For only dressing my baby in ‘pyjamas’?

[KellyJellyfish]

DD is 15 weeks old and small for her age (premature, still wearing 0-3months). Yesterday we attended a mums and baby music class and during the pre-class chat we got a couple of comments about how cute my DDs pyjamas were.

I dress her pretty much exclusively in babygrows and bibs, firstly because she has reflux and can write off at least one outfit a day (our record is 4 in 15 minutes!), secondly because most of our stuff is either secondhand, gifted, or cheap multipacks, thirdly because she still very much needs scratch mitts and she cannot stand cold feet or legs (socks fall off, trousers ride up). But most of all, because she’s a baby? Yeah I could waste money on little jeans and hoodies or dresses, but what’s the point? It’s expensive, wasteful, and makes life harder for both of us when it comes to changing and laundry. I’ve never really viewed babygrows as PJs before, just something babies wear.

AIBU?

Mini adults clothes are for the parents, baby grows are just fine. As the weather gets warmer you might want to move on to playsuits which are exactly the same but no poppers down the middle so go over the head and have poppers down the legs and have no feet and I guess look more 'daytime' but having no feet makes it easier for feet to get traction on the floor for crawling etc.

I honestly don’t think the other mums were being critical of you - they said your baby looked cute! I don’t think they really meant anything using the word PJs.

I don’t have kids but loads of people dress little babies in babygros all the time, surely? I’m pretty sure most of my friends’ babies were usually in either babygros or those little soft jersey dungaree things, or soft legging/jogger type bottoms and jersey tops. I don’t remember my friends’ babies being in mini jeans or dresses and tights! My SIL was more into dressing babies in mini clothes and obviously that’s some people’s preference but I don’t think your choice is at all unusual.

I always think babies look ADORABLE in babygros. They look so comfy and squishy.

You're not unreasonable at all. All my kids lived in babygros round the clock until they were trying to crawl, then it was tops and leggings. No jeans, buckles, etc until they started choosing clothes and wanted them.

And don't get me started on hoodies for babies. Let's attach a suffocation hazard onto a piece of baby clothing, great idea. For some reason at one point you couldn't find an ordinary cardigan or hoodless jumper for love nor money!

I kept DS in babygros for a long as I could (only ones with zips, though) - I thought he looked adorable! I remember asking a friend when I should stop because loads of the other mums had their kids in jeans and stuff at 6 months or whatever. Her reply was whenever I wanted to! There's no rule about it.

When DS was probably about 8 months we started using Wondersuits, so the hands and feet fold back. Perfect for growing babies who are learning to crawl/walk.

Nah babygrows are adorable and snuggly! Dress your baby however you want! Once they're 2 they start having preferences and its a bloody nightmare 🤭

I would always dress mine in "proper" clothes for babyclasses though and looking back at pictures i don't think anyone wore babygrows to them - its just an excuse to dress them up isn't it? Especially when you've been given clothes as presents!

I wouldn't take any offence by it - they're just making conversation lovey.

My 6 month old is asleep on me now wearing a footed babygrow. Sometimes if I can be bothered I put her in a long sleeved vest and leggings. I really hate stiff clothes on tiny babies - plenty of comfy cute clothes in stretchy fabrics nowadays. She was given so many dresses, some in non stretch. She only ever wears them if she's seeing the person who gifted them. At baby groups round me there's a mix of babygrows (usually the younger babies) and comfy outfits.

I kept mine in babygrows until around 3 months, then started using more long sleeve vests and leggings or very soft joggers. Babies do not need jeans! I always found any 'real' clothes we were given a total pain to manage on a baby that couldn't even sit upright. I also had some footless all in one pyjama things that were brilliant for days at home once he was crawling.

Another benefit of vests with poppers is that they hold poo explosions in...

Your baby, your choice.

My DD is eight months and now she's getting mobile, I'm a big fan of the footless 'pyjamas' I.e. all in one suits without feet.

I don't believe in dressing babies in uncomfortable clothes with fiddly buttons and whatnot.

