Common Questions About Newborn Baby Clothes

When you’re buying clothes for your soon-to-be newborn baby, you want to ensure you buy the right clothes. Many parents have questions about their newborn's clothing, especially if this is their first child. In this article, we answer a few common questions about newborn clothing, so you have the information you need before buying your little one's very first outfits. 

What materials are best for newborn clothing?

The most popular choice for newborn clothing is cotton. Cotton is a soft, breathable material that will keep your baby warm and allow air to circulate around the body. Although chosen by many mothers, standard cotton contains chemicals used during the process of growing the cotton. These chemicals are bad for the environment, and some can linger on the clothing impacting its quality and softness. Newborn babies' skin is incredibly sensitive, thin and prone to skin conditions such as eczema and skin allergies. Organic cotton is kinder and gentler to a baby’s skin, so it's often thought of as the better choice of material. Choose soft materials for newborn clothing to maximise your baby's comfort and reduce restlessness. 

How many newborn clothes do you need?

When buying clothes for your newborn, it can be hard to work out how many items you need. You don’t want too few, but you also don’t want too many items that your baby will never get around to wearing. Babies grow very quickly, and before you know it, they’ll be in the next size up, so you don’t need a huge amount of newborn outfits. Some babies won’t actually fit in newborn clothing, and you’ll need to purchase 0-3 month items for your baby instead. A good rule is to have 3-5 outfits of newborn clothing and focus more on buying baby clothes in sizes 0-3 months. It doesn’t matter so much if the clothes are a little big to start with; your baby will soon grow into them. There may be exceptions where you need more newborn clothing, for example, if your baby is very small or premature or you have twins who are typically smaller than a single baby. Try not to worry too much about the number of newborn baby clothes you have; you will most likely receive more from friends and family when your baby is born. Additionally, you can go shopping for clothes once your baby is here; getting out of the house is good for new parents. 

Do you need to wash newborn clothing before use?

The answer to this question is simple; you should always wash your baby's clothes before you put them on your baby; this includes new and used clothing. Clothes can easily pick up dust and dirt when they’re being stored or handled in shops. Wash them according to the label and use a gentle, non-bio detergent. Once they’re washed and dried, you can put them away in clean drawers where they can be stored until you need them for your baby. Avoid washing them too early as they could attract more dust and dirt again before they’re used. The earliest people recommend washing baby clothes is six weeks before your due date. However, if possible, you should leave it a bit later to wash the clothing; 2-3 weeks is generally better. Some people choose to wash a few items 5-6 weeks before their due date just in case the baby comes earlier. Then you can always rewash these few 2-3 weeks before you’re due if your baby has not arrived yet. Avoid using fabric softeners and wash baby clothes separately to prevent irritants from transferring from other items in the wash. A wash bag should be used for small items that might become stuck in the washing machine door or pipes. 

How to dry newborn clothing

A clean washing line can be used to dry newborn clothing; the sun will dry the clothes and keep them fresh. If the weather isn’t suitable for drying outside, you can use a clothes dryer. Make sure the setting isn’t too high, as this can shrink and damage delicate newborn baby clothing. Always make sure the clothes are fully dry before putting them away or using them. 

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