BABY LAYETTE CHECKLIST – essential things for a newborn

Your baby layette should consist of

• 4 Jumpers/ one-pieces/ onesies / Bodysuit,
• 2 One piece pull on Pajama pants,
• 7 Chest covers/tops/ Unisex Undershirts with side snaps,
• 2 Small dresses for girls / suitable gown  for the boys,
• 1 or 2 Cardigan Sweaters
• 3 Socks or footies,
• 2 caps
• 2-3 mittens
• 3-4 bibs
• A big carton of diaper ( 24 or more)
• 40 inch square soft cotton cloth/blanket
• 2 Swaddle blankets
• 2 lightweight blankets 
• 2 Top sheets for the crib 
• 2 waterproof sheets/mattress covers
• 2 Fitted crib sheets
• Crib pillow
• Crib side pads ( quilted)
• 2-3  hooded bath towels
• waterproof sheets and blankets
• Baby shampoo & body wash
• Baby wipes
• olive oil or baby oil
• Soft hair brush
• Gentle laundry detergent
• A diaper bag
• Thermometer for babies
• Gentle diaper cream
• Formula
• Feeding bottles with silicone nipples & nipple brush
• Sterilizing equipment; Bottle brush.
• Nursing pillow
• Dirty-diaper bin or bucket
• Cot, crib, infant car seat, baby monitor, baby bath tub or a rubber sheet
• A small nightlight

What is a baby layette?

A baby layette refers to a collection of clothes, linen, toiletries, and other supplies that a newborn infant will need – your baby’s first-ever wardrobe.

Surely a mom-in-waiting would have some knowledge on what to buy and what not to buy – knowledge gained from those books every mom-to-be reads when she is pregnant or from the advice of relatives and already-mom friends.

But it is nice to have a baby layette checklist. It’s exciting for a parent to be shopping for a baby layette. And a simple guideline / checklist for what to buy or make is always welcome for a parent-to-be, to follow before shopping or to start to take out your sewing machine to make something for the baby.

Parents eagerly waiting for the arrival of their baby will surely want to collect everything on the list for the precious one.

Guidelines for the layette

Some simple guidelines when deciding on what baby essentials your baby needs

☝ Babies grow very fast. Your newborn will outgrow the clothes you bought in a few weeks. So big expenses are unnecessary unless it is for a crib or a baby monitor which will be used for a long time.

☝Your baby deserves the best, of course. But do not be shy to ask relatives and friends for some of these items they may have in their storage. In a few weeks, your baby will need a new wardrobe.

☝ The layette should have clothes and accessories which are comfortable and fresh looking. They should be made of cotton, which is soft and breathable. Ensure that clothes exposed to the healing belly button of the newborn are soft. 

☝ The clothes you buy should be enough to keep the baby warm – a good rule of thumb is to give the newborn baby an extra layer of clothing than what you are wearing.

Clothes with built-in footies work great for giving warmth and caps; hoodies are also great. Where hot weather is a problem, vests can be made in a very thin and soft cotton-like muslin.

☝ Fastenings in baby clothes should be baby-friendly. Any elastic waistband should be covered. It should not pinch the baby. Nickel-free snaps are preferred for baby clothes. Soft hook and loop closure are preferred for blankets. Drawstrings, if any, should always be fastened.

☝For washing baby clothes, you need a detergent that does not have perfumes or other additives which can irritate the baby’s skin. Harsh detergents can cause diaper rash. A mild detergent liquid should be selected.

Making some of the things your baby needs, like undershirts or a baby quilt or blankets, can be very rewarding. Try it. Checkout the common baby quilt and blanket dimensions here.

Baby Layette checklist

Clothes

4 Jumpers/ one-pieces/ onesies / Bodysuit  – are snap-bottom body shirts with wide head openings and loose legs. Some come with hoods, some with footies. 

2 One-piece pull on Pajama pants ( if they are footed, all the better)

7 Chest covers/tops/ Unisex Undershirts with side snaps. Those shirts/vests in thin muslin are great when baby is still a newborn, especially when weather is warm enough. When they get more active the ties of these shirts may be dangerous.

Checkout the tutorial to make a nice and simple Newborn baby top – with free sewing pattern and tutorial). When a baby is born and his umbilical cord is cut, he needs soft unrestrictive clothing on his body. This is the best top for those first few weeks.

2 Small dresses for girls / suitable gowns for the boys – for those mandatory hospital visits or for showing off the baby to grandparents / friends.

Maybe an elaborate one for any religious function. But if you want something simple checkout the tutorial for the easiest dress you can make for the newborn baby

3 Socks or footies ( you need one with covered elastic band at the ankles or crocheted footies)

1 or 2 Cardigan Sweaters  ( lightweight sweaters are ok for babies in a warm climate; for colder climates, thicker ones may be needed.)

2 caps  ( This is needed because they are susceptible to cold and a head covering is needed; try to find double lines ones)

2-3 mittens

3-4 bibs 

A big carton of diaper ( 24 or more) or

24 cloth diapers if you are into ecofriendly products 

Safety pins with lock if using cloth diapers; nylon pants to wear over diaper.

Check out the post on making cloth diapers with 18 free cloth diaper patterns

Linen

A 40 inch square soft cotton cloth/blanket to receive the baby at birth

2 Swaddle blankets

2 lightweight blankets 

2 Top sheets for the crib 

2 waterproof sheets/mattress covers

2 Fitted crib sheets

Crib pillow ( It may be dangerous to lay the baby near a pillow while he is sleeping) 

Crib side pads ( quilted)

2-3  hooded bath towels to keep the baby warm after a bath

If you have a bassinet buy waterproof sheets and blankets for the bassinet

Toiletries & other supplies

Baby shampoo & body wash

Baby wipes or Old square pieces of soft cotton fabric for wiping spills and such or tissues

A bottle of olive oil or baby oil

Soft hair brush

Gentle laundry detergent for delicate clothes

A diaper bag

Thermometer for babies

Gentle diaper cream

Formula, if you are not breastfeeding; Good quality feeding bottles with silicone nipples & nipple brush; Sterilizing equipment; Bottle brush. If you are breastfeeding a Nursing pillow

Dirty-diaper bin or bucket

Cot, crib, infant car seat, baby monitor, baby bath tub or a rubber sheet

A small nightlight

Baby Mosquito net if you have mosquitoes and other flies in your place

You may also want to buy and maintain a beautiful baby book for sweet memories.

The numbers mentioned in the Layette checklist above are just an indication. You may have to adjust this amount according to how often you plan to launder.

If you have more, you can be slightly lax in the frequency of laundering. But it is a good idea to do it every day as burp cloths and other soiled clothes should not be kept long without washing.

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