby's first several months of existence - she thrived quite well in onesies, footie sleepers and t-shirts. I didn't buy her a pair of shoes until she was over a year old. So let's talk about getting your baby dressed and what you do or don't absolutely need to know.

Putting on Sleeves

Sleeves are tricky with babies, you need to be careful to put the baby's hand into a sleeve without bending their fingers. You should guide from the cuff end of the sleeve by inserting your own fingers in and tugging their arm gently through the sleeve. Go for loose fitting clothing on the arms, because if it's too snug or too tight - it can pinch or cut off circulation - neither is good for your infant.

Footie Pajamas

Footie pajamas are great because most babies start tossing those blankets off in the first couple three months of their existence. So when you are dressing them in the footie pajama, start on the side with the short opening sand snap those clothes then go for the long opening in the front. Babies wiggle when you are dressing them. If you aren't into the footie pajama, we loved this baby sack snoods that came with zippers - it was like putting your baby in a blanket that zipped up and still left their feet free to kick away without being able to kick free. The snood is great for sleeping, not great for crawling.

Zips and Snaps: Yes! Buttons: No!

Buttons are just not the thing you want to have to mess with when you are trying to dress your wiggling baby. You also don't want your baby being able to yank a button free - they are a choke hazard and then some. In the meanwhile, snaps and zippers are a lot easier to fasten and secure and you can do both one handed. You can play games and sing songs to the baby while you are snapping or unsnapping them out of their outfit.

What are your favorite dressing tips for your babies?

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Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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