Baby Layettes For Those Who Have No Idea

With fewer children being born these days to women in their 20's, at least in European and North American countries, there are many young women around who have little or no idea about having a baby, what it involves, and even what a baby layette is. I therefore thought it helpful just to put together this article for those experiencing for the first time a friend having a baby, or if you are pregnant and preparing for the baby yourself.

For many young mothers, some baby necessities may come as a surprise. They may not know what the phrase "baby layette" means. For those, and for those who just feel like a checklist would make them feel more prepared, here are the basic things that an expectant mother and father should have waiting for the arrival of their new born baby.

You should have between four and six of all of your baby's basic daily needs. Baby clothing items like undershirts, sleeping gowns, one piece sleepers, and footsie pyjamas are a must; plus some day time, going out clothing, which will look quite similar to the sleepwear.

On the baby accessory front, then receiving blankets, hooded towels, socks, washcloths, are important. You need to be quite well supplied with these items, since your laundry needs are going to multiply after the birth of the baby. You will not want to be caught in the middle of a load of laundry, and find the baby has just brought up her last feed on the only clean shirt.

A "going home from the clinic or hospital outfit" is of great importance, since it will be the first time many relatives and friends will see your baby. Not only will there be loads of photos taken, but you will probably feel a lot of sentimentality attached to this particular baby clothing item.

Other individual items to have on hand in the new baby's nursery are a crib, which I am sure you have guessed by now. But from a practical point of view, you may not appreciate how important it is to choose a baby crib with adjustable settings that can change to meet the needs of your growing baby.

That need include protection from her own sense of adventure. My 20 month old daughter is still in her crib, but I remember vividly the day when I went downstairs to answer the door, leaving her in her crib. I went back to her room a few moments later to find her standing, almost frozen like a statue with surprise, standing in the middle of the floor. She looked up at me and put up no resistance as I put her back in her crib; she has never done it since, and that was 8 months' ago, soon after she learnt to get on her own two feet. In that case she had used a soft toy to get leg up, but a badly designed crib could also provide the same opportunity to escape.

For the baby's bedding you will need initially a crib or bassinette, with at least two to four crib or bassinette sheets, a crib bumper, and two to three crib blankets. You may want to consider adding a dust ruffle and some waterproof pads for the crib. These are not really necessary at first, but you will need them later. A playpen for bringing the new family member along to friends' houses, family gatherings, or even just another room of the house, is a convenience to the mother, but can also become a second home that the baby can call her own as she explores her toys and surroundings later.

Going back to baby clothes, it is sensible to stock up on sizes three to six months (just in case the baby is larger than the average newborn, or grows rather more quickly than you may have thought).

On a very practical note, you will want to have at least one large pack of newborn sized diapers on hand when the baby arrives home. You may want to stock up in the event of a sale, but don't want to buy too many, as it is possible the baby will be too large for them.

It is also sensible to keep some other essentials in mind for changing and bathing the baby. Two or three bottles of baby shampoo will get you off to a good start, along with a large bottle of baby oil, a bottle of baby lotion, baby powder (corn starch is a great bulk alternative to talcum powder), and one tube of zinc oxide for diaper rash.

Even if you are breastfeeding, you will want to have 6-12 bottles with nipples and collars (and some extra nipples on hand if you are not breastfeeding).

The above are the absolute basics. It may seem like a lot, but being prepared with these necessities will make your arrival into parenting much easier for you.