May 26th, 2009 by Bjoern

Shoes
The first shoes are normally put on when the baby crawls. They have a soft sole and the purpose of the shoe is to make sure the baby doesn’t get cold feet from draft.

When the child is about one year old - when it can stand and practise walking - the shoe should have a hard sole. The shoes should be high enough to support the ankles of the child.

There are a lot of considerations to make when buying baby clothes, but basically it’s quite easy. Parents have done it since ages and it almost always went good.

Just remember that clothes are supposed to keep the baby warm and in the summer it’s also functioning as a protection against the sun.

When the child is small - infant - it’s preferable to use clothes with long sleeves. The body should be covered with clothes while the baby can’t regulate the temperature so good yet.

When the child is growing the clothing can be shorter and shorter. Always use loose clothes. That way the baby can move freely and he is going to feel more comfortable.

An exception is sleeping wear. Many parents choose to wind their babys up quite tight. That is ok when they are going to sleep. That way there is no risk of the baby getting a blanket over his head, which eventually could cause suffocation.

Use white clothes. That way you can always see how dirty the clothes are. The baby should not have to stay in dirty clothes. That is not good for his health.

With that said, I wish you a lot of fun with your small ones. Enjoy the time!

Suggested reading:
The Baby’s first Clothes - Part I
The Baby’s first Clothes - Part II
Baby Clothes and Safety Considerations

Baby clothes, baby shoes, baby Sleeping wear, First clothes, white clothes

May 25th, 2009 by Bjoern

If you have just got your first child or are just about to receive your first child, you are probably asking yourself what you have to consider about your babys clothing. Basically there are two important factors to consider — comfort and safety.

Selecting these small clothes are a lot of fun but, it’s very easy to do much more than needed. A baby grows very fast. That means, it doesn’t make sense buying a lot of clothes in one specific size. They will outgrow it faster than you want to.

In the winter it’s mostly clear what they have to wear, since it is cold outside. In the summer it can be much trickier.

It is easy to believe that while it’s hot outside, your baby doesn’t have to wear so much. In this case it is very important to remember that an infant needs protection against the heat and against the sun.

An infant, childs less than six months old, should be put in the shadows. Always. At this age you can’t use sunscreens safely. Always cover their skin with caps and other clothes. Sunburn in young age relates to skin cancer in adulthood.

A big problems with infants is, that they won’t tell you if something is wrong. When the baby was too long in the sun and the skin gets red, the chances are you will see it much too late.

* Material - Cotton is a good choice to use closest to your babys skin. It lets the moisture from the skin through, it breaths.

* Coverage - The more coverage the better. Direct exposure to the sun is not healthy for your infant. You have to protect them. Cover the skin with clothes.

* Overheating - When it’s warm outside and you have covered your infant with clothes, you have to watch out so that your child doesn’t overheat.

* Layers - A rule of thumb is that an infant needs one more layer of clothes than you need.

* Shoes - Infants don’t need shoes. When your child learns to stand up, it makes sense using shoes. Before that it’s completely wasted.

* Sunscreen - Use a high level sunscreen for your child. The skin is very sensitive and has to be protected. Remember that sunscreen can’t be used safely on children younger than six months.

* Hats - Always use a hat. It doesn’t matter if it is winter or summer. In the winter your child need it to preserve the heat, in the summer it needs it to stay cool.

* Strings - Try to avoid hats and other clothes with strings attached to them. It’s too easy that your child gets the string around it’s neck.

Follow these recommendations when you plan your next shopping tour. Have fun with your child!

Suggested reading:
The Baby’s first Clothes - Part I
The Baby’s first Clothes - Part II
The Baby’s first Clothes - Part III

Baby clothes, baby hats, baby safety, baby shoes, infants