Baby Products

Newborn Clothes: The Essentials Needed for the First 6 Weeks

Preparing for a newborn is an exciting time. There is so much preparation to be done, like choosing a pediatrician, buying baby furniture, and picking out newborn clothes.

Luckily, while it’s a lot to balance, choosing newborn clothes is a fun part of the journey of motherhood. You get to sort through all of the clothes out there and pick the ones that fit your baby’s personality best.

If you are a new mother or soon-to-be mother, keep reading to find out what clothes you need for your baby and which ones are unnecessary.

Blankets, Swaddles, Burp Cloths

Blankets and swaddles are absolute essentials for your newborn baby. When you’re changing baby clothes from daytime to pajamas, you’ll want to have a blanket ready underneath them. You’ll also take blankets and swaddles everywhere you go.

They are multifunctional. They can act as a diaper pad on the go, a nursing cover, or a car seat cover.

Your little one is going to be the most comfortable when sleeping if they’re swaddled. Velcro swaddles are perfect for this. Swaddling a baby with a baby blanket can be intimidating, so velcro swaddles are a must.

They’re hassle-free and simple to use. They’re great for dads and other caretakers or babysitters who maybe aren’t used to wrapping up a baby.

And, let’s face it. Your baby is messy. There’s potential for poop, pee, formula, breastmilk, and spit-up to be everywhere at any given moment. Having lots of extra burp cloths and blankets around helps you clean up some of this mess.

You and your clothes may smell like milk for a few weeks, but it’s a small price to pay for all of the baby snuggles you’ll receive.

Newborn Clothes Essentials

There are all kinds of baby clothing sizes that can seem overwhelming, but I promise you’ll get the hang of it soon. To start out with, you’ll want to mainly get newborn, zero to three months, and a few premies sizes just in case.

Your baby is a newborn for a very short amount of time, so you really don’t need to overdo it with how many clothes you buy. They will grow out of them quickly.

You’ll want a pack of socks, sleep gowns, a few pairs of long pants, around four to six onesies, a few t-shirts, and footie pajamas.

Hanna Andersson baby clothes offer all of these options and more. They have cute boy, girl, and unisex choices. Their clothes are also made of organic cotton, which is important because newborns’ skin can be very sensitive.

Baby clothing materials can be overlooked, but you don’t want to dress them in anything toxic, itchy, or irritating. Cotton jersey and organic cotton baby clothing help eliminate this stressful factor of not knowing what is going on your baby’s skin.

You also may want a few baby hats and mittens on hand. Their nails are pretty sharp when they are first born, and it can be hard to trim their tiny fingernails. Keeping their hands protected so they don’t claw themselves or you makes things easier.

Little hats protect their heads and keep them warm, but they aren’t necessary. Keeping your baby close to you through skin-on-skin contact will regulate their body temperature as well.

Diapers and Wipes

Of course, you’ll need diapers and wipes. There are many types of baby diapers on the market. You can decide to cloth diaper or use disposable diapers.

Using cloth diapers is beneficial because they are not as harsh on your baby’s bottom. And, to be honest, most babies get some sort of diaper rash, whether their mother’s diet or their brand of diapers is to blame.

So, it’s best to research all the brands of diapers before deciding on one. You may also need to play it by trial and error and see what your baby reacts to best. At baby showers, diapers are a common gift, so you may have lots of different brands to try anyways.

Your baby might need premie size diapers, which is something to consider as well. Usually, the hospital or birthing center you give birth in will have a few different sizes of diapers. Ask for help while you have the extra staff and nurses around if you’re not sure what size or brand is best.

Having a few boxes stockpiled is a great idea so that you don’t run out too soon. You’ll want to get all the rest you can get after the baby comes, so having all of the essentials on hand is important.

Along with diapers, finding the best brand of wipes for your baby can be hard too. You may have to go through several before you find your favorite. There are also reusable cloth wipes you can make yourself to save money and not use harsh chemicals on your baby. You don’t have to cloth diapers to use reusable wipes, as they are easier to upkeep than cloth diapering is and still limit waste.

Baby Toiletries

Newborns aren’t supposed to take a lot of baths when they’re firstborn, but you’ll still need the essential toiletries. You’ll want diaper cream, lotion, baby soap, shampoo, a thermometer, combs, and other first-aid kit essentials.

Have fun exploring all of the brands on the market and finding the baby lotion that smells like your little one. Having a basket in or near your bathroom for easy access is a good idea to store everything for your baby.

Feel free to purchase more than one of these things so you can store some in your bathroom, in your diaper bag, and by your changing station. It’s all about convenience in the beginning.

Baby Gear

A lot of baby gear is optional, but it might make your life easier. Baby car seats, however, are not optional, and you’ll need to find the right one to take your baby home in.

Strollers, swings, bouncy chairs, exersaucers, night lights, and baby monitors are all optional. Some moms prefer a minimalist route and don’t need all of these things. Others decide they want to try and have them all.

Take It Easy, Momma

When it comes to newborn clothes and the essentials for babies, less is more. If it helps you feel more prepared to go all out, then do that. But, at the end of the day, your baby only needs a few of the basic items plus your love, care, and affection.

Have fun choosing things for your baby that you think they’ll like and focus on what you’ll need for postpartum as well. Your needs are just as important as the babies’. For more advice and information on parenthood, read more on our Pregnancy and Baby Products pages.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.