FUNDAMENTALS OF CLOTHING CONSTRUCTION 3(1+2)

Lesson 14 : Clothing Requirements of Infants

Key points for selection of infants clothing

Clothing requirements for babies from birth to six months are few. The amount and type of clothing which the infant will need will be determined by:

1. Time of year
2. Climatic conditions
3. Warmth of the child’s room
4. Condition of the child

However, infants clothing should be selected primarily on the basis of following points:

1. Infant’s clothes should be selected primarily on the basis of comfort and ease of care. Comfort is the most important factor to be considered for baby’s clothing. It can be achieved by

   • The use of right fabric/material
   • The design of the dress
   • The method of construction

   Use of right fabric/material: The fabric chosen for the infants clothing should be absorbent, porous, soft, pliable and not irritating to the skin of the baby. Cotton is by far the most suitable fabric. Blends with more percentage of cotton are also suitable. Fabrics chosen should be lightweight yet warm enough. Fur materials are to be avoided, as there is a danger of the loose fibres getting into the baby’s throat.

   The design of the dress: Design of the dress is an important aspect that should be considered while selecting clothes for children. Wrappers, Kimonos, and shirts that open all the way down the front or back are considered to be the best choice, since they need not be pulled over the baby’s head. The garments should be sufficiently large to make it easy to get the baby’s arms into the sleeves but should not be so large that they make uncomfortable folds.

   Simplicity should be the key point while selecting clothes for infants. Fancy trimmings are to be avoided as they irritate the baby and require extra care during laundering. Drawstring around the neck or a bonnet string should be avoided, as they can get pulled tight and become dangerous if a baby rolls over and get entangled in them. It is better to have ties and flat fasteners than large decorative buttons that can come off and be swallowed or poked in a nose or ear.

   The method of construction: Baby’s clothes should be comfortably loose to allow freedom of movement. The seams in a garment might cause discomfort if they are numerous and bulky or placed where they tend to rub against the tender baby’s skin. Clothing should be simple and well made.

2. The number as well as type of garments in the layette depends a great deal upon the resources and preference of the parents. The most important thing is to have enough clothing to keep the baby warm and clean at all times. The mother’s ideas as to how the baby should be dressed will also influence the number and type of garments to be purchased. To keep the baby comfortable and clean, a small number of easily cared for garments are sufficient. But if the mother feels the need to dress up the baby, then dress up clothes will have to be added to the layette.