Newborn Baby Clothes Guide

Buying newborn baby clothes isn't a no-brainer, but it is pretty simple once you understand a few things.  This hub will give you general guidelines to buying clothes for that fresh newborn, whether you are the baby's parents or just buying the clothes as a gift.  There are many companies making clothing for newborns, and most of it will seem more expensive than it should be.  The best strategy when choosing is to keep it simple, and keep it natural.  Clothing for newborns should obviously take the local climate into consideration, and just as layering is a good strategy for keeping cool for grown-ups, it also works for newborns.  Many infants feel more secure when held snugly, but clothing should not be too tight.  You may opt to have a thin, soft cotton shirt worn next to baby's skin with warmer layers on top.  The outer layer may be much bigger, a newborn won't be doing any crawling or walking, after all.  The cotton will allow for breathability, as will a warm layer made of wool.   

The most important thing is to choose an item of clothing that is made of a natural, breathable material.  Cotton is great for inner layers, and wool is the time-tested fabric for keeping warm.  These materials are both breathable, and quality wool has an almost magical ability to keep us warm.  Whatever you choose, it is a good idea to cut the tag off so as to prevent chafing- this goes for t-shirts as well as pants.  A synthetic material can may be rough and/or not suitable for the sensitive skin of a newborn, and thus should be avoided as much as possible, especially for clothing which will be in direct contact with the baby's skin.  The same goes for artificial dyes which are used on a lot of clothing.  Many parents feel safer purchasing organic cotton clothing for their very young children, as conventionally produced cotton is heavily sprayed with pesticides. 

Buttons made of plastic may be preferable to metal buttons, as metal is colder upon contact with the skin.  The same goes for plastic vs. metal zippers, though you will likely want to avoid these as they can be uncomfortable to lay on and inhibit movement.    

It can be a bit harrowing to wrestle clothes onto and off of the seemingly fragile body of a newborn, and there is a natural instince to want to minimize the effort for the newborn's sake. In some cases, too much manipulation of the newborn's limbs can wake the baby when this is not desired. For this reason, you should choose clothes that have sufficiently large holes for the head, arm, legs, etc. Oftentimes it is better to get button-down newborn baby clothing, as the baby can be laid on top of the open shirt, for instance, and buttoning up can follow with far less disturbance. The Japanese have a great kimono-style shirt which is the essence of simplicity- it is basically a t-shirt open like a bathrobe, which is secured by small ties on either side. If you can find these, which is rather unlikely in the U.S., they are comfortable and easy to put on/take off. Because the whole garment is made of cotton, there are no hard buttons and/or zips to irritate or hurt baby. Those with do-it-yourself tendencies or sewing skills can craft their own such garments. As a matter of fact, this is suggested as old cotton will be softer and more free of chemical dyes and bleaches. It is also far more economical than buying baby clothes new. Second-hand and thrift shops are also good options for finding newborn clothes, as long as you don't mind hand-me-downs from strangers.

Part and parcel of clothing a newborn is the care of these clothes. Please stay away from harsh soaps containing ingredients of dubious safety. If it doesn't say "eco-friendly" or "non-toxic" on the detergent, it's probably not. And being non-eco-friendly unfortunately means that a detergent is downright eco-nasty. The leading brands contain ingredients that not only damage the environment, but are also carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and otherwise toxic to humans. Companies are obviously able to play off parents' instincts to protect the health of their children and to charge more for "safe" products, but the reality is that there are many people with chemical sensitivities and taking the precaution of buying non-toxic products for your kids is not being over-protective, it is the sensible thing to do. As for fabric sofener, it is probably not really necessary. Newborns are usually tougher than they may appear, and slightly stiffer clothing is harmless to them.

Whatever you decide to buy, remember that newborns are sensitive and comfort and safety are more important than buying something based solely on how it looks or how cute and fashionable it is. And also keep in mind that taking care when buying clothes for infants does not end with the purchase, it is also important to clean the clothes with detergents which are non-toxic. Perhaps some eco-friendly, baby-safe detergent would be as good a gift as an article of clothing for that special newborn.  So while you have a choice between newborn baby boy clothes and newborn baby girl clothes, style should take a backseat to these more important concerns.  Don't hesitate to go for simpler unisex newborn baby clothes- these can be just as cute even if they don't have the little kiddy graphics or vivid colors.