What do you dress a newborn in?

[Ellarae]

I'm talking about when they still have the umbilical cord stump. Is it okay to cover it up with a sleeper or something? I have a few of those side-snap shirts, but what about their legs? I have a lot of onesies as well, but the same concept applies.

I know this sounds silly, but I'm just starting to wash the mounds of baby clothes I've been given, and none of them seem very practical!

[Mallory]

I often just do a diaper, a blanket, and my arms. I like all that skin next to mine, he is warm in my arms, and putting lots of clothes on a tiny baby can be frustrating for both of you. My next favorite are those "sweet pea" gowns. Then thier legs can all be curled up however they want, but still be covered up.

On the other hand, if it is cold and you are going out you will have to put something on him. The umbilical cord should be out of the diaper, to let it breathe, so fold down the top of the diaper if it is too tall. It also might bleed or leak a little onto the clothes, so putting a onesie on underneath can keep that off of his outside clothes. But yes, you can put clothes on top of the umbilical cord.

[RedOakMomma]

Well, here in the north (WI) it gets a little chilly, so I liked keeping clothes on the boys at all times. They seemed most comforted by it, too.

Even with the umbi cord, you can dress them...just not in things that have elastic around the waist. One piece sleepers with feet work well, as do the sleeper gowns. If your baby likes to be swaddled, you can just use a sleeper and a swaddling blanket. If, however, swaddling causes mucho crankiness, then you can use a onesie (and possibly socks) underneath the sleeper/gown.

Sometimes the umbi will bleed a little and leave a few red/brown spots on the clothes, but if you wash it right after you change the baby, it rarely stains.

Honestly, all the several-piece 0-3 outfits are awfully cute, but with the boys we stuck to sleepers almost exclusively. Outfits can be a pain.

I'm sure you have what you need! :) Babies don't need much!

[Kam]

Meg's nurses put gauze over the stump for the first day. We used disposable diapers back then, so they just stayed under the cord area. We used kimono T-shirts and kimono gowns from the start, and wrapped her in a blanket or held her close. To go home after a week in the hospital, we dressed her in a footie sleeper, but went right back to the kimonos once home. I agree with Elisabeth--outfits are the pits for newborns. My Japanese in-laws had a heart attack when they saw Meg dressed in a pink flowered gown with matching hat. "What's a newborn doing in CLOTHES?!" :o :lol

This time I have some wool longies and warm kimono T-shirts for going home (we live in Virginia), but I plan on recycling those kimonos. Easy on, easy off, easy wash, easy dry, and nothing to rub the stump. :thumb

warmly,
Kam, mamamama! to Meg and one more