How Often Do You Change Baby Clothes?

Wondering how often do you change baby clothes?

Once a day? Twice a day? Every time you change their diaper?

Let us help answer your questions on changing baby clothes and more in this guide!

Many new parents are surprised at just how regularly they end up changing their babies clothes.

One of the main reasons behind this is that babies get dirty easily. If they don’t wear clean clothing, they can become sick or develop rashes.

But when exactly should you change baby clothes? Let’s dive in and take a look!

And if you love this baby clothes changing guide, then make sure to check out our guides on when to wash baby clothes, should you wash new baby clothes, and clever ways to organize baby clothes.

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So, How Do You Change Baby Clothes?

Whilst some of these reasons for changing your baby clothes may seem like common sense, knowing why you are doing something can be very beneficial, especially for new parents.

So, lets look at some reasons to change your baby’s clothes:

When Your Baby Has Been Sick On Themselves

Babies spew a lot and for many different reasons such as reflux. But that doesn’t mean to say that you need to change their clothes every time that they are sick.

A lot of the time a bib or burb cloth will catch the spew which exactly what it is designed for. In these cases you can simply remove the bib or burb cloth with no need to change your baby’s clothes. 

But, if the spew has soaked through the bib or burb cloth and wet your baby’s clothes then it is a good idea to change their clothing. This prevents them for picking up any bacteria or germs that may be in the spew and also prevents them from becoming cold due to the wet clothing.

When They Get Up In The Morning

When babies get up in the morning it is a great idea to change their clothes. Just like everyone else babies sweat overnight, and we all know that there’s no worse feeling than not getting changed in the morning.

If your baby has slept in a vest or sleep suit then the morning is a great time to change them into a daytime outfit. You may choose to change your baby into a baby grow or a different sleep suit, or you may have a coordinated outfit planned. 

At Bedtime

Establishing a good bedtime routine is pivotal for your little one and for the whole family. Having a good bedtime routine can lead to better sleep and better physical and mental health for both you and your baby.

Getting changed before bed is a staple part of the bedtime routine, this could be after a bath or simply before you lay them down to sleep, whatever works for you. 

Changing your little one’s clothes at night is also important as depending on the climate and the temperature of the nursery or room that they are sleeping in, their needs for overnight may vary from that in the day.

How many degrees Fahrenheit the room that your baby sleeps in makes a huge difference to what they need to wear to sleep in and how many layers they need. 

We talk about this more in our guide on how to dress your baby for sleep.

On top of this your baby’s day times clothes will have been gathering germs, dirt and bacteria all day (even if there is nothing visible) so it is essential that they get changed before bed.

This is because they need clean clothes as dirty clothes can make them ill or cause rashes. 

When They Are Going To Experience A Change In Climate 

It might sound obvious but one of the most common times that you need to change your baby’s clothes is when the climate changes.

So, if you decide to go out for a walk but its slightly cooler outside you might need to change them into something warmer than what they have been wearing inside.

Similarly, if you’re just getting home or going somewhere warmer