Choosing the right layette

Newborn clothing can be a bit confusing. It can be vastly different than the garb we wear as we get older. Choosing your layette carefully can be important, because these clothes will make like easier for a few weeks, but because you will only need them for a short time, you don't want to buy too many. This is also a great time to take advantage of hand-me-downs, since most layette items will be very gently used. One important thing to consider before deciding what you need is how often you plan to do the laundry. Babies often need clean clothes two or three times a day, so unless you plan to wash a load of baby clothes every day, plan on a larger number of the most used items, like onesies and drawstring gowns. Another important thing to consider is the season, as you will obviously need more caps and heavier pajamas in winter than in summer. But don't be fooled, even summer babies will need a few hats, footed items, and socks. Babies often get chilled easier than we do. Here are some popular items to get you started. Stores that sell baby clothing will also offer some good lists, but they tend to be on the high side in terms of numbers.