If you have a cute little baby daughter, then you will surely feel tempted to dress her up in all sorts of cute clothes. But the reality is that not all kinds of clothes will be suitable for the comfort and safety of your baby.
In this article, we will guide you through all the key factors that you need to keep in mind when shopping for newborn dresses.
Prioritize your baby’s comfort
You must make sure that the fabric of the clothes are comfortable and not irritable to the skin. Choose clothes with natural fibers like cotton or bamboo. Both of these fabrics also ensure adequate air circulation. Linen is also a good choice. Or you can choose clothes that are labelled as “hypoallergenic”, especially if your baby has sensitive skin.
It’s even better if the dress has a stretchy neckline and is adorned with soft seams. Babies tend to be very active as they learn to walk, always crawling and moving all about. That’s why for the sake of their comfort, you need to ensure that the clothes are flexible and stretchable enough.
Make sure it is high-functionality
The clothes should all be such that they are easy to get in and get out of. Your baby will require frequent diaper changes, so the clothes should be such that you can take them on and off.
In this case, try looking for clothes with elastic waistbands, snap buttons, and zippers. A dress without these will have to be taken off by pulling them over the baby’s head repeatedly, which can be bothersome. Also avoid clothes with tight armholes and necklines for the same reason.
Ensure all safety features
Certain clothes can be potentially hazardous for the baby. Clothes with drawstrings, tight necks, loose buttons, and tight elastic bands can cause unwanted accidents.
Clothes with zippers are very convenient, but make sure that the zippers are covered with a flap of cloth, as the zipper line can hurt the baby if her skin brushes against it too hard.
So when buying the clothes, you should always pay attention to whether there are any items on the clothes that could cause harm to your daughter.
Take her growth rate and size into account
Babies grow very quickly, so they will outgrow their clothes faster than you might be prepared for. Buying new clothes again and again can put a pressure on your budget. That’s why you should always opt for growth-friendly clothes from the very beginning. An elastic waistband will adjust to your baby’s body shape.
Other items like rollable sleeves and adjustable straps will also help you keep a dress for a longer time than normal. There are some brands that have “Grow With Me” clothes for babies made specially for this reason.
Choose easy-to-clean and durable fabric
Your baby will spoil their clothes frequently, so they will need to be washed again and again. You might have to send multiple clothes to the washing machine in a day. And the same dress might have to be cleaned several times. That’s why the durability of the clothes you buy is an important factor. The clothes you buy should be:
- Machine washable
- Stain-resistant
- Have a “laundry-safe” label
Consider the season
The clothes you buy should obviously be season appropriate. Babies cannot regulate their body temperatures as naturally as adults can, so you have to make sure not to overdress or underdress them based on the season.
For the colder periods of the year, go for comfy onesies, baby coats, and long sleeves. For summer, you should go for the lightweight clothes, made of breathable fabric and loose fittings.
Opt for simplicity
It might be tempting to dress your cute baby girl up in fancy clothes with lots of frills and ruffles and bows, but it’s not very practical. Those kinds of clothes are difficult to change, difficult to wash, and are very likely to cause discomfort for the baby.
Choose clothes that are light, simple, and allow your baby to move freely without any additional weight or bulk.
In conclusion, your biggest priority when shopping for the clothes will be to make sure your baby will be comfortable in them, and that you won’t struggle a lot with keeping the clothes intact. But don’t worry, even with all these restrictions, you’ll surely be able to find lots of cute and pretty clothes!