I said to myself, "What the heck is a layette?"
The paragraph itself wasn't any help because it just continued to list other things that I should help shop for (ie: crib, stroller) so that I could feel involved.
Still I wondered, "What the heck is a layette?"
Wikipedia came through for me. According to some nameless wiki-writers, a layette is "a collection of clothing for a newborn child." Apparently, the term has been expanded to cover the whole baby-shower genre. Several examples of items contained in a layette are:
- burp cloths
- hooded towels
- kimonos
I kid you not -- kimonos. Burp cloths I could have predicted. Hooded towels I might have missed. But kimonos? I did not realize that we needed one. I am grateful that I have this book to point this stuff out. I guess I really am as clueless as I feared.
Wikipedia also says that "the amount of each item needed varies by source, and is mostly a matter of willingness to do laundry." I don't really like to do laundry, so we'll probably need several kimonos.
4 comments:
D, having birthed and raised two infants in my 4 1/2 years of being a parent, I understand the kimonos to be something like this tee. The best reason I see to put your baby in this type of tee is for that first week or two when their belly button is healing. If you have your baby in a onesie, it can rub up against the fabric and start oozing or bleeding or possibly causing dicomfort. I suspect if newborn babies were clad in traditional kimonos, you would have a difficult time nursing or changing the baby.
On another note, though I did read the WHAT TO EXPECT books, most of my friends think there are far better lines out there, and for expectant fathers in particular, you might want to explore this search.
By child #4 the hem of your shirt serves as a burpcloth and any clean towel within reach serves as a hooded one. The one thing I can't live without is called a bouncer. It reclines the baby a little so his head is supported but he can still see everything that is going on, and it's simple and light enough that you can take it room to room with you. I keep mine on the kitchen counter so I can talk to the baby while I work in there. I love it.
All my children wore "kimono" type sleepwear because it had a string at the bottom that could be cinched up tight and they would stay warm at night with their legs next to each other rather than separated in traditional pjs. Also they had little folds on the sleeves so that you could cover their hands to stay warm and they wouldn't scratch themselves with their tiny nails that seem to grow daily. I'll have to see if we can locate one and send it to you to see. Helen
helen, I thought those were considered the sleep sacks or nightgowns...rather than kimono?
Post a Comment