Baby Layette Tips

Soon-to-be parents and new parents can easily find themselves overwhelmed when it comes to having to buy their baby's layette. What exactly do you need, how many of each, and how do you decide what to buy? We hope the tips below help to answer some of your questions, and we invite you to print out a copy of our Layette Checklist and read our related article, "Buying Baby's Layette on a Budget"!

How to choose clothing necessitites

Friends and family may offer you their child's outgrown clothing...this would be a great help! Your newborn will grow very fast, and it will be easier for you if you don't have to pay to buy extra clothing in the beginning.

You should buy a few of each clothing item (stretchies, socks, cloth diapers, etc), so that you have some available to use while some are in the wash.

Always buy items that are bigger than your baby. Besides shrinking, you will get more use out of them and they will be more comfortable for your baby.

Cotton & other natural materials are preferrable since it allows your baby's skin to breathe better.

Opt to choose patterns over solid colors - you won't notice stains as much...and there will be stains!

Avoid buttons, zippers, and ribbons! Besides being a safety hazard, they will not be as comfortable for your baby.

In the beginning, don't go crazy buying too many clothes! It's easy to get carried away with all the cute baby outfits they have these days, but you can't predict how fast your baby is going to grow or if you'll end up using that frilly outfit with the matching hat.

When shopping, be sure to purchase quality clothes. Clothing made cheaply, will end up falling apart after a few wearings and washings.

When bundling your baby for the colder weather, it's better to layer looser clothes instead of putting on one thick tight sweater. Multiple thinner layers will keep your baby warmer.
A baby's socks should be loose enough so there's room for their little toes to move freely inside.
Stretchies are the best baby clothing. They're most comfortable for baby, and they make diaper changes easy, and keep your baby warm from head to toe.

Tips about accessories

We're sure your friends and family will offer their advice on what the best diaper rash ointment is, or which baby wipe is the best. We're sure you'll find your favorite by experimenting with different types to see which works best with your baby's skin.

If you're going to use disposable diapers, don't take someone else's word on what the best one is. We've tried "the best", only to find that the fit wasn't "the best" for our baby. Also, just because a certain brand is more expensive, it doesn't mean it won't leak. The diapers with the velcro straps are wonderful, but they have a tendency (just like the tape) to keep ripping off. The diapers with the soft outer covers also feel nice to us, but your baby probably won't notice much of a difference.

All diaper rash ointments aren't the same. Depending on your baby's skin, you may find one type of ointment works better at keeping diaper rash away. Our suggestion is to buy smaller tubes until you're sure which brand you're satisfied with.

When buying wipes, there are some that are scented and some that are unscented. We prefer the unscented, even though that too has a smell to it. It'll be cheaper for you in the long run, to purchase the tub of wipes and then use refill packs to replace the empty tub.

Don't be taken in by all those neat gadgets they make to help new parents. Hmmm...for ie: one of those diaper pails where you push the used diaper down the hole in the top and turn it... This is truly a wonderful invention, but it isn't something we'll be buying again. For your regular diaper changes this item may work fine for you. But when trying to dispose of a somewhat smelly diaper, trying to squeeze it into the small hole without making a mess makes walking outside to the trash can seem that much easier. Some other items that we found not to need: the wipes warmer; the travel bottle warmer (buy this only if you know for sure that you'll be using bottles - we didn't); and those "training" cups with the small drinking hole that claim to teach your child how to begin drinking from a cup. Our advice - small paper cups work best to teach babies how to drink from a cup...they'll enjoy it and they will learn!