Taking Care of Your Newborn
Dressing Your Baby
Dressing time is the perfect opportunity to talk to and play games - like "peek-a-boo" - with your baby.
Explain what you're doing as you dress her, and soon enough your baby will start to recognize body parts.
Keeping baby safe while dressing
- Always lay your baby down in a safe place when dressing him. This leaves your two hands free to get your baby dressed faster!
- Never pull your baby's arms or legs through clothing forcefully. Be patient and gentle.
- To prevent strangling, don't dress your baby in clothes with ribbons or ties.
Choosing baby's clothes
Follow this simple rule: Dress your baby as you're dressed, plus one layer.
Dress your baby so she won't be too hot or too cold. Choose outfits that are easy to open with zippers or buttons on the front, and make sure the openings for the neck easily slide over your baby's head.
Dressing for car seats
Never dress your baby in a heavy coat or snowsuit, then put him in a car seat.
The seat's harness straps won't fit properly, and he could be ejected from the seat.
Puffy snowsuits and heavy winter jackets can interfere with the effectiveness of car seats.
Instead of putting your baby in a snowsuit then placing her in the seat, dress her as you're dressed, plus one layer, then fasten her safely into the car seat.
If you choose to lay a blanket over your baby, make sure the blanket is below her face. Remove the blanket once the inside of the vehicle warms up. This will keep your baby comfortable, and not too hot, during a long ride.
Washing your baby's clothes
Brand new clothes can irritate a baby's skin, so always wash new items of clothing before your baby wears them.
Wash all of your baby's clothes with a very mild detergent and rinse well.
If possible, wash your baby's clothing separately from the rest of the family's clothing to help prevent the spread of germs to your baby.
Diaper changing