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5 picks · Zippers over snaps. That's the hill.
Buy zips, not snaps. Twenty-six snaps, misaligned, in the dark at 4am, is a miserable experience; every experienced parent says so and every registry ignores it. Two-way zips are better again: they let you change a nappy without undressing the top half. Beyond that, newborns need less than people buy and outgrow it faster than expected. Buy sparingly in newborn size, generously in 3–6 months, and spend the difference on more muslin swaddles. They end up used for everything except swaddling.
★ Top pickFooted sleepers that zip.
The one piece of advice every parent gives and every registry ignores. Twenty-six snaps in the dark, misaligned, is a miserable experience. Two-way zips let you change a diaper without undressing the top half.
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Large, breathable cotton squares.
Sunshade, nursing cover, burp cloth, playmat, blanket over the stroller. Almost never used for actual swaddling. Buy the large ones.
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◆ Budget pickWrap-style bodysuits that don’t go over the head.
For the first two weeks, the umbilical stump makes pull-over necks awkward, and newborns hate anything going over their face. Only needed briefly, but needed.
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Small cotton mitts.
Newborn fingernails are sharp and they have no aim. Sleepers with fold-over cuffs do the same job and never get lost.
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✧ UnderratedBooties with an elasticated ankle cuff.
Ordinary baby socks are gone within four minutes of leaving the house. The ankle-cuff booties are the only ones that stay on.
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Six to eight sleepers, six to eight bodysuits, a few pairs of booties, and two or three swaddles. Babies can go through two or three outfits on a bad day, so laundry frequency matters more than wardrobe size. Go light on newborn size; many babies are in it for only a few weeks.
A sleeper and a sleep sack rated for the room temperature, with nothing loose in the crib. Rule of thumb: one more layer than an adult would find comfortable in that room. Overheating is a risk, so err cooler.
Because a zip is one motion; snaps are twenty-six chances to misalign in the dark on a wriggling baby. Two-way zips open from the bottom for a diaper change without exposing the whole baby to a cold room.