After six babies in various season throughout the year I have several favorite outfits for baby that I recommend to anyone having a newborn baby.
While there are so many adorable outfits out there for babies, the truth of the matter is that most of them are not practical at all for those fresh babes.
A few things that help things make my list of best outfits for a newborn baby. First, and probably most importantly was that it had to be easy to get on and off. With multiple outfit changes a day, I didn’t want to struggle getting clothes on or off.
Second, it had to be easy for diaper changes. Again newborn baby = lots of diaper changes, so let’s keep things easy. Third, I’m a photographer who likes clothing that photographs well. This means things that aren’t neon in colors nor has random sayings. I want baby to stand out no matter what I put him/her in. Finally, comfort was key. Not only do I want baby to be cozy, but I love snuggling against those soft fabrics too as I cuddle baby for hours on end.
Ready for the best outfits for a newborn baby?
The Baby Gown – My favorite newborn baby outfit for at least the first 6-8 weeks.
I admit, it took me 5 kids to appreciate the amazingness that is the newborn gown. However, being able to just quickly tie and untie the bottom makes them a breeze for diaper changes. Even my husband commented how much he loved the gowns when our daughter Cohen was tiny.
Plus many brands have either buttons at the neck or a wide neck opening so that you can dress baby from the bottom up, avoiding the dreaded over the head tears. (Newborn babies hate things going over their head. Dressing from their feet up helps make dressing time go more smoothly!)
Bonus, gowns are adorable for newborn photos.
My most favorite brand for baby gowns is Loulou and Company. So many great colors, the softest stretchiest material, the hands fold over to protect their faces from scratching, and those buttons for easy on and off.
Baby Sleepers – A must have for baby’s first year (or two).
When you are ready to put baby in something with legs, sleepers are the way to go. Once again, messing with onesies and pants are a major pain, I love the simplicity of one piece for baby. They are comfortable, easy on and off (again, they don’t go over baby’s head), and are so adorable on.
When you select well fitted sleepers and neutral prints they work well for newborn baby photos too!
For sleepers without feet, my favorite sleepers are by Hanna Anderson. They have tons of adorable prints, plus the quality and customer service is amazing. I have a sleeper that has gone through five kids and still has plenty of life left. Plus, if you have older kids who want to match, Hanna Anderson has many prints in all sizes (including for adults and pets). My entire family matched with our Christmas PJs from Hanna Anderson, even our 4 day old baby girl was included.
For sleepers with feet, my favorite sleepers are by LovedBaby. LovedBaby sleepers are so adorable on, fit oh so well on fresh, newborn babies. They are also made of soft organic cotton. Another favorite pajama company is LittleSleepies. These are usually very printed, so not great for newborn photography. However, they are soft and stretchy with roll over hands and feet. They are the longest lasting pjs I have ever bought for my kids (yes, all six of them).
Runner up sleepers with feet are by Primary. These sleepers are a tad thinner, but still soft and wash well. The red did give my my son terrifying toe fuzz (imagine tiny bright red specks all over your child’s feet that turned out to be fuzz!) the first few times we wore. They also run a tad big with a 0-3 month size as their smallest size. So we started wearing closer to one month old.
A few quality swaddles are a must for newborn baby.
Okay, so swaddles aren’t technically an outfit. But let’s be real here for a minute. When you first have a newborn baby all they really need are gowns and sleepers and a nice swaddle. That’s it, nothing fancy, just cozy. And having a good swaddle helps you get that tight swaddle (unless you’re a labor and delivery nurse then you are AMAZING at swaddling with hospital blankets).
So with that, I’m including swaddles as a recommendation as an outfit for baby. Plus after you move onto to velcro or zip swaddles, nice blankets can still be used for a nursing cover, to toss on baby in the car seat, as a shade, or as a blanket for sitting in the grass with baby.
Select a nice print and they are perfect for newborn photos too!
My favorite swaddles are from Loulou and Company. Just like their gowns, their swaddles are so soft and stretchy. They are also HUGE, giving you plenty of room to swaddle baby as she grows.
Another favorite swaddle company is Copper Pearl. Their swaddles, too, are large, stretchy, soft, and come in so many prints, colors, and patterns.
Gowns, sleepers, and swaddles. That’s it.
That is all my newborn baby lived in during those first few months.
Whether you’re shopping for a newborn gift, registering for your own newborn baby, or shopping for some cute ideas (or even deciding what to pack in your hospital bag) these are the things I found that worked best for baby.
Looking for ways to use these best outfits for newborn baby for your newborn photography session? Head to the newborn portfolio.