Planning for pregnancy

Baby clothes

By Stacy DeBroff

When you're expecting, it's easy to get tempted by those tiny booties and fuzzy jumpsuits—soon your baby has an extensive wardrobe of clothes that may or may not fit.

It is important to consider several things when making the right decisions about what clothing your child really needs—things that are no less relevant as your child gets older. These simple tips can make shopping for clothes much less stressful—and save you time and money in later years!

• How much clothing to buy really depends on how often you plan to do laundry. For a newborn, buy enough clothing to cover three clothing changes a day multiplied by the number of days you want to go between loads of laundry.
• Look for clothing made out of soft, roomy, durable material. Soft knits stretch more and can be changed more easily, and loose material fits best over your baby's big belly.
• Separates give you the option of changing an item that's dirty without putting a whole new outfit on your child.
• Buy clothes that give your child plenty of room to move his legs, such as leggings and sweats.
• When buying overalls for a crawling baby, make sure the legs have elasticized cuffs and are not so baggy that they impede crawling.
• For easy diaper changes, use onesies, pants, jumpers, or coveralls that snap at the crotch instead of having to be removed for diaper changes. If your child outgrows sizes with snaps, switch to easy-to-handle sweatpants with no drawstrings.
• Find shirts that snap, button, or zipper at the neck if your baby does not like to have things pulled over his head.
• Look for sweaters with loose armholes and no strings inside to catch his fingers.
• Use undershirts instead of bulky sweaters to add layers of warmth.
• Multi-piece outfits save money because one piece of an original outfit can still be worn when the other piece no longer fits. If you buy a two-piece outfit, make sure the top is long enough that it won't constantly ride up and leave your baby's belly exposed.
• Be careful when buying patterned socks, as the loose yarn on the inside can catch in your baby's toes.
• Look for booties that fit snugly so they're difficult to kick off, and save yourself from bending over countless times to pick one off the ground.
• Avoid denim jackets, which may look cute but are generally too stiff for your baby's sensitive skin. Stick with a fleece jacket or sweatshirt instead.
• If your child prefers to be swaddled and likes having his arms at his sides, zip him into his snowsuit that way, and let the arms of the snowsuit dangle.

Clothes to avoid

• Don't buy newborn-size clothing for your baby. He may be too big for this size at birth or will grow out of it within a few weeks. At best, your baby will wear the outfits only once or twice. Buy a larger size and roll sleeves and pants instead. One exception is what your baby wears to bed at nighttime. Sleepwear should always fit snugly to reduce the chance of catching fire.
• When stocking your baby's daily wardrobe, rely on cotton. Synthetics can irritate your newborn's delicate skin. Assume that cotton clothes will shrink at least one size in the dryer.
• Avoid clothing that requires dry cleaning or hand washing. The same goes for items that need to be ironed, or have lacy collars, cuffs, or stiff ruffles (which are also uncomfortable for your baby). Save these high-maintenance items for special occasions. If a daily article of clothing cannot be machine-washed, do not buy it or return the gift.
• Look for pants and shirts with elastic cuffs. The elasticized wrists and ankles will keep larger-sized clothing from slipping over your child's feet and hands.
• When buying pants that zipper in the front, look for those with a stretchy elastic waist so they can be pulled on even with the zipper up.
• Look for pants that have flat seams that will not irritate your child's skin.
• Before making a purchase, test snaps to make sure they hold.
• Buy socks with rubber designs that give traction for when your child races across a slippery floor, or make your own version of these socks by attaching bath decals or painting them with puffy fabric paint on the bottom.
• Make sure that shaped buttons fit through and stay in the buttonholes.
• When buying clothes, look out for the following:
  • Drawstrings, toggles, straps, sashes, and belts that hang loosely, as these are strangulation hazards.
  • Loose-fitting coats and capes, and oversize or baggy clothing, which can become caught on cribs, playpens, or other furniture.
  • Loose buttons, bows, or threads, unless you're willing to spend the time repairing the item.
• Buy clothes in neutral colors and designs so younger siblings of either sex can wear them again.
• To buy matching items for clothes you already have, cut a small swatch from the inside hem and take it with you when shopping.
• The warmest winter jacket covers your child's bottom.
• For your toddler and preschooler, buy clips to keep mittens or gloves together with your child's winter coat. Also, opt for mittens over gloves, so your child doesn't have to wrestle each finger into its proper slot.
• Find a raincoat with a flannel lining. Though you may spend a bit more, it's more comfortable than a stiff, unlined plastic raincoat and frees your child from wearing bulky layers underneath. A removable lining makes the coat do double duty for warmer days.
• Every season, before you buy your child new clothes, have a fashion show. Unpack last year's clothes, have your child model everything for you, and sort the clothing into piles: keep, store for a younger child, throw away, give away to charity, or loan to friends. Have boxes ready for each category. Do the same for your own clothes by inviting a friend over for whom you can model items you can't decide whether to keep or not, and engage her help in wedding things out.
• Put the clothes that still fit straight into your child's drawers, and remove the past season's clothes for storage. Not only will your child's drawers stay neat and orderly, you'll have a list of what you do and don't need to buy for the coming season.