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Original poster

Whats wrong with baby clothes?

25 replies

ChamomileHoneyTea · 23/10/2023 11:39

Sometimes I dress 5 month LO in leggings & jumper/top during the day. They are comfy and stretchy. MIL says I should only be using babygrows, day and night, and that babies shouldn’t be wearing proper clothes. Is she right or just being old fashioned?

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BodenCardiganNot · 23/10/2023 11:42

Dress your baby the way you want to dress your baby. Your mil had her chance to dress her babies the way she wanted.

MolkosTeenageAngst · 23/10/2023 11:43

It’s just personal preference, there is no right or wrong way to dress a baby as long as they aren’t too hot or too cold.

FunCatSunPat · 23/10/2023 11:49

I think its generally a good idea to dress babies in clothing that's comfortable, easy to move in, and not going to stress you out if it gets dirty. It encourages them to move around and explore freely, which supports their development more generally.
But babygrows and stretchy leggings / tops both fit that bill.
I have a friend who's babies are always beautifully turned out in Ted Baker dresses etc from a couple of weeks old, and they're not really allowed to play or DO much of anything in case they get their (admittedly gorgeous) clothes dirty. I think that's a bit sad, but your clothes sound totally appropriate for a 5mo!

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Olika · 23/10/2023 11:50

Just ignore her

Toddler101 · 23/10/2023 11:55

I dress mine in a mix of both, nowt wrong with either. Although I have to say, babygrows do look super comfy and if I could get away with wearing one all day I would! 😂

Vexxa · 23/10/2023 11:56

I love comfy leggings on babies, fewer poppers for nappy changes than a baby grow!

ActDottie · 23/10/2023 12:11

Dress your baby exactly as you want (obviously weather appropriate).

Maybe come up with a phrase to say to MiL like “baby is happy and well, as baby’s mother I can decide what clothes baby wears” hopefully she’ll get the message and shut up!

scaredofff · 23/10/2023 12:17

As long as your baby isn't in jeans....(!) I see no problem
Leggings and jumper are fine, it's no different to tights with a little dress.

I would only dress ds if we were going out. Otherwise he was in babygrows most of the time

mondaytosunday · 23/10/2023 12:39

Well babygrows are convenient but i dressed my kids properly if we were going out - not always but so many cute clothes I couldn't resist!

Superscientist · 23/10/2023 13:07

I hated baby grows with a passion. Having a sicky baby they would mean a full outfit change whereas with leggings and a t shirt it would be just the bits with sick on.

It was also a benefit to my mental health. I had severe depression and stopping and dressing is both helped to anchor me in the real world. If we stayed in PJ's and sleep suits my mood stayed below the gutter

Arghghghghfg · 23/10/2023 14:19

Dress your baby how you like.

Ime the bodysuits that button up under the crotch help to hold the nappy on, and stop tummies getting chilly.

Gowlett · 23/10/2023 14:24

Up to yourself. Whatever you think your baby likes best.

Mine wore baby grows as we were at home during COVID.
Didn’t like leggings / tracksuits as my DS has chunky legs.

RainbowUtensils · 23/10/2023 14:27

Whatever's comfiest for your baby. My first has incredibly long legs and so I switched to vests and leggings from about 3 months as he just wouldn't fit in babygrows. My second has more average proportions so he's mostly in babygrows as he doesn't like the tightness around his tummy

BubziOwl · 23/10/2023 14:57

A baby should be comfortable above all else, and their movement shouldn't be restricted by their clothes.

Leggings and a top and/or jumper fit that bill perfectly.

PurBal · 23/10/2023 14:58

Preference. I do a mix.

Borangejuice · 23/10/2023 15:31

Why do you even need to ask if she is right?

Why would companies make clothes to fit babies if babies aren't "supposed" to wear them?

Do you think that people buy them and throw them away?

chocomoccalocca · 23/10/2023 15:43

I always put mine in clothes once they were a few months old as I liked the getting up and dressed for the day mentality and for me it was important to differentiate between day and night. It's personal choice though so go with what works for you.

Jellybean23 · 23/10/2023 16:05

Your baby, your choice. Isn't that one of the pleasures of being a parent?

wishIwasonholiday10 · 23/10/2023 16:52

Borangejuice · 23/10/2023 15:31

Why do you even need to ask if she is right?

Why would companies make clothes to fit babies if babies aren't "supposed" to wear them?

Do you think that people buy them and throw them away?

I’ve seen plenty of uncomfortable and unpractical clothes for babies which I guess some people must buy (mainly for photos or to treat their babies like dolls?) so I’m not sure if that’s entirely true.

Nothing wrong with any comfortable temperature appropriate clothes of your choice though! I did love sleepsuits and miss them now DD is a toddler but we had leggings too.

UnalterableSpaceCadet · 23/10/2023 17:14

You've reminded me of the slightly bonkers woman at Toddlers who would loudly proclaim every week that she always dressed her babies in baby gros 24/7 until their first birthday. No one cared. Literally no one. And then her youngest turned out to be an early walker with loads of teeth and hair and she shut up about "babygros until one" once she had an 8-9month old who was the size of a 3 year old.

Original poster

ChamomileHoneyTea · 23/10/2023 17:55

but why on earth would you brag about only dressing baby in babygrows? Am I missing something here? Is this like “breast is best”except with clothing - babygrows are best?

OP posts:

Olika · 23/10/2023 18:29

I mentioned this to my mum who is almost 70 and she said babies were dressed in babygrows when I and my sibling were young so perhaps that's what your MIL was used to.

LadyEloise1 · 23/10/2023 19:17

BodenCardiganNot · 23/10/2023 11:42

Dress your baby the way you want to dress your baby. Your mil had her chance to dress her babies the way she wanted.

I agree.

Phanta · 23/10/2023 20:15

I never understand the obsession that people have over baby clothes, it's your baby dress them how you want! I used a mixture until 5 months and then outfits from then on. I did only use white and light coloured baby clothes for night but that's because for me, I liked there to be a separation of day and night clothes!

I also dressed my baby in jeans and thought he looked cute! I stopped doing this when he was crawling as wanted him to be comfortable and have only started putting him back in them now that I've found a stretchy comfy pair now he's running about. Anyone who takes offence to a baby in jeans quite frankly in my opinion should find something better to worry about!

DappledThings · 23/10/2023 22:21

ChamomileHoneyTea · 23/10/2023 17:55

but why on earth would you brag about only dressing baby in babygrows? Am I missing something here? Is this like “breast is best”except with clothing - babygrows are best?

Because some people get obsessed with babygros being the only item of clothing that could possibly be comfortable for a baby. It's nonsense but it's an idea that seems to stick with a lot of people.

Personally I hated babygros. Not how they look, or as a choice anyone else ever made but I couldn't be arsed with the faff of all those poppers. Some people find them easy, I found them a pain. So mine were in long sleeved bodysuits and dungarees from tiny.

Whether anyone ever judged me for that I neither know not care.

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