If the hat fits! Tips on how to dress your newborn baby

I remember being so worried about how to go about dressing my baby son so we could leave hospital after he was born. I was terrified of  inadvertently hurting him by moving his tiny arms and legs in the wrong way, to get them into his baby grow. I just sat there for ages, staring at the tiny baby grow laid out on the bed, trying to figure out how to do it! In the end I was rescued by a maternity nurse who showed me what to do, she reassured me babies are actually pretty robust and gave me the confidence I needed. Besides, as the old saying goes- “needs must” and as I didn’t want him leaving in his birthday suit, I had to get on with it! Did any of you feel like that? It can be quite daunting being a first time parent, as you realise you are totally responsible for this tiny human being.

Top tip! Think about dressing your baby in a nightgown in the early days- even if it is a boy,  as it allows for fast, direct access for nappy changes, without having to worry about fitting legs into baby grows or undoing poppers etc. This tip was given to me by a wonderful lady who has fostered over 30 babies and had 5 of her own! I took her advice!

Here are some other tips to check out- don’t worry, you will soon be carrying out multiple changes every day with all the confidence you need! 

Where should you dress your baby? The best place to dress your newborn baby is on the floor, as this minimizes the chances of an accident happening. Use a baby changing mat as this will make it comfortable for your baby. If you don’t have one, use a folded towel instead. Make sure the room is warm ( after all who likes to get dressed or undressed in a cold room!) Top tip! The first thing to put on is a nappy! 

From head to toe! Buy outfits that will make it easy for you to get the clothes on and off your baby. Top tip! Make the clothes fit the baby and not the other way around! Look out for wider necks, as these are easier to get over baby’s head. Stretch necks of clothes to ensure they can easily go over the baby’s head. Baby’s tend not to like it if something covers their face. Avoid any clothes that might be tight around your baby’s neck.

This little piggy went to market! Reach for those tiny fingers through the sleeve and gently gently draw the arm through the hole. The same goes for legs, reach through the the leg holes until you reach tiny feet and then guide them gently through the opening.

Plus One! It’s a good idea to dress your baby in layers as this way you can regulate their temperature. The general rule seems to be dress baby in the same number of layers as you have on, plus an extra layer. The extra layer doesn’t necessarily have to be an item of clothing, but could be a blanket. Top tip! A good method to use for checking if your baby is too hot, is to feel the back of their neck and whip on or off the layers as appropriate! 

Buttons and bows! Make things easy for you and for baby, by avoiding clothes with lots of buttons on the back of the garment. This is because as babies lie on the their backs a lot at first and you don’t want to make it uncomfortable for them. You should also check for any unnecessary labels and choose clothes that are nice and soft. If the clothes do have bows and ribbons, you need to check they are securely fastened as they could be a chocking hazard.

Sing, chat, hum, coo!  Whatever way you want to do, it communicate with your baby throughout the whole time and they will feel happier spending this time with you. It makes it a little more relaxing for your both!!

What was it like for you, when you first dressed your newborn? Have you any tips you could share with us?

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