Confused about vests, sleeps suits etc | ExpatWoman.com
 

Confused about vests, sleeps suits etc

95
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 November 2013 - 20:51

Can any experienced Dubai mums help me out - I'm trying to get a few sets of clothes for when our baby arrives this winter and a bit lost!

So far I was planning to get a mix of a few newborn bits and a few 0-3 mnths so I can know we have something that fits at first. My confusion is what exactly babies here wear as most of my friends with babies are in the UK where it's obviously colder!

I was assuming babies wear sleeveless baby vests and then sleep suits over the top, and that would basically be it most of the time at first. I went to the shops last week and saw the short/t-shirt sleeved baby vests, then long sleeved baby vests, and started feeling confused about what I need! Also I know newborns sometimes wear little hats at first back home - do they need those here or is it too warm?

So if anyone can tell me what their baby wears during the day and at night, that would be great! Then I can stop freaking people out by peering into buggies to see what babies are wearing.

548
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EW GURU
Latest post on 04 December 2013 - 08:33
Quoting Kiwispiers: "Just buy a thousand bodysuits in cotton rib with envelope necks and matching yoga style pants or leggings and you will have a happy baby. Avoid pleats, gathers, buttons and zips." Great advice, loads of cotton bodysuits and I avoided ones with appliques and decorations depends how sensitive your baby's skin is but when they're that young I didn't want anything but the softest cotton material touching them. In winter here I used leggins with closed feet (ones that look like cotton tights:-) for a while but not sure it was necessary. Once spring came we transitioned to short sleeve onesies with leggings. I only used long sleeve onesies for sleep at night and never swaddled as DD would not take it. Around 4 months I discovered Grobags which worked very well till she was about 11 months and then she was getting frustrated that she couldn't move freely in them and we stopped. If you do buy them look for the lowest warmth, 1 tog or 1.5. Better be on the cold side than the warm side. I'd also suggest you get a room thermometer so that you can get used to what is a good temp over time an not need it anymore (if you buy a Grobag there is a thermometer that comes with it btw). Or a good monitor that displays the temperature, we used to have a Motorola that did that and it was brilliant but it couldn't handle DD's abuse and we now have a pretty useless but very expensive Avent. I only ever used a cotton hat when we would go for walks early in the morning in the winter, never in the house and most certainly not when sleeping. Hope this helps!
179
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 02 December 2013 - 21:45
I always had problems with my inlaws regarding this! They wanted me to dress the baby like i was back home when i had her in April, it used to be 40 degrees somedays and we kept the AC off so i always kept her in light clothes. Also they told me i needed to swaddle her to keep her warm (i was so happy recently that Sky News aired a program about the bad effects of swaddling :) ) . Anyway i ignored everyone and did what i felt was right and am proud to say they are all jealous of my baby who "sleeps brilliantly, never cries, and is always in a good mood" their words not mine :) they all told me how awful their babies were and how they used to scream and cry day and night and yet wanted me to follow their way of looking after a baby! no thanks!
2782
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 08 November 2013 - 08:11
I have a one year old and a three year old and have NEVER put a sleeveless vest/singlet on either of them. They have always worn single layers to bed and occasionally a cardigan over the top of a t shirt if somewhere cold like the mall or outside in winter. You should never sleep a baby in a hat, even in the uk, it's a SIDS risk, they need to be able to lose heat through their head, hats should only be worn outdoors ( if its cold) . Overheating is far more of a danger to them than being cold. I see poor little red faced sweating babies wrapped up in quilted polyester while the parents are in t shirts and I cringe. My babies wore mostly onesies ( bodysuits) and soft pants rather than sleep suits as u always feel like their little feet get crunched up in the suits. When I swaddled I didn't put pants on. With my son I used a naturebaby sleeping bag once we stopped swaddling until he was two. My daughter doesn't like the bag so we've dressed her slightly warmer and used a merino air cell type weave blanket. Only ever used a bottom sheet with both babies. Just buy a thousand bodysuits in cotton rib with envelope necks and matching yoga style pants or leggings and you will have a happy baby. Avoid pleats, gathers, buttons and zips. <em>edited by kiwispiers on 08/11/2013</em>
1381
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 07 November 2013 - 23:27
SO glad you asked this question Hannah33 :) I am in the same boat and also wondering about the sheet/blanket situation at night....I assume just a tight sheet at night will be wrm enough when small due to safety issues with blankets? Feel very dumb asking this! Thanks! i loved grobags and had them since he was 15 days.
438
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 07 November 2013 - 16:16
:) Yes, we do have winter here in the desert :) Well, it is not snowing, but still can be quite cold for a baby. Due to the windy weather it may be 5-7*. Also have in mind that even in the summer you will be indoors and under AC, so the t* will be around 18*, especially in the mall. I would not recommend sleeveless clothes at all, but you don't need to go for wool too. Hope this helps :)
235
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 November 2013 - 16:04
SO glad you asked this question Hannah33 :) I am in the same boat and also wondering about the sheet/blanket situation at night....I assume just a tight sheet at night will be wrm enough when small due to safety issues with blankets? Feel very dumb asking this! Thanks!
1381
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 04 November 2013 - 22:30
So if anyone can tell me what their baby wears during the day and at night, that would be great! Then I can stop freaking people out by peering into buggies to see what babies are wearing. that just made me giggle...i remembered i used to stare at each and every stroller as we were so confused!
1381
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 04 November 2013 - 22:28
If the temperature at your home is above normal you can dress your baby in half sleeved sleep suit, at night you can dress in full sleeved ones. I got only one set for my baby and i found it pretty useless. hats and mittens and bibs which comes along with it are not used at all. My baby became hot easily and did not liked cap (still does not at like at 18 month), at just 1 month he used to turn his neck so that cap comes off. You can buy few sleepsuits sets only which comes in a packet of 3, juniors,mothercare. Later on once the summer arrives you can get half sleeved suits. underneath them a single vest without the buttons i prefered so that while changing diapers you are not just opening and closing buttons :) I remember dressing my son in full sleeved suits only when we were out.i used to put him in that for the night and that was his cue to sleep so during day if i used to put him in that he would go to sleep :). he was in them till 9 months and after that only in the night.(as he started crawling and prefered open feet) once your baby arrives best way to check is to touch their tummy to see if they are hot/cold. i have seen here many people dressing up their babies in everything then a warm blanket to top it off!
153
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 November 2013 - 22:24
When newborn I had all mine in a short sleeved vest and a full babygrow for the first couple of months and then I dropped the vest as none of mine liked being too hot. During the day I played it by ear and sometimes dropped the vest or the grow depending on the time of year and how much the A/C was on. All 3 wore a hat in hospital, in UK and even here in August as the A/C can be a bit severe for them and it helps them retain their heat. HTH!
 
 

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