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Back to Basics: Taking Care of Baby

Basic Care from Holding to Diapering

By Laurie Dove

Dressing your floppy bundle of joy can be a daunting task for most parents. With a head that is invariably the largest part of Baby's body, and arms and legs that are curled up, dressing Baby can definitely be a challenge. However, with the right technique, it can become less like a wrestling match.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the most efficient way to dress Baby is to first support Baby on your lap, stretching the garment neckline and pulling it over Baby's head. Be sure to use your fingers to keep it from catching on Baby's face or ears. Instead of trying to push Baby's arm through a sleeve, put your hand through the sleeve from the outside and grasp Baby's hand to pull it through. To undress, reverse the process, taking the sleeves off one at a time, before gently lifting the clothing free of Baby's head.

Other parents worry about dressing their baby to suit the temperature. A good rule of thumb, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, is to dress infants as you would dress in order to be comfortable in the current temperature range.

"The biggest challenge for me is knowing how to keep her dressed at a comfortable temperature," says Isabel Viana concerning her 10-week-old daughter. Viana, who lives in southwestern Colorado, is in a climate with fall weather fluctuations ranging from warm temperatures to snow fall. "I can't wait for her to be able to tell me what it is that she feels," says Viana. "Then I won't have to guess how it is that she's feeling from moment to moment."

Want to see more?

• Baby Gear: What
• Talk about it!
• To Have and to Hold: Cradling and Loving Your Newborn
• Bathing Your Little Beauty: How to Give Your Newborn Baby a Bath

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