Leave the cute outfits to the shower guests – these are the
things you need.
Having a baby is a time of combined joy and stress for most
people. Nothing compares to the joy that a mother feels when
she’s holding her new baby for those first few days after
bringing the little tyke home or that of the proud father
showing off pictures of the infant to his friends and family.
Unfortunately there is also nothing quite like the stress in
worrying that everything is going to be all right and that the
family is properly prepared for their joyous new addition.
New parents often fall into the trap of being unprepared when it
comes to suitable clothing for their baby. In the months and
weeks prior to the mother’s due date the couple will be
preparing for baby’s arrival by setting up the baby’s room,
buying necessary items like a crib, playpen, changing table,
walker, and, of course baby clothes. The problem introduces
itself when the parents (and this usually comes from Mom’s side)
focus too much on purchasing the “cutsie” baby outfits and
ignoring the basic essentials that babies will need.
Cotton bodysuits, absorbent baby blankets, bibs, and baby
booties are items that a new parent can never have enough of.
Babies are messy simply by their nature. For all the cuteness
and adorability that they possess they are essentially little
drooling, slobbering, spewing, waste producing machines for
about the first year or so of their lives. As such, their
clothes get messy quickly and often. So often that a parent may
find herself changing her baby’s clothing almost as often as she
changes baby’s diaper – sometimes more.
The best plan is to stock up on the practical “onesies” suits,
baby tees, and mess-cleaning cotton blankets so that you always
have plenty on hand. Buy plenty, but not so many that you’ll
quickly be stuck with a pile of baby items that no longer fit
the baby. A good rule of thumb is to have at least five clean
outfits at any time. Pack extra when taking baby on an outing,
and always make sure that you have plenty of clean backups. This
may require a good deal of additional laundry duty, but that is
just one of those fringe benefits that come along with a little
bundle of joy.
The cute and adorable baby outfits are fine for taking baby to
church or to visit grandma’s house, or for taking family photos,
but keep in mind that the odds dictate that as soon as you
fasten that last cute little button or tie the final adorable
pink bow, the baby is going to spit up all over that precious
little outfit. While planning and preparing for the arrival of
your newest family member, forego a few cute outfits so you can
stock up on more of the practical essentials. The guests at the
baby shower can provide the cute stuff while you ensure that you
are truly prepared.
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