Baby leggings

[Zoero]

Our baby is just over 2 weeks old now. We have a slight problem in that every time we put him in a sleepsuit, he brings his legs up and then can't stretch them out again because they get stuck in the crutch area of the sleepsuit. Poor little thing is sound asleep then he wakes himself up because his feet are trapped.

Should we be using baby leggings over top of a bodysuit rather then using a sleepsuit? And if so, where can we buy leggings. If not, do you have any suggestions for what we can do?

Also does anyone have difficulty using pull over the head bodysuits? We can't seem to get used to them and so have bought loads of wrap over/cross over/ front opening bodysuits. They are more expensive but make me feel better. Anyoone else feel the same way? I just think over the head bodysuits are a crazy invention! We've had so much trouble pulling them down his body when they are poo-y.

Also (sorry loads of questions!), anyone have any tips about making nappy changing less traumatic. He screams the house down! We try to be quick but don't scrimp on time to ensure that he is fully clean. Any tips really appreciated!

Thanks so much for any advice,
Z

DD wasn't really the right shape for sleesuits either - (short legs!) we did what you are suggesting most of the time, you can get little soft leggings and tracksuit bottoms in pretty much all children's clothes stores - if you specifically want leggings you might have to look in the girl's section. I quite liked soft trousers with poppers around the inside leg for easier nappy changes.

Another option might be the sleepsuits which don't have feet? They're often more fitted at the ankle so not as likely to be able to slip there feet up through.

Pull over the head body suits are a pain until they are older and can support their head better - which shouldn't be too long for you now, you could look for wrap around bodysuits like these I've seen them in H&M in the small sizes, but probably other stores have them too.

Nappy changes... some babies just hate it! You could try talking or singing to him, as he will be able to hear more than he can see at this age.

Congratulations on your little boy!

Ok. Pyjamas rather than sleepsuits if he's struggling with them.

Is this your first baby? Dressing a baby when you have never done it before is a learned skill like driving. You are probably at the stage where you are still faffing around. Give yourself a few weeks and you will be a pro and your baby will be used to it as well.

Nappy changing - meh. He'll get used to it in time. You could invest in things like wet wipe warmers but personally I wouldn't bother.

H&M do baby leggings in a range of colours also tracksuit bottoms (babies clothes range very good and similar to or cheaper than supermarket prices). Primark do pyjamas for babies.

Another one seconding H&M here, bloody love their baby clothes.

Vests can be taken off either unpopping and up and over his head, or stretch the neck (most have a strechy neck opening anywats) and pull down him.

Tesco do short and long sleeved popper vests that close down the front, sort of a wrap over style. We have a few, they're good quality too. 3pk for £2.75

Another option is to put some baby legwarmers on top of his babygro, like these which are very cute. For a tiny baby make sure you get newborn or 'my first babylegs' size as normal ones will be huge. TK Maxx have had them in the past.

The legs problem should only last a couple more weeks - DD did this too but by about a month old she didn't have that newborn curly sleep position anymore. I found using a newborn size rather than 0-3 months helped, as the legs were a closer fit.

Bodysuits - scrunch up the body fabric so you have a kind of ring or material around the neck hole. Put it down onto him so he is looking through the hole, then lift his head slightly and pull the back down, then get his arms in followed by the front and secure the crotch poppers. That way no fabric covers his face which they don't like.

Nappy changing, you need a distraction. Can be as complicated as a singing, dancing, flashy-lighted mobile rigged up above the changing mat, or as simple as some shiny stickers close enough for him to look at them while you're sorting out his other end. Or you could sing!

Our DD is 10 months and still moans about her nappy changes! We've found distraction is key - raspberries on soles of feet, mobile or fairy lights over changing table etc works for very young babies. When older, giving them something to hold and wave around helps, as does being silly with the clothes. DD wears tights under her trousers at the moment (live in the far north and she can't keep socks on) and we always grab the feet and s-t-r-e-t-c-h the legs really far when taking them off. She finds it hilarious.

DD has always hated clothing being pulled over her head. Only found out last week that her head is just above the 99.6 centile when the rest of her is 25th centile so that probably explains why! We scrunch up the babygro, make the widest ring possible, place over face and pull back down as quickly as we can, accompanied by a 'Boo!' to distract. Not ideal but it works.

In a couple of weeks your LO won't feel so fragile and you'll be wrestling clothes on and off like a pro.

Oh, and we put soft hair bobbles over the sleepsuit ankles... Just an idea!

Asda do baby pyjamas too, we use them on our 6 month old DS, they're very cute and good for nighttime nappy changes. With the sleep suits, DS was only 6lb odd when he was newborn and couldn't keep his legs in his sleep suits, we got the next size down (tiny baby) and they were better.

The vests are just a case of practice I think, it does get easier (until they can roll over, then it gets harder again!).

I would do the legging over bodysuit combo, he will probably grow out of it eventually but for the moment it's important that he is comfortable and sleeps well.

Here are links for some baby leggings:
www.gap.eu/browse/product.docid=57167&vid=1&pid=890066&scid=890066007

www.next.co.uk/x493880s2

www.next.co.uk/x49896s8

You could try nighties:
www.johnlewis.com/231402118/Product.aspx
www.johnlewis.com/230591844/Product.aspx

Or pyjamas - they start at 3-6months:
www.johnlewis.com/283752/Product.aspx

We found vests a pain when DD was tiny so we didn't use them until she was about 12 months old when she started coming back from nursery with them added under her clothes . We dressed DD in footless baby grows (also called rompers) which go in at the ankle so might work better. She then wore socks if she was cold, but she was a very warm baby do didn't need them all the time. If another layer was necessary we'd add a cardie. I found the Boden rompers with poppers down the front and down each leg the easiest thing to get on her when she was tiny. You can get them on eBay and they wash well enough to consider second hand ones.

My daughter is currently too big for newborn sleep suits and a touch small for 0-3 so her legs do the same. My solution is sock-ons.ittle fabric things to go over feet and keep socks on. I got mine from mothercare but I'm sure you can get them all over the place.

My DD (9 weeks) does the leg thing but only in sleepsuits that are too big so you may find that problem goes away quite quickly. I think I've seen the sock-on things in Sainsburys, they work.

With nappy changing, DD didn't like the cold plastic on her skin so I have a stack of cheapo hand-towels by the mat and lie her on one of those over the mat - more laundry but hey-ho. Are you using baby wipes? I dip mine in a bowl of warm water & wring out before using. A chilly wet wipe on her bits also makes DD protest loudly!

Congratulations BTW!

BabyGap used to do very cute close fitting pyjamas - almost like a babygro.