There’s no denying how precious and sweet newborn baby girl clothes are. The dresses, the bows, and all the frilly pretties are adorable and quite hard to resist. A newborn’s closet is often overflowing with clothing options for the first few months of their lives.
There’s more to choosing baby clothing than picking everything frilly and pretty, though. Keep reading to find our tips on choosing the perfect baby girl clothes to keep your little one safe and comfy.
1. Choose the Right Fabric
Dressing baby girls in the hippest and trendiest clothing is tempting. We see all the online influencers putting their children in designer clothing from the moment they’re born. These garments are often very expensive and quite uncomfortable for your little one.
Babies, especially newborns, have very delicate and sensitive skin. Certain types of materials can cause rashes and skin irritations.
We recommend avoiding the following fabrics for your newborn baby clothes.
Polyester and nylon are made with petrochemical-based additives. These additives emit Volatile Organic Compounds. VCOs can cause harm to a baby’s developing organs and internal structures.
Rayon may seem like it’s a safe and natural fabric because it’s made with wood pulp. Manufacturers often treat rayon with many harmful chemicals, though.
Acrylic fabric is very cheap which can translate to affordable baby clothes. Babies grow very fast so it’s no wonder parents reach for more pocket-friendly clothing. Acrylic garments, though, can also be made with toxic substances.
So, what fabrics are safe for your little ones? Keep a lookout for clothes made with natural and organic fibers like hemp, bamboo, and cotton.
Research the clothing companies you’re buying from before shelling out cash. For example, Hanna Andersson baby clothes are all tested for harmful substances before they hit shelves.
2. Research Safety Standards
Most people think that once clothing is on the shelves, it’s been deemed safe. While this would be true in a perfect world, it’s not always the case in real life.
Clothing companies and department stores often issue recalls for one reason or another. Whether it’s faulty buttons or flammability hazards, recalls happen more often than you think.
We recommend picking clothing that doesn’t have any “extras” that can cause a problem. Save the clothes with buttons, bows, and flowers for when your child is a little older. If you must have clothing with decorations, ensure it’s attached well before putting it on your baby.
Flammable clothing is also an area of concern. Manufacturers are bound by law to ensure their clothing meets strict flammability standards, but you should stay informed as a parent. Children’s sleepwear regulations state that any sleepwear for clothing between size 9 months to size 14 must:
- be made with fabric that has passed flammability tests; and
- be tight-fitting
Always read the labels on your child’s sleepwear. Only choose articles of clothing made with flame-resistant fabrics that fit your baby snugly. Clothing made with this type of fabric will come with special laundering instructions to prevent the flame retardant from washing away.
3. Pick the Right Size
An outfit in the wrong size is not only annoying for you and your baby, but it can be dangerous, too. The right fit will keep your little ones comfortable and allow them to move as they want to in their clothing. A too-big or too-small outfit will become a hassle for you, too, as you struggle to get them into their clothes between diaper changes and feedings.
Any parent can tell you how fast their newborns grow. One day they’re fitting in their 3-6 month onesies, the next you can barely zip up their 6-9 month ones. This makes it very tempting for parents to buy clothing that are a few sizes too big to accommodate for growth spurts.
This is okay if you wait until the too-big clothes fit your baby just right. But if you’re putting baggy clothing on them, you’re putting them in danger. Babies are wiggly and oversized clothing can work its way over their nose and mouth and increase their suffocation risk.
4. Safeguard Your Sanity
You should also consider yourself and your sanity when choosing baby girl clothes. Newborns and infants are difficult to dress on the best of days. Do you have the patience to finesse your little one into difficult-to-get-into clothing when you’re running on two hours of sleep?
We recommend choosing clothing that is simple to put on and take off, at least for the first few months. Your baby is going to have a diaper blowout or two and the last thing you want to do when you’re covered in excrement is struggle with tight snaps or buttons.
Choose clothes with broad necks or neck snaps as they’re easy to pull over your baby’s head.
5. Consider the Season
Every parent falls into the trap of buying clothing their child will never get to wear. Be realistic when shopping for clothing and try to plan ahead as much as possible.
The end-of-season sales can be hard to resist. Your October baby won’t fit into those adorable newborn-sized sundresses in July. Instead, consider buying a few sizes up and crossing your fingers that, come summer, the outfits will fit.
You need to also consider dressing your baby appropriately for the weather. Too many layers in the winter months can cause overheating. The wrong fabrics in the summer can increase the sunburn risk.
We recommend using layers in the cooler months. You can strip them off as necessary. In the summer, choose light-colored clothing and don’t forget a hat and sunglasses for sun protection.
Safe and Comfortable Newborn Baby Girl Clothes
The goal of any new parent is to keep their child safe and comfortable. You will be accomplishing exactly that when you use our newborn baby girl clothes guide.
Keep browsing our site for more helpful tips and tricks for parents.
