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?

I love a baby in babygrows, very cute. I bought some bright and colourful ones for my second.

Mine almost exclusively wear ‘sleepysuits’ at that age, apart from special occasions; much more comfortable for baby to have nothing squashing its tummy or cold feet.

Both my babies were in babygrows for the first 3 months. And usually that’s what I packed as a spare outfit after that age. Remember as long as they’re clean and comfortable, what they actually wear is for you not for them.

Plenty of my friends just kept their littles ones in babygrows because it was easier. I made a point of changing my baby from a babygrow to an outfit in the mornings, but it was more for my sanity and demarcating day from night than any kind of fashion statement. You're doing just fine.

babygrows for as long as you can!!

Mine lived in long nighties for the first couple of weeks. Soft white brushed cotton, could be boil washed if needed, and were so easy for nappy changes.

I dressed all 3 of mine in babygrows for the first 6 months or so. Much easier for changing and comfy and cosy. I had a friend who used to joke about my baby always being in his pyjamas and I never said anything back but I used to think mine looked a lot comfier in his babygrow than hers did in his stiff little chinos / jeans and shirts!

Best thing ever at that age is a T-shirt for an older baby like 6-9months depending on how small your baby is and some tights (bonus that you get to keep it for ages)

As well as this being your choice (just as what other mum’s choose to dress their baby in is their choice), a key difference may be your little one’s size if they were premature. My DD wasn’t out of newborn sized clothes until she was about 6 months old as she was born two months early and weighed less than 3lbs at birth, so we stayed in babygrows for a long time, largely because of her size. As a very slim baby, lots of the proper outfits didn’t fit her properly and babygrows also allowed her to layer up better and stay warm. Even at nearly 3 years old sometimes finding clothes that fit her slimmer frame can be challenging, so I think as well as personal preference and comfort, size, shape and fit can make a difference too.

YANBU. I did have separate boring ones for night time - used anything bright or with a zip fastening for daytime.

I hate seeing babies in jeans. They look so uncomfortable
Onesies all the way for as long as possible for me!

YANBU - you're keeping your new born comfortable, not treating them as fashion accessory.

My baby is 11 months and I still put him in babygrows quite a lot. They are comfy, cute and easy for him to move around in. They also make it easier for me. I think as long as my baby is clean, comfortable and happy it is all okay. Enjoy your baby!

OP carry on as you are.

I had my DD in closed feet zipped onesies or summer short sleeved onesies until she was about 10 months…. They are comfy and practical.

Im doing the same with DS… although I have been gifted an annoying amount of impractical “little man” outfits. 🙄

i vividly remember being at a baby class when dd was about 10m old and my friend asked if I had been running late… I was really perplexed but the penny dropped about halfway through the class when I looked at my Dd in her cute striped onesies and the other babies… 🥴 I begrudgingly conceded it was finally time to put her in “something resembling actual clothes”

You dress your baby however you want, ignore the numptees.
Dressing prem babies isn’t easy, your choices are limited and they feel the cold more as there’s less subcutaneous fat. Lots of time for jeans, dresses, etc later on. Congratulations on your baby daughter.

I hated sleepsuits with a passion! Trying to get all 4 limbs in a sleepsuits multiple times a day due to reflux. I was much happier when we switched to leggings and vests or dungarees. It meant I only had to change half of her at a time when she was sick repeatedly. Also with a small baby (full term and in 0-3 month clothes until 5 months, still in 12 months clothes aged 3!) and in a cloth nappy it allowed us to have different sizes leggings and vests.

Distinguishing between day and night was also crucial for my mental health. I had severe pnd and honestly I needed something to separate the long days from the long nights. I was seriously incapacitated at the time and dressing my daughter was something I could manage and could do for her.

Mine only slept in babygrow type all in one things once we got past 6 weeks so yes, they were ‘bedtime’ to me.
I tended to put her in a mix of dresses (she was an April baby so had lots of very cute 0-6 month dresses 🤣) and then little top and matching legging type outfits after that and a ridiculous amount of romper type outfits that I loved. I would feel I hadn’t got her dressed ‘properly’ if I’d kept her in a babygrow all day.

But that’s just me, doesn’t make me right, or you wrong (and vice versa).

You're doing fine. Don't read too much into other mums comments. Remember you are all quite fuzzy and sleep deprived. I remember making a comment about pyjamas to a fellow nct mum when our babies were little and I kicked myself afterwards because I realised it sounded like a criticism but I didn't mean it that way. To me, it felt important to dress DC in "daytime" outfits but that was my choice and there's nothing wrong with babygrows.

Mine still had some baby grows/romper suits at 2 years old and in the summer they were fabulous cover ups.

DC does have sensory needs so a footless all in one was great for day to day. In fact DC continued to wear onesies up until last year because they’re great and easy.

Mine wore baby grows all day everyday till about 1. And rompers in the warm weather. They are amazing and I still wish they could wear them now they are 6 and 7 🤣 nothing better than a baby in baby grow.

I was a very tired first time mum. My secret for these groups was some pretty booties and a matching 'coat'.

They go over the onesie and nobody knows they aren't dressed. Then whip them off at home and they go back to sleep without being changed.

I kept mine in baby grows / sleep suits for about 9 months… may be longer. You want easy, comfy outfits! Not jeans and hoodies for babies

It was just part of our routine and worked well for us. I’m not sure why that’s ridiculous.

My DS (now 9) and DD (nearly 1) were in mostly babygros / pjs until they started walking. It's fine. YANBU

I definitely see babygrows as pyjamas and my baby never wore them in day time after the first month or so. Mine lived in vests and leggings or joggers and were very comfy in those and I found it easier for changes. Babygrows made me feel like we weren't ready for day - like how I'd feel if I stopped in them 😅. That's just my personal feelings and I wouldn't judge a mum who left her baby in a babygrow but I would wonder if they'd been in a rush that morning. In all the babygroups I've been to over the last 5 years I'd say only 1 in 10 babies would be in a babygrow and the rest would be dressed (for 3 months+) in vests and leggings/joggers, not necessarily jeans/trouser outfits.