Dressing Up (Layette)

I did not know what layette meant until I started registering for things. It’s basically a fancy word for newborn clothes and receiving blankets. (I also had no idea what a receiving blanket was. It’s basically a very thin blanket, meant for swaddling your baby.) When it comes to sizes, I think buying size 0-3 Months (or about seven to twelve pounds) is better than starting off with the Newborn size (about five to seven pounds). There’s a good chance your baby will be born at a weight that’s greater than seven pounds, and she can always grow into her clothes if necessary.

In addition to shopping for clothes at places like Babies ‘R’ Us and Target, I recommend checking out Old Navy, which sells what I think is more stylish clothing, and it’s still very affordable. You want your baby to look good, but at this point in his life there’s no point in spending a lot because he’ll outgrow his entire starter wardrobe so quickly.

Side-Snap Onesies

Your newborn will wear onesies for most of her first couple of months, and you should own at least six of them. I highly recommend that you get the side-snap kind, like these Gerber onesies instead of the ones that pull over your baby’s head. It is very difficult to pull a onesie over your newborn’s head—she will be upset about having her head squeezed through a hole (it was probably traumatizing enough the first time!), and you will be terrified by the floppiness of her head. The hospital dresses newborns in side-snap onesies, and I recommend that you follow their lead. You can make the switch to over-the-head onesies as your baby grows and both of you become more confident with dressing.

Pants

If it is cold out, you will also need tiny baby pants. I recommend that you aim for comfort and washability instead of style at this point. A couple of the Carter’s two-pack suited us just fine.

Body Suits *

We used Gerber body suits as pajamas, so that our baby could get into the habit of changing into sleep clothes as part of her nighttime ritual. Some parents prefer just dressing their baby in body suits all day and all night long, instead of using onesies and pants.

Outerwear *

If your baby is born during a cold season, you’ll need whole-body outerwear like Carter’s Sherpa Bear Pram when you exit the hospital. I actually bought a similar outfit from Old Navy for less.

Mittens, Booties, and Hats

I got all three of these things as part of a Gerber accessory set. Booties are not necessary if your baby is born in the middle of the summer, and in that case, you’d also be shopping for sunhats, not a winter hat. But the mittens are necessary year-round, to prevent your newborn from scratching herself in the face with her sharp little nails—something that she will do.

Socks That Resemble Shoes *

There is absolutely no need for your baby to wear shoes, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t pretend with these adorable socks that look like shoes from a company called Mud Pie. (They also make a boy version.)

Receiving Blankets

You will need many receiving blankets. They are meant for swaddling your baby, but serve other purposes as well. You will find yourself using them to cover your baby in the car, to put a layer between your baby and the carpet, as a burp cloth, etc. We got eight receiving blankets from Carter’s (the designs were Lilac Floral and Floral Dot), which was just the right amount.

Sleep Sack
Sleep sacks are a wonderful product. If you’re worried about SIDS, or if your baby is just very adept at kicking off his blanket, Halo Sleep Sacks are the answer. When our baby was an infant, we found sleep sacks to be less useful (it was easier to just swaddle her than to deal with zippers and armholes), but as she outgrew her receiving blankets, her sleep sack started coming in handy. We still use them on her today, and she is now nine months old.

Not recommended:

Shoes

For the first few months, there will be no time that your baby will be on his feet outdoors, so shoes are completely unnecessary. My baby didn’t own a pair of shoes until she was five months old. If you’re looking to complete your newborn’s outfit, though, I recommend socks that look like shoes (see above).

* Nice to have, but not necessary.

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