How to Dress your Baby?

Just when you think you’ve mastered the art of dressing your newborn, your baby decides to take a U-turn and throw all your practice out the window! Older babies are entirely different from their newborn selves and demand different treatment as well. At 4 months, they’re double their birth weight, their hands are quite strong, and they’ll grab anything within reach. Their necks are also sturdier, they can kick and may have begun rolling over. While you’ll be delighted at your little champ reaching his milestones, a fidgety baby on the changing table doesn’t make for an easy dressing up session! But babies are messy, and there’s no escaping changing their clothes several times during the day. To make things easier for both of you, here are some tried and trusted tips for dressing your baby.

Five Tips on Dressing a Baby

1. Get the basics right

The last thing you want to do is go about hunting for things with a fidgety baby in your arms. Set a regular spot for dressing your baby, with all his clothes and supplies within easy reach. 4-6 months old babies are usually dressed up lying down while older babies can sit up or stand. A change of clothes is usually preceded by a bath or bowel movement, so start with a clean diaper. During cold weather, keep baby covered with a blanket while dressing up.

2. Get the right clothes

Babies hate fussy clothes, and soft fabric is ideal for their sensitive skin. Try to stay away from zippers as they can snag skin and from buttons since they can be ingested. Snaps and tie-ups are best but consider the age of your child. While lying down, a t-shirt or one that opens in front is ideal. For babies, who sit, you can try clothes that open at the back. Try to get clothes without tags since they can irritate delicate skin.

3. Make it fun

If you’re dressing your baby after a bath, take the opportunity to apply some lotion and give his arms and legs a gentle massage. Sing songs to entertain your baby or hand him a rattle to distract him. Many moms put mobiles over the changing table, so that kids have something to look at while lying down.

4. Make it easy

Most babies hate their heads being held, so putting on t-shirts might be difficult. To make it easier, stretch the head opening with both your hands before slipping it over your baby’s head. Another problem area is inserting their arms into sleeve, try bunching up the sleeve and slipping it over baby’s hand, then un-bunch it by stretching it up his arm. Pants are relatively easier, but socks can be tricky. Again, try bunching the socks and then inserting his toes into the socks.

5. Make the clothes last

You’ve taken a lot of trouble to get your munchkin all dressed up, so try to make it last! Always make your baby wear a bib, so that all that drooling and spitting doesn’t soil his shirt. Ensure your baby’s bottom wear is easy to remove, so that you don’t have to take off his entire outfit just for a diaper change.

When shopping, it makes sense to buy clothes that are slightly larger, since babies grow pretty fast. For the same reason, it’s best to avoid extremely expensive clothes, since they’ll get outgrown quickly. Try to include older siblings and grandparents in the process, and dressing your baby will soon be one of the most-enjoyable parts of your day!