How To Dress A Newborn?

Dressing an infant focuses on comfort and safety above style. Begin with a onesie, then add footies and layer accordingly depending on the season. Use blankets to keep warm when carrying or nursing, and avoid heavy apparel in car seats. Choose breathable materials and wash new garments to prevent discomfort.

Pregatips
You may have spent much time and money preparing your baby's outfit before they arrived. However, newborns do not need much clothing during their first few weeks. You'll be too busy figuring each other out and getting through the day (and night) to care about exactly matching clothes, bottoms, socks, and caps. However, the most important thing in the first few weeks is to keep the infant safe and comfortable.

What To Dress The Baby In During The Day?

Dressing an infant involves more common sense than fashion. Follow these fundamental steps and then expand from there.

1. Begin with the onesie or wrap shirt

Onesie is almost synonymous with infant clothes. They respond to the demands of a little individual who is not used to wearing garments. These bodysuits provide excellent foundation layers for babies. "The main benefit is that they'll stay in place and keep your baby's back and tummy from being exposed," explains Dr Shilpa Pandya. Furthermore, the snaps at the bottom allow you to avoid entirely undressing the baby while changing nappies, making the task simpler for parents and less cold for the baby. Long-sleeved kimono or wrap-style shirts are very useful during the baby's first few days. The garment, which snaps across the front, does not have to be pulled over your baby's head, which many newborns despise, and it is gentler on the delicate umbilical cord stump, which requires air to dry off.

2. Add footies

Footies are trousers with built-in feet that replace the need for infant socks or booties. Even the smallest children are proficient at kicking off socks, which always end up at different places. As with other baby garments, it's best to purchase slightly bigger sizes (but still fit comfortably); this way, they'll last a bit longer, even if the baby's feet grow. If you don't want to retain the footies as hand-me-downs, you may cut off the foot and hem the bottom to make them into trousers.

3. Add layers

The season will influence how many layers a baby wears and how thick they should be. Dr Shilpa Pandya, recommends a lightweight onesie for the summer. They recommend long sleeves for infants since they keep the baby warm while also protecting them from unintentional scratches.

4. Top it off with a blanket

Of course, a blanket is unnecessary while the baby is awake and experiencing tummy time—babies under one should never sleep in their cot with a blanket. However, whether they are breastfeeding, in a pram or being carried to the vehicle, a blanket will keep them comfortable and safe. Additionally, according to experts, any baby leaving the hospital needs to be covered up, more so to keep away germs. In summer, a thin blanket will be enough.

5. Consider accessories

Soft skull caps (or genuine hats in winter) keep infants warm, particularly in the early weeks. Babies lose a significant amount of heat via their skulls.
  • Thin mittens prevent newborns from clawing themselves.
  • Socks are useful for babies who are not wearing footies—especially if you are going outside. Babies have poor circulation at first and often have colder feet than adults.
  • Leg warmers are essentially baby sweaters. If you're going for a walk outside in the cold, dress them up in trousers that can also hold the baby's socks up.

How To Dress A Baby For Sleep?

When a baby is sleeping, less is going to be more. Because newborns may squirm out of their mittens and hats in bed, they may also be in danger of developing sudden infant death syndrome. If they like to be swaddled, they may wear a onesie beneath their swaddling blanket. If they tend to scratch themselves, long-sleeve onesies with built-in gloves are another option. If your infant dislikes being swaddled, consider using a sleep bag instead.

How To Dress A Baby For Car Seats?

When the temperature is moderate, it is not difficult to get babies into car seats. Typically, all babies need to wear is a onesie with a light blanket over it after they're belted up. On hot days, wearing trousers or shorts might provide an additional layer of protection from buckle pinching.But what about in the winter, when the baby is dressed in an adorable winter outfit? It is strongly advised against using any voluminous clothing in the car seat. This is because, in the case of a car accident, the extra air between a baby and their clothing might be harmful. It's crucial to remove it and place a blanket over the straps.

Seasonal clothing

  • Summer: Keep your infant cool with light, airy clothing like cotton. Avoid dark shades designed to absorb heat. Thin layers are ideal for temperature regulation while avoiding overheating.
  • Winter: Retain warmth with fleece or wool layers. Starting with a lightweight onesie and adding heavier outer layers that are easily removed inside, layering is essential.

Materials of choice

For a baby with delicate skin, the correct fabric is vital. Perfect natural, airy textiles are cotton or organic materials as they reduce irritation risk. Avoid synthetic items that may trap heat and moisture, resulting in discomfort or rashes.

Signs Of Baby’s Being Too Hot or Too Cold

Parents should be alert to the comfort of their children. Signs of hyperthermia include fast breathing, flushed skin, and perspiration. On the other hand, your baby may be too chilly if they feel cool to the touch—especially on their extremities—or if they are excessively irritable or sluggish. Always change layers depending on the temperature and your baby's degree of comfort.

