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suited and booted: what to buy for your baby's wardrobe
suited and booted:
what to buy for your baby's wardrobe
Whatever their age, the first rule of children’s clothes is you need more outfits than you think. From dribbled food and spit ups in their baby years to finger painting and grass stains as they get a bit older – there’s always something waiting to get your little one’s clothes grubby.
So what should you look for when you're stocking up? Comfort, comfort, comfort. Go for natural, breathable fabrics to avoid irritation and wash new clothes before their first wear to make them softer on skin. And choose easy-care clothes: you've got enough on your plate without adding a load of hand washing and ironing.
dressing your baby or child
Dressing a wriggly baby can be difficult to start with, but don’t worry – you’ll become a pro in no time. Look for clothes that are easy to put on, with simple fasteners such as poppers or Velcro. A simple bodysuit and sleepsuit is easiest for those early days, saving all the cute, colourful clothes for when you’re ready to introduce your new arrival to the outside world.
Layering is the secret to dressing babies. You can keep them warm and make sure they don't overheat in warm rooms by just taking off a layer. Babies can’t regulate their own temperature but you’ll soon learn to tell if they’re warm enough – they’ll cry and fidget if they’re too hot and have chilly fingers and toes if they’re too cold. As a rule of thumb, babies only need one more layer than adults.
essential baby clothing: premature babies
If you're taking care of a premature baby, shopping for clothing won't be top of your priority list, so it’s worthwhile knowing mothercare has a dedicated range, designed with the UK charity Bliss. In four different sizes perfect for babies as small as 2lbs, each item includes simple touch-and-close Velcro fastenings to allow access for any special care they need and designed to avoid having to pull anything over your baby's head.
Natural, breathable fabrics such as cotton are best for premature babies as their skin is super sensitive. But bear in mind that they haven't built up stores of fat yet, so they get colder more quickly: that means layers are even more important.
you'll need
- 6-8 sleepsuits
- 6-8 bodysuits
- 4 x wrap-over vests
- 2 x cardigans
- 2 x soft cotton hats
- 2 x pairs of scratch mitts
- 2-3 pairs of socks
- a shawl or blanket
- a pramsuit or snowsuit
- 6 bibs
- a sun hat
essential baby clothing: 0-3 months
Newborns nap a lot in the early days and for peaceful sleep, clothes need to be comfy. Mothercare’s My First collection is made with super-soft fabrics and is specially designed to make dressing your baby easier. We’ve got all the basics, such as cosy white sleepsuits and bodysuits. And, of course, there are plenty of cute patterns that'll look adorable in their first photos.
you'll need
- 6-8 sleepsuits
- 6-8 bodysuits
- 4 x wrap-over vests
- 2 x cardigans
- 2 x soft cotton hats
- 2 x pairs of scratch mitts
- 2-3 pairs of socks
- a shawl or blanket
- a pramsuit or snowsuit
- 6 bibs
- a sun hat
essential baby clothing: 3-9 months
Your baby will be much more active at this stage. It won’t be long before they are rolling over and sitting up, and then the adventure will really begin! You’re probably now a dab hand at getting them dressed, but practical, easy-care clothes are still a bonus.
Keep an eye out for dungarees with poppered legs, and leggings or trousers with elasticated waists. Comfort is still a priority, but there are also a wide range of cute designs and fun prints to match your baby's cheeky personality.
In summer, keep your baby cool in cotton shorts or rompers, loose-fitting t-shirts or pretty dresses. But have a cardigan to hand, for when it gets a bit chilly. In winter, layer your baby in cute knits that can slip off when the heating comes on.
you'll need
- at least 6 daywear outfits
- 6-8 bodysuits
- a coat or jacket
- a snowsuit (for the winter)
- a sunhat or cotton or knitted hat
- 5 pairs of socks or tights
- booties or pram shoes
- 2 x pairs of mitts
- 3-4 pairs of pyjamas or sleepsuits
- 6 bibs
- a swimming costume or trunks
essential baby clothing: 9-12 months
Rolling around the floor, pulling themselves up on the furniture or crawling after the dog – your child won't stay put! So soft, stretchy clothes such as leggings and t-shirts are essential. Mix-and-match outfits also make it easier to find a clean, coordinating top when the baby food has missed the bib again.
We also have fun and fashionable pieces to choose from. Take a look at the My K range for cool contemporary clothes. Or the Little Bird collection is perfect if you’re looking for fun retro threads.
you'll need
- at least 6 daywear outfits
- 6-8 bodysuits or vests
- 6-8 pairs of socks or tights
- a jacket/coat or snowsuit
- crawler/first walker shoes
- a sun hat or woollen hat and mittens
- 3-4 pairs of pyjamas
- 6 bibs
- 3 bandana bibs
- swimming costume or trunks
essential toddler and children’s wear
Whether they're off to a birthday party or going on a bug hunt, we have the perfect outfit. Your child is out exploring the world now, so you want clothes that are stylish and fun but comfortable enough for all that running and jumping. So we've brought together cute, playful prints with thoughtful, practical details such as elasticated or adjustable waists and popper fastenings.
you'll need
- everyday and party dresses
- 4 x trousers, leggings or joggers
- 4 x shorts or skirts
- 2 x jeans or denim dungarees
- 6 x t-shirts, shirts, tops or blouses
- 2 x jumpers or cardigans
- 2 x sweatshirts or hoodies
- 6-8 vests
- 6-8 pairs of pants
- 5 pairs of socks or tights
- school/party shoes, trainers, sandals and wellies
- a coat or jacket
- a rain coat/mac
- 3-4 pairs of pyjamas or nightdresses
- 1 x dressing gown
- a sun hat
- a pair of sunglasses
why mothercare?
At mothercare it’s the little things that matter…We know how important it is for you to keep your child comfortable and happy. And we’re sure you’d rather spend time cuddling your baby than fiddling with buttons. So all our clothes are designed with children and parents firmly in mind, with just lots of little touches:
premature babies
- all developed to make dressing easy and to allow access for special care
- Velcro fastening - so you don't use any pressure when fastening, and baby can stay dressed during an x-ray (metal poppers would show)
- wrap-over clothes so don't have to pull anything over your baby's head (particularly important if your little one has feeding or breathing tubes attached)
- outside labels so they won’t rub on babies’ delicate skin
newborn
- nickel free poppers ensure no irritation to delicate skin
- mothercare provides ranges for four different sizes of new born baby
- an interlock knit ensures your baby clothes have lots of stretch and will return to shape after being washed and tumble dried
- envelope necklines make garments easier to pull on and off over your baby's head or down over baby’s legs
- integral scratch mitts stop your little one scratching their delicate skin
- all feet in our sleepsuits and bodysuits have a Toe Safe™ design to prevent loose threads from wrapping around tiny toes
- DreamSkin fabric designed to care for babies with particularly dry, sensitive or irritated skin. It forms a barrier that prevent irritants such as washing powder residues and pollen reaching the skin and helps to keep damaged skin moist by stopping unregulated water loss
9-12 months
- soft backed embroidery designed to protect skin and avoid irritation
- adjustable waistbands mean our trousers grow with your child
- our sleepsuits have non-slip soles for when your baby starts to pull himself up and experiment with walking and crawling