Homecoming outfit?

[Naty]

Hi all,
I know it's early for this question, but I was wondering what type of outfit did you dress your baby in to take him/her home from the hospital. Is the outfit usually a fancy or special one? My baby will be born in early March 03 which technically still is winter here in Northern Virginia. What outfits do you suggest? Thanks in advance!

[Rachels]

I brought my baby home in a gown and booties (Carter's makes adorable versions of both)and tucked a blanket around her in her carseat. If it's still chilly, you might prefer something that snaps around the legs. You should steer clear of tight onesies or crotch-snap t-shirts at first, to avoid putting pressure on your baby's cord. As far as whether the outfit is special, it's entirely up to you. Picking a beautiful-- but cozy-- outfit beforehand gave me something concrete to think about when I imagined carrying my newborn home. You're in for a treat!
-Rachel

[daisymommy]

How was it getting the carseat strap snapped between her legs with the gown on? I have several adorable Carter's gowns that I would love to bring my DS home in, but I figured I couldn't get him strapped into his carseat. I'm going with a light weight one-piece footed sleeper (pastel Winnie the Pooh) with a matching cap that has little ears sticking up on it (too-cute!) It's hot here in northern Virginia, but everyone always says babies like to be warm. Does anyone think he will he be too warm? or just right?

[egoldber]

With weather like we've had lately, that should be fine without a blanket. You will probably want to put a hat on your newborn for the first week or so, even when it is warm. But my ped said after that it wasn't necessary. He says that people tend to REALLY overdress babies and that they generally only need one layer more than you do, if that. It is just as dangerous to overdress a newborn as it is to underdress them while they are still trying to figure out how to regulate their body tenperatures.

It was actually kind of cool last year on August 17th (the day we brought Sarah home from the hospital). I had her dressed in a "ducky" onesie and matching hat (it was HUGE on her), and used a light blanket to put over her in the carseat.

Baby can wear a gown in the carseat, but you have to pull it up above their hips to buckle them in properly.

[Rachels]

It was no problem buckling her in with the gown on. Newborn babies tend to keep their little legs all scrunched up, so pulling the gown over the hips doesn't actually affect them much. It was a little chilly when we brought her home, so I had a blanket tucked in around her over the carseat straps. And yes, she did need a hat at first, even when it warmed up. By two weeks old, she seemed more able to stay warm enough without it.

[daisymommy]

Hey thanks for the reply Beth! Nice to have an opinion from someone in the area who knows the weather! I packed the Pooh jammies and as an alternate "cooler" outfit (in case it's really hot), I packed a Carter's ducky onesie/creeper! Funny! It's blue with little yellow ducks on it, and I have the matching socks and hat (along with a dozen other coordinates of the same style, as I fell in ove with this line...:D ) Hope you and Sarah are doing well. Enjoy her first birthday!

[newbelly2002]

I second the idea that the baby will more than likely be swimming in whatever you choose. I brought home DS last week (down here in middle Virginia) and he was 5 lbs. 13 oz when he left--the special outfit had to be scrapped in lieu of a T-shirt and diaper just so I could keep his head out of the clothing! If you're set on having your baby wear an outfit, you might want to consider having a back-up preemie outfit in case he/she is a little one.

Paula

[Melanie]

I suggest packing 2 or 3 outfits. Maybe a gown, onesie, & sleeper (booties, blanket & hat, too of course). We put our son in his smallest sleeper for homecoming, and he still swam in it. It was for up to 10 lbs. and he was born at 7lbs 8oz. For the first couple of weeks everything long-sleeved had to be rolled up.





Mommy to Jonah

[suzska]

I had a little Pooh Bear two-piece fleece outfit. I bought it at Target--yes, it was the first thing I bought, and I paid full-price (that didn't happen much more ;-) ). I put a little yellow t-shirt (over-the-head, not crotch-snap) on underneath. Even though it was newborn size, Evan was "swimming in it." He was 7 lbs 1 oz at birth. But if you have a 10 pound baby, things would fit differently. :-) Here's Evan's picture.

P.S. I live outside of Pittsburgh, and it was still a little chilly when Evan was born, but it was pretty nice the day we went home, so I don't think I wrapped him in anything else--just put his cap on his head.

[PJAlama]

I would like similar advice, but my baby is due quite soon (today marks 38 weeks), I am fairly sure he will be larger than average, and we're talking about NJ in September, which is an iffy month -- maybe fall, but maybe still summer -- in a car with no air conditioning. I'd been told I'd need something with separate legs, in order to accommodate the car seat, so it threw me for a loop to find out that I couldn't use one of the many snap-at-the-crotch onesies people had so thoughtfully given for shower gifts. I'm not sure if a sleeper will be too heavy. Should I be looking for pants and a shirt? I don't have much time to shop. At the hospital tour, they confidently described the multilayer outfit they thought our babies would need on the way home, "because after all, they'll be going from an air-conditioned hospital to an air-conditioned car." They ignored my husband & me saying simultaneously, "Our baby won't!"

Thanks,
Pauline