Safe Room Temperature

A room temperature of 16 to 20 degrees Celsius is comforting and safe for sleeping babies. Your infant only requires light bedding or a lightweight, well-fitting baby sleep sack.If the weather is exceptionally warm, your infant may not require any bedding other than a sheet.Even in winter, most sick or feverish newborns do not require extra clothing.

Babies should:

  • Never sleep with a hot water bottle or an electric blanket
  • Never sleep near a radiator, heater, or fire
  • Never sleep under direct sunlight

Getting Ready For Events

Think about the weather when you take your infant outdoors. Start with a onesie, add footies, and then, if it's chilly, include a hat and mittens layered top-down. Furthermore useful for protection from the weather is a lightweight blanket. Make sure your infant is not overheated and is always comfortable.

Access for nappies

Make sure every garment lets you quickly access nappy changes. Look for clothes with broad openings or snaps that help you quickly change nappies without having to undress the infant.

Dressing A Baby For Sleep: Techniques

When it comes to sleep, less is usually more. Newborns run the danger of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) by wriggling out of caps and mittens. Should your infant like swaddling, a basic onesie is good enough. If you would rather not swaddle, think about utilising a sleep sack for warmth free of loose bedding hazards.

How To Dress Babies In Bodysuits?

Newborns are adorable, squirmy lumps who provide absolutely no assistance in getting dressed. It doesn't matter! You can easily fit your small one into a bodysuit or lapped tee by following these basic steps:
  • Step 1: Place your infant on a safe level surface or support them on your lap.
  • Step 2: Unsnap the crotch of their bodysuit and crumple it up like an accordion around the neckline.
  • Step 3: Open the neck wide.
  • Step 4: Gently pull the bodysuit over your baby's head, using your fingers to keep it away from his or her face or ears.
  • Step 5: Gather one sleeve at a time, and gently slide your baby's hand through the opening. (You can alternatively insert your fingers into the little sleeve via the cuff, carefully grab your child's hand, and pull the cloth over the baby's arm. Repeat with your other arm.
  • Step 6: Pull the bodysuit down your baby's torso and snap the crotch closed.

How To Dress Your Baby In A Bodysuit? Up The Body

Do you know how many baby bodysuits and tees feature snaps or lapped collars, where the fabric overlaps on both sides of the neck? The collar of the bodysuit is meant to stretch smoothly over a newborn, whether pulled down or up. Here is how to dress a baby in a bodysuit that goes up the body:
  • Step 1: Place your infant on a safe level surface or support them in your lap.
  • Step 2: Unsnap the bodysuit and scrunch it up from the crotch towards the neck.
  • Step 3: Stretch the neck opening.
  • Step 4: Pull the bodysuit up over Baby's legs to reach the sleeves.
  • Step 5: Bring one sleeve up to the cuff and carefully insert your baby's hand through the opening. Alternatively, insert your fingers inside a sleeve from the outside, hold your baby's hand, and draw the fabric over the arm. Complete the next side.
  • Step 6: Adjust the bodysuit to the right place and snap the crotch closed.

How To Undress A Baby?

As we now know, you can clothe your infant by placing the bodysuit over their head or up their body, and the same is true for undressing them. Simply unsnap the crotch and slowly take off each sleeve. Next, accordion-gather and slip the bodysuit up over Baby's head, using your fingers to prevent the fabric from catching on their face and ears. Alternatively, after removing your child's arms from the bodysuit sleeves, collect the bodysuit beneath Baby's armpits and gently wiggle it down over the torso and legs. Pro tip: This down-the-body bodysuit change is very useful for changing your baby after a diaper blowout!

How To Dress Your Baby In Footie Pyjamas?

Unzip one-piece pyjamas and arrange them on a safe, flat surface. Next, undo the PJs to provide space for your child to be placed inside. Place your baby's legs in the appropriate leg holes of their pyjamas. Then tackle the arms. Again, be cautious when scrunching the sleeves so you can easily pass your baby's arms through the cuff. Finally, zip your jammies all the way! Safety concernsWhen dressing your newborn, safety comes first. Avoid using blankets, headgear, or heavy clothes on the cot, since they might create suffocation difficulties. Keep loose things out of the crib while sleeping and wear clothing that fits properly.Giving comfort, safety, and practicality priority will help you to clothe your infant more quickly and guarantee their contentment and security. Though your baby's clothing requirements may change as they grow, comfort and safety should be prioritised.

FAQs On How To Dress A Newborn?

  1. How do you clothe a newborn just after birth?Dress your infant so that they are neither too warm nor too chilly, particularly while sleeping. Make sure they do not become warm due to heat. Select close-fitting, soft, cotton baby garments with a low fire hazard designation and no loose embellishments.
  2. Should I stick to natural fabrics?While experts advise against purchasing clothing made entirely of organic materials, natural fibres such as cotton or bamboo are far more breathable and may aid in temperature management for babies. Parents should wash new items before wearing them since harsh chemicals and colours might sneak in during the manufacturing process that could be harmful to the baby.
Disclaimer: Medically approved by Dr Shilpa Pandya, Consultant Pediatrician, Kinder Hospitals, Bangalore