Clothes shopping before the nine months is up is one of the best parts of getting ready for a baby. So whatdo you look for as you choose clothes for your new baby? Old time clothing manufacturers say not to buy too many newborn sizes. If this is your first child, you might be surprised how fast the little one grows. In addition, some don't fit into newborn sizes anyway. Best to get something that will grow and stretch with the toddler. Chances are you may receive a lot of baby clothes as gifts. It is fine, and friends will understand if you exchange them for larger sizes. It's not a bad idea to leave the tags on the clothes until you are sure the infant can comfortably wear the clothing.



So how do you dress the little guy (or girl?). Babies are more flexible than you think. They can bend into all sorts of shapes. But it is best to make sure ahead of time that the clothing, especially a babysuit has a full snap opening at the bottom or a long zipper in the front. This will make you feel more comfortable not having to see just how many shapes the youngster can bend into. If the clothing is meant to be pulled over the baby's head (like a tee shirt or hoodie), be sure the lining in the neck is soft and stretches well so you don't have to tug hard to get it over the baby's next, possibly causing harm or pain.

Cleaning baby's clothes is not necessarily a breeze. Often, babyclothes are hand-wash only. Be sure to ask before buying. MirthGirthBirth.Com sells all machine-washable wear for toddlers and kids. Snaps, zippers and elastics can be sources of discomfort for baby if they are in the wrong spot or are tight against baby's skin. Look for clothing that has a layer of fabric between your baby and the zipper, make sure elastic is covered and check snaps for rough edges that might be against the skin.

Babies usually need one additional layer of clothing over what adults would wear, unless it's it is summer. Buy clothing that allow you to layer so you can easily add or remove clothes to keep baby comfortable, such as a babysuit and extra baby tee, or tee shirt and hoodie. If you live in a place that gets cold, consider buying a fleece snowsuit instead of heavier, thicker options. Bulky clothes are rarely comfortable for baby and you shouldn't use anything thicker than fleece in baby's car seat anyway.

Caution is always a good first step in baby clothes purchasing. Though most baby clothes manufacturers are very careful about the kinds of clothing they sell for babies, sometimes dangerous items slip through and make it into stores. Check baby clothes for loose buttons, zipper pulls that could detach, and appliques or embellishments that could be chewed or pulled off and any long strings that could catch on things. Remember that federal safety standards for baby clothes prohibit full drawstrings that could become caught on things or strangle a baby.

As far as fashion, the tendency is not to "go with the herd". Find clothing that stands out, but not glaring. A baby is not a fashion statement nor an exhibit, but finding clothing that matches the personality of the baby, or what you perceive that to be, can be as fun as it gets.

Other than that, dressing a baby in clothes that both the baby (and you) enjoy can be a great pleasure (not to mention Kodak Moment).