A newborn baby, although one of the most incredible joys in a person’s life, can also present something of a headache. The spending that is required to keep a baby healthy, happy and well-clothed is something that can really mount up and make any parent panic a little bit. There is no doubt whatsoever that some unscrupulous individuals will try to take advantage of this by selling baby gear at exhorbitant prices and trying to emotionally blackmail parents into spending that kind of money – “if you really care for your baby, you’ll pay whatever it takes” being the rather grubby subtext of their sales pitch.

Paying these people no heed can be difficult, but it really is the best option in the long run. Anyone who tries to tell you that your baby needs what they are selling has run out of more inventive sales techniques and is just a money-grabbing ghoul. You can dress a baby in hand-me-down clothes and they will not be adversely affected physically or mentally. It is one of the last points at which you can observe a total absence of direct peer pressure – your baby doesn’t care a jot if their clothes are not designer and you have not spent every penny you have on them. Let your baby’s happiness be the only important factor in all of this – some shyster’s sales pitch will be no help to anyone but themselves. Giving them what they need does not necessitate spending untold sums on supposedly state-of-the-art baby clothes.

Your baby could not possibly care less what color his shirt is or if her socks match her hair bow.  Belts and buckles and pockets and suspenders matter not to them.  Your baby would much rather wear a simple cotton onesie that “breathes”, keeps him warm and allows him freedom of movement!

One of the most frequent gifts given at baby showers would have to be baby clothes. This has come about through many of the guests at showers being parents themselves and knowing how much money can go into clothes for a new baby.

There is a fairly obvious reason why this kind of spending becomes necessary – babies grow quickly, and that means outgrowing their old clothes. The expense that can result from this means that the new parents can often be looking at a fairly frightening addition to their monthly budget. Child benefit was designed for this very reason.

Clothing for babies is a huge industry all by itself, and as a new parent you will quickly become aware just how frequently the baby clothing manufacuturers think you need to re-clothe your child. There are many reasons why you should think twice before following their wishes – not least the fact that they are exploiting a need for their own financial gain.

If you can re-use clothes from a previous child, there is no reason not to.   If you plan to have more than one child, carefully storing the clothes between uses will help extend their life.  Be sure to thoroughly wash all items, removing stains and mending lost buttons or bows.  When completely dry, store in airtight bags or container, away from heat, in a dry area of your home.

If your friends bestow new clothes on you as a gift, thank them profusely. They understand how much it can take to keep a baby in new clothes.

Asking your own parents how they managed is also never a dumb idea. Think about it – you have reached the point where you have been able to bring a child into the world, so they obviously did OK themselves. They know a lot, and although you may want to do things your way, they will want the best for their grandchild, and will be of endless help to you.

One of the most familiar traditions when it comes to a new baby is the question of what color to paint their nursery, and what color clothes to buy for them. As the old traditions have it, there are only two options, and these are dependent upon one major factor – the sex of the baby. If your baby is a boy, the tradition claims, he should be clothed in blue. If you have a daughter, then they must be clothed in pink. There is, it has to be said, absolutely no practical reason as a parent for sticking to this, although it does save a few seconds when people meet your baby for the first time and do not have to ask “Is it a little boy or a little girl?”

What can be said for certain is that children do react to colors quite early on, and for reasons best known to themselves will favor certain colors over others. Psychologists will even point to the effect that can be had by color on grown adults, and some sports teams even take it into account when choosing uniform colors. Have you ever seen a professional men’s football team wearing pink jerseys?

Until a baby’s vision has begun to develop, usually at around 4 months of age,  they’re more attracted to bright, primary colors - red, blue, yellow and green.  Althought they can see when they’re born, their vision hasn’t fully developed, making pastel colors difficult for them to distinguish.

Clothing your child in a color that they like can, without a doubt, make for a happier baby. Clothing it in the color of your favorite team may have the effect of giving them a liking for that color and therefore that team, but it is a bit underhanded. If you are OK with that, go ahead.