Babygros were invented for a reason - they are comfortable and practical.

I suspect people were not intending to criticise by calling them 'pyjamas'. Keep going as long as it suits you and your baby.

With my first I bought loads of little outfits before he was born! By my second and third I'd realised what an absolute faff they are and how they are quite uncomfortable for the baby.
I still have a few formal dresses for my 3rd baby, just for fun and photos with relatives etc.. but day to day she lives in baby gros. I've never thought of them as 'pyjamas' they are comfiest for small babies. And so easy to change if you are at that stage where you are having to change your child many times a day.

I never had mine in "outfits" before they were on their feet. They were in babygrows whole time. From about 6/7 months, I had son in those long sleeved legless bodysuits with comfy joggers (like in attached pic). I used to have fun matching those, now that I think about it. Ah, the memories. 😍

I hate all the mini-adult clothes for babies, especially the jeans. Stick them in babygros - they will be comfortable and that is all that matters. It's not a fashion parade.

Yeah. I agree with them. Baby grows are pj’s. I never had mine wear them during the day. I have seen some babies that wear them all the time though. I don’t like it but it’s not my baby. As long as you’re changing them into a fresh baby grow before bed and a fresh fro when they wake and bathing your baby at night then it’s your choice.

I hated joggers too. Never wore them either.
see what I mean it’s all personal choice. And jeans. I don’t like seeing babies in jeans.

I'm an 80s baby and that's what we've been brought up in. All my cousins in the 90s were the same. I think trends to dress your baby in small "grown-up" outfits really started with the invention of SM. I never really understood it from the practical standpoint. Much easier to whack the baby in and out of babygro than a pair of jeans and hoodie. Plus, it's a lot less expensive to replace as they grow into stratosphere.

This! i always think babies must be uncomfy in jeans or bulky tops given how much they sleep.

My 11 month old is usually in Sleepsuits! I agree they don’t really seem like pyjamas yet. Also he is an absolute menace for pulling off his socks so it definitely helps that 😂

My kids didn't get dressed in outfits until they were about 9 months. You need to get them used to the concept and routine of 'getting dressed' at some point but not at 15 weeks!

So others complimented your baby's outfit, and what your take home message is to judge those who dress their baby differently?

That's nice...

My baby hated anything tight that was pulled over the head. So baby grow and poppers it was. I didn’t care how they looked, I was too sleep deprived and the baby had no opinion ether 😁
I felt bad since all our pretty gifted outfits were never worn apart from the obligatory thank you photo!

DS wore babygrows, soft dungarees or joggers until he was walking when we switched abruptly to jeans to protect his knees from all the falling over. I don’t know why you wouldn’t let them be comfy for as long as possible!

Nah middle and youngest exclusively in baby grows (aside from a couple of ‘soft’ outfits like leggings and a top) until they were at least 6m

Dress them in what is most comfortable for baby and you. I went to vests and leggings/ trousers at 3 months because I found nappy change easier but only nice soft ones and I often found I could salvage at least one bit of the outfit if there was sick or nappy leak where as baby grow I needed to change everything!
I have a boy and speaking to a friend with baby girl of same age. She said her baby often gets misgendered ( doesn't matter too much to her) but I did then observe that it seems to baby girls who have more outfits rather than baby grows. So maybe it's something some mums do more?

I think it also depends what your doing. I baby wear a lots and trousers feel more comfortable for baby but if he was in pram or car seat for a longer I put him in baby grow. And he has baby grow for bed time.

You do you!!

Ours were in babygros for a good 6 months. “Outfits” often look uncomfortable.

When you think about it they should be in pyjamas as they sleep so much. My first DD I was really over-anxious and used to always change them into different things in the morning and for night and dress them in outfits for going out to baby groups and things in case people thought I wasn't looking after her properly. By the time I had my third they spent the first six months in those baby grows with an open end, only changed when they were actually dirty. I don't know why I gave myself so much extra work with my first.