The first thing I bought when I found out I was pregnant were blue wool booties for my daughter (I love that color). I saw them on the way to work and I couldn't resist because they were so small ...
And the funniest thing of all is that he never got to use them because I tried them on the first day and discovered that they were slipping, so they were stored in a drawer with a lot of clothes. Because I have to admit it: I bought authentic 'monerías' that were too small before I had time to use them and many others that gave it away and that didn't even come out of its packaging.
So with his brother I resisted temptation and applied some tricks to save on clothes for my baby without missing a detail. Because enough expenses involve the birth of a baby to waste money.
In Babies and more Baby arrives and you need to save: the Japanese plan that can help you control expensesIdeas for your first weeks
All parents go crazy buying the baby clothes, especially with the first. It makes us very excited, to imagine how handsome he will be with those small clothes.
The curious thing is that precisely the smallest ones, the ones we usually buy the most, It is the one that will use less time.
Nor is it interesting to get ahead and start buy crazy clothes without knowing the size of the baby, although it is approximate, so as not to have to leave it relegated to the bottom of the drawer.
Better to wait until the pregnancy is early to know approximately if the little one is going to be born big or small. Although each brand has its own size, size 0 is equivalent to an approximate height of 50 cm and 0-3, about 54 cm. And there are also premature carvings, so you don't dance in size zero.
According to the advice of doctors and experts, until they start walking, babies don't need to wear shoes. Being tempted to buy shoes or sports shoes with a rigid sole, when they are babies of weeks, even months, is a mistake. Socks of different thicknesses are a better alternative.
Put on too stiff jackets to the baby during the first months "because they are very nice" Not only it's a useless expense of money but also an inconvenience for the little one. Better wait for something more autonomous and look more. If it is winter, you can opt for a diver for the street, comfortable to put on and take off, and cover him from head to toe.
You can make a list for the baby or once it is born, ask family and friends who want to have a detail with the newborn they buy clothes for the next season and the months it will have then, or even for the next. We all get carried away by the smallest garments and end up arriving at our house without ton or are. So we can guide them and at least we make sure we have garments of all sizes. And if it is not of our style, we can always wear them to be at home, because when you start eating solids it will get stained a lot and you will need replacement clothes. Money well spent!
The essentials of the newborn
Bodies are probably the garment that babies use most until their first year of life and, especially, in their first weeks and months. It is necessary that they have brackets on the crotch to facilitate the change of diaper and thus disturb the baby as little as possible.
- Pajamas and rompers or leggings (pants with built-in socks), are perfect for the colder months, being the ideal alternative to the bodies, since they allow to regulate the temperature of the newborn. It is curious, but at least in my case, I bought only two pajamas and two bodies before my daughter was born "because everyone was going to give them to me" and I had to go for more because everyone gave me 'very cool' clothes but little practice. Does anyone realize that in the first months the baby spends most of the time sleeping?
In Babies and more First put on, what clothes are most suitable for a newborn?Nor should a missing hat in the basket, not a few socks or booties and a pair of mittens.
A coo or soft blanket it is useful for everything and at any time: to protect it from the sun or the cold, or even to clean its mouth.
Tshirts Fine, easy to fasten (with square brackets on the back or shoulder).
A jacket or sweater of wool (with square brackets) or a cotton sweatshirt.
Tips for the following months
Having passed the first months of life of the little one, it is time to take stock of the clothes that they have given us or have given us second hand, and take stock of what they need.
1. Recycling is always a good option
Whoever is lucky enough to have a family member or friend who passes his son's clothes, just a year or two older, has a gold mine. Especially the first years, when children barely spoil the garments and even the warm ones can be reused, which have higher prices.
But we can also give a second use to some garments that have remained small or are a little worn: short jeans or with the knee pads become bermuda shorts; long leggings are perfect in summer with a nice shirt; a dress can be a blouse ...
2. Make a 'clothing list'
Having checked what we have saved and what we can recycle, it's time to take pencil and paper and write down what we need (just like when we go to the supermarket). That way we will avoid temptation and buy unnecessary things.
Before a whim it is good to think if it compensates to take it home: how many times will you wear those cute jeans?
3. Unisex wardrobe background
A pair of sweatpants, a sweatshirt or a white T-shirt, for example, are not boy or girl. You can take advantage of what they give us second hand (regardless of sex) or even leave it for when we decide to have another child.
In addition, if they are neutral colors, they easily combine with the rest of the clothes and can be used at any time, even with those drawings of superheroes or with those impossible prints!
4. Basic garments, in packs
Bodies, t-shirts, leggings or tights, socks ... They are indispensable and we need more than one. Children's clothing brands and hypermarkets often offer packages of several cotton garments, with different designs and colors, which come out much cheaper than if purchased separately.
5. Buy one more size on sale
This has been my trick since my oldest daughter was born: I was not yet one year old when I bought seasonal clothing on sale for the following year. And so I have continued doing it with my son. We are talking about saving at least 50 percent of its original price, because at the end of the sales discounts of up to 80 percent are found.
Of course, we must go from taking the children to the last, as is my case, where comfort is what prevails in my decisions.
6. Outlet centers
The number of times that the outlets of the big brands have taken me out of a hurry! Weddings, communions, school functions ... Situations that require garments that are only going to be worn once or twice and that do not deserve an important outlay.
But they are also very useful when buying children's shoes. The shoes cannot be bought from one year to the next, because it is difficult to get the right size, but you can buy it quality, depending on the stage you are in, to be able to try it on the spot and with the advice of professionals. And with a discount even higher than what they offer on sale, because they are usually the models that have not been sold in previous campaigns.
In Babies and more Extensors for body, or how to extend the life of your baby's clothesComfortable clothes and natural fabrics
If in the end you follow these tips and acquire only the essential clothes, you are interested in choosing clothes that are easy to care for and resistant to washing (since you will wash them daily). If you take good care of them they will serve you for your brother (I tell you from experience).
Also, try to choose natural fabrics of fibers of plant origin such as cotton, linen or hemp, because the baby's skin is very delicate and needs fresh and breathable garments.
And as they are lightweight fabrics, you can use them all year round: in summer, they are cool and in winter they isolate from the cold if you put several layers on it. Of course, without going over: we have to shelter the baby with the same amount of clothes as us, or at most one more layer.
And so that these garments are comfortable and safe:
Avoid clothing that includes accessories that can hurt your skin or bother you, such as buttons, lapels, large ornaments, zippers ...
It also dispenses with ribbons and ties, which can cause accidents, such as suffocation.
Look for elastic designs, if possible with rubber at the waist, so that your baby is comfortable and it is also practical for you to undress.
Flee from tight T-shirts, narrow sleeves, too tight necks (without easy opening systems), dresses that do not come out of the head and jeans with thousands of buttons. They are uncomfortable for the baby and make it difficult to dress and undress.
Photos | iStock
