For many new parents, dressing a baby can be a big task. Just the thought of putting a new baby in a tiny onesie may raise a lot of questions — you may wonder where to start and how to keep your baby comfy through the process.
We’re here to help. Dressing your newborn can be a simple, enjoyable process. In this post, we’ll outline the two ways you can put a onesie on your newborn: from top to bottom or the Tabeeze way: from bottom to top.
How To Make Dressing a Baby Easier
Before you start getting your baby dressed, here are a few quick tips to avoid headaches and hassles.
Stay Calm, Cool, and Collected
When you’re ready to dress your baby, take a deep breath and remember that it’s not the end of the world. If you’re stressed out, your little one will feel it. Calming down can make the whole process better (for you and your baby).
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), babies don't like to have their clothes changed. They don't enjoy being pushed and pulled through garments or feeling the rush of air on their skin. Smiling and gently talking to them will help keep them calm during the process. Choosing a bottom-up baby bodysuit can be a lifesaver, too.
In addition, try to change your baby in a comfortably warm room. Babies, especially preemies, have sensitive skin. You want your baby as comfortable as possible during the changing process — even if that means turning up the heat a bit.
Choose the Correct Sized Clothes
Looking for an effortless way to save yourself (and your baby) some trouble? Choose a onesie with the perfect fit.
Clothes that are too tight can be restrictive and uncomfortable for your baby, just like they are for adults. Choose baby clothes that are loose but not so loose that they’re nearly falling off. Finding clothes that fit your baby right is key to making sure they are comfortable and have a bit of wiggle room. It will also make the dressing and undressing process like child’s play (pun intended).
Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
When dressing and undressing your baby, keep your eyes locked on them. As we all know, babies can get wiggly, which can make putting on a onesie harder.
Always keep your attention on your baby to avoid mishaps. Using a changing pad with bumpers can be part of your game plan, but those don’t offer enough protection to leave your baby unattended on them.
Now that you've read a few tips for dressing your baby, it’s time to get started.
Find a Soft Surface
The first thing you want to do is find a soft, flat surface. Make sure there's enough space to change your baby comfortably.
If you are out and about with your baby and need to do an outfit change, no worries. You can still apply these tips and change your baby on a blanket. Just make sure the surface is still flat!
Get Your Baby’s Bodysuit Ready
Next, unsnap the buttons on the bodysuit so that it’s ready to go.
You'll also want to take out any other additional clothing items you plan on dressing your baby with, like pants, socks, or a hat. Preparing these items ahead of time will make the dressing process smoother.
Let's Get This Baby Dressed
Let’s take a look at the two ways to put a onesie on a newborn — and explain why the bottom-to-top method is our favorite.
Why Skip the Top-to-Bottom Method?
With this method, you’ll be putting a onesie on your newborn, starting at the head.
This way of dressing a baby can get complicated pretty quickly. When trying to get a onesie over your baby’s head, they may become more fussy and uncomfortable. This is mainly because babies don’t love the feeling of clothing stretching over their heads.
Meanwhile, the top-to-bottom method presents plenty of challenges for parents. An uncomfortable baby is often wriggly and squirmy, which means it might take 20 minutes or more to finish getting them fully dressed and settled down. With your busy schedule, you definitely don’t have time for that.
How To Use the Bottom-to-Top Method
With the bottom-to-top method, you will put on your baby's onesie starting at the feet.
Here’s how it works when using a Tabeeze Bottom-Up Baby Bodysuit
- Unsap the shoulder flaps and crotch flaps.
- Scrunch the onesie into a circle and place it over your baby’s feet and legs.
- Slide it up over their tummy until you reach their shoulders.
- Then, gently wrap the shoulder flaps over your baby’s shoulders and snap. (Slide your finger into the finger tabs to easily align the snaps and “snap”!)
- Lastly, snap the crotch flap.
Why We Love the Bottom-to-Top Method
Tabeeze's bodysuits have patented shoulder flaps and fumble-free snap alignment, making the changing process easier than ever.
Tabeeze's shoulder flaps and fumble-free snap alignment also help minimize the mess from diaper blowouts, saving you time and stress. If your baby has a diaper blowout, simply roll the onesie down as you undress them to keep things clean.
4. Onesie Add-ons
Now that you’ve put on the onesie, pat yourself on the back — the hardest part is over (well, except for the teenage years).
If necessary, you can now move on to layering your baby's outfit. Add hats, socks, pants, etc. If you are adding pants to your baby's bodysuit, try scrunching them first with the same technique you used to prep the Bottom-Up Baby Bodysuit.
If your baby's outfit has any buttons or decorations, ensure they are secure and unremovable. Remember, babies get curious, and they love to put every single thing in their mouths. That’s fine when it’s baby food, but not so fine when it’s bits and pieces of their clothes.
More Tips on Getting Baby Dressed Faster
- If you want to add additional items to your baby outfits, look for items that zip or button in the front instead of the back.
- If your baby is wearing sleeves, like a coat, keep the sleeves loose so you can take the baby's arms out more smoothly.
- Buy stretchy fabric to avoid any tight bindings around the neck, arms, and legs.
How Do You Undress Your Baby?
Undressing your baby can come with plenty of challenges, but it shouldn’t be too tricky. With some strategic choices, like a Bottom-to-Top Bodysuit, you don’t have to worry about pulling a onesie over your baby’s head.
Instead, simply unfasten the buttons and pull the onesie down. This also avoids having to wrestle their head and arms out of collars and sleeves.
Choosing the Right Fabric
When buying onesies, opt for soft and safe fabric. If possible, opt for machine-washable fabric to make your laundry to-do list a tad shorter.
Not all onesies are designed to keep your baby’s safety in mind. A newborn's skin is highly delicate and sensitive; the onesie fabric will need to accommodate this.
When choosing baby fabric, look for clothing made from organic cotton. Organic cotton is the most suitable for your baby’s skin because it is soft, durable, and breathable, and free from harmful chemicals. Beware that not all organic cotton is created equally. To ensure your baby’s clothes are truly organic, make sure you look for the GOTS Certified Organic logo on a brand’s website or clothing labels.
At Tabeeze, our Baby Bottom-Up Bodysuit is 100% GOTS Certified Organic and made from hand-combed jersey cotton. It's super soft, lightweight, and free from chemicals, nickels, phosphates, and solvents, so you can feel comfortable that your baby's skin will be safe from irritants when your little one is wearing our products.
Dressed for Success
Congrats — you’re now ready to dress and undress your newborn with confidence.
If you still have any lingering nerves about dressing your newborn, remember practice makes perfect. The more you dress your baby, the more confident you will become. Over the coming months, we guarantee you’ll become a pro, especially with the help of our Bottom-Up Baby Bodysuit!
When changing your baby, always stay patient and be mindful. Changing time is a great moment to bond with your baby face-to-face. Smile and talk gently to your baby so you both can stay relaxed. You will become a baby-changing pro in no time.
As always, Tabeeze is here to help make parenting easier, one baby bodysuit at a time. For more helpful tips, visit our blog.
Source:
Tips for Dressing Your Baby | The American Academy of Pediatrics
Clothing Hints for Young Children | New Mexico State University
Newborn clothes & dressing a newborn | Raising Children Network
