Source: wikiHow
Dressing a newborn for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience, but it doesn’t have to be! Knowing how to safely dress and undress your newborn, you will feel more confident as you care for your newborn each day. You will need to consider the temperature to ensure your newborn’s safety and comfort, especially in extreme temperatures.
Following some important safety tips can also help you choose clothes for your newborn.- 1 Place your baby on a sturdy surface or on your lap. Your newborn will need to be lying down while you change their clothes, so designate a flat, sturdy surface for these clothing changes. You can also use your lap as a changing surface when your baby is still a newborn. This may help them to feel more secure.[1]
- You may want to invest in a changing table or at least a contoured changing pad to use for clothing and diaper changes. You will spend a lot of time changing your baby’s clothes and diapers, so this is a good investment.
- Set up your changing station so that you will not have to bend or kneel for clothing and diaper changes because this will be hard on your back.
- 2 Stretch shirt and onesie necklines to help them fit over your newborn’s head. When putting on or taking off a shirt or onesie, make sure to stretch the neckline with your hands. Newborns do not like having things put over their heads, and they may fuss or cry. Stretching the neckline will help to make putting a shirt on and taking it off easier for your baby and for you.[2]
- Some shirts and onesies also have buttons near the neckline that you can undo to make it easier to get them over your baby’s head.
- 3 Lay your newborn on top of unbuttoned or unzipped clothes. Prepare the clothing you want your newborn to wear for easy dressing by unbuttoning or unzipping it and placing it on the changing table with the fabric open. This will allow you to lay your newborn on top of the pajamas, shirt, or onesie and easily put their legs and arms into the legs and sleeves.
- 4 Put your baby’s feet into the pajama bottoms first. Insert your newborn’s feet into their pajama bottoms before putting their arms into the sleeves. Button or zip the bottoms up to keep them on while you work on the sleeves.[3]
- If the pants you want to put on your newborn are separate from the top, put the onesie on first and then put on the pants.
- 5 Pull your baby’s hand through the sleeve. Don’t try to push your baby’s arm through the sleeve of a shirt, onesie, or other piece of clothing. Insert your index and middle fingers and thumb in through the sleeve and grasp your baby’s hand. Then, gently pull your baby’s hand through the sleeve.[4]
- When putting on a onesie or shirt that goes over your baby’s head, pull the fabric down around their body after you get it over their head.[5] Then, reach through the sleeves and gently guide their arms through the sleeves by grasping their hands.
- 6 Secure the buttons or zipper. After your baby’s arms and legs are in the clothing properly, adjust the fabric around their waist and neck as needed and secure the buttons or zipper. Make sure to secure the buttons so…
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