When your expected due date approaches, you must purchase baby's trousseauThat is, the basic elements of your wardrobe and the accessories that a newborn needs during the first weeks of life.
If you have had other children, you can take advantage of most of the trousseau. If this is your first child, your family or friends will probably give you many of these items.
Today, the market is full of clothes, objects and accessories for babies. So what to buy without falling into consumerism? To start, we suggest the following basic list, that with this your baby will be fine and you will not spend so much money:
- 3 or 4 pajamas (with feet) or sleeping bags
- 6 to 8 pure cotton shirts
- 3 blankets for newborns or lullabies
- 2 light sweaters or portfolios
- 1 warm cover
- 2 caps
- 4 pairs of socks or booties
- 4 blankets or light blankets
- 1 set of bath linen and towels (towels that have a hood are better)
- 3 to 4 dozen newborn diapers (and 4 hooks or safety pins and 4 rubber pants, if you are going to use cloth diapers)
Here are some recommendations to help you choose the rest of the items you will need. * Buy large sizes because, unless your child is born prematurely or very small, it is likely that the size of the newborn will be small in a few days, if it serves at first! While you will need a pair of somewhat smaller clothes to dress your baby during the first few days, when it comes to the rest of the wardrobe, it is better to buy large sizes. Your child won't mind wearing a little baggy clothes for a few days.
All children must wear non-flammable clothing. Check the labels. These garments should be washed with laundry detergents, avoiding products that nullify fire retardant properties. Look at the labels of garments and cleaning products when choosing detergent.
Make sure the crotch closure opens and closes easily so you can comfortably change diapers.
Avoid any garment that squeezes your child in the neck, arms or legs. These garments can not only be dangerous but also very uncomfortable.
Read the instructions for washing clothes. The clothes of a child of any age should be easy to wash and hardly require ironing.
Do not put shoes on a newborn. You won't need them until you start walking. If you put them on before, you could interfere with the process of foot growth. The exact same thing happens with socks and pajamas with feet that are too small that are left for too long.
