Skip It: Baby Items You Should NOT bother to invest in

When you start planning to buy items for your little one's arrival, the choices are endless. Especially when it comes to clothing. I love baby clothes just as much as the next person (if not more), but come on, some of the clothing items I come across during a post baby shower or nursery organization are just mind-boggling. Frou-frou, itchy, too thick, too complicated, ill fitting, out of season. WTF?

When I work with someone to build a baby registry, I emphasize the practicality of functional newborn clothes. It doesn't serve anyone to not be realistic. You may have plans to change your baby's outfit into something chic and fashion forward every hour of the day, but those plans often fall by the wayside. You may in fact change your baby once OR MORE an hour, but trust me when I say, you will not have the time, or energy, to be accessorizing and dealing with a million tiny buttons. And just when you've successfully gotten baby all dressed up and with a fresh diaper, either a BLOW OUT or SPIT UP happens! That is a true picture of daily life with a newborn. 

In the spirit of saving you time and money, here are the top clothing items I DO NOT recommend that you buy for your baby or put on your registry. 

Tutus and Ornate Dresses (+headbands)

Yes, I know. Who doesn't love a baby dress? Stop it. Or a pale pink tutu? I die. But for a newborn, they are impractical. Sure, have a few for photo ops or special occasions, but I don't suggest you have a closet full of dresses to rival that of Princess Charlotte. Your baby won't be napping in a ballgown under their swaddle, and a lot of those "matching headbands" either don't stay on or are uncomfortable for baby. I see SO many closets of toddlers that have Newborn and 0-3 months sized dresses that still have tags on them. Such a waste. Save your money for when they can walk. Go crazy when they are toddlers, but be practical when they are babies.

Hoods

Until your baby has substantial neck strength and/or spends a good amount of time outside, I don't really see a need to buy any "indoor outfits" with a hood on them for at least the first 6 months, and certainly not the first 3 months. If your baby needs their head covered for weather or sun protection, there are plenty of hat options. Keep in mind that your baby will be sleeping a ton the first few months, therefore will often be swaddled. I never swaddle a baby with a thick under-layer, let alone with an outfit that has a hood hanging off. If it's winter in a very cold climate, then of course baby will need appropriate OUTERWEAR, but I don't imagine you'll be going on leisurely walks in a blizzard with a newborn. But hey, that's just me, and I live in California. 

(**I do love a hooded towel, but that's not exactly a clothing item)

Sweaters

Thick, itchy and usually ill-fitting. This is a hard no for me. Sweaters are another item I usually don't use (unless it's outerwear or a thin cardigan) until baby is walking or close-to. This especially applies to over-the-head sweaters. Let me emphasize again that newborns have very little neck strength. I think people underestimate how hard it is to dress newborns in things that only go over the head, especially if it also includes small long-sleeves. No thank you. I don't enjoy the process, and babies usually don't either. It's also, simply, just too hot. You must be mindful not to overheat your baby, as newborns/babies can't regulate their temperature. If you need your baby to be warmer, try thin layers of soft, breathable fabrics (bodysuit under pajamas, socks, etc). I also find that sweaters "ride up," babies are usually lying down or being held. Again, save this item for when they are mobile and can walk. And make sure that you're buying sweaters for the appropriate season. I've seen baby shower gifts of thick cashmere sweaters for babies born in JULY! SMH. 

Shoes

This is a huge one. Unless you want to DECORATE your nursery with baby shoes, no, your newborn doesn't need the latest pair of Yeezys. I cannot count the amount of closets I've been in with pair after pair of designer newborn/baby shoes. Moccasins or cloth booties? Yes. Definitely nice for stroller rides, etc. But Jordan's on a 3 week old? Have fun putting those on. And I guarantee that if they fit, they will only fit for a couple weeks, so get your phone out and take a million pics while you can. Most babies do well with just socks the first several months. There are even socks that look like shoes, try those!

Snaps/buttons

Do you like problem-solving on the regular? What about multiple times a day after you've changed a diaper with a crying baby? I personally prefer EASE. Anything with excessive amounts of snaps or small buttons literally makes me feel like I'm going insane. I've seen so many adorable outfits that I refuse to buy because they aren't user friendly. Make your life easier, and choose things with minimal to no buttons or snaps for the baby phase. 3-6 snaps? Okay. 15+? RUN. Have you ever spent 20 min snapping and unsnapping a choose-your-own-adventure baby pajama? I have. And I'd rather go to the dentist. Do yourself a favor and choose simple newborn outfits with zippers or magnets.

I hope I didn't burst your baby planning bubble with this post, but look on the bright side- by following my guidelines you can save yourself a ton of money, and go do something nice for YOU before your little darling arrives. Maybe buy yourself a cashmere sweater? Or a ballgown? or some Yeezys?! You deserve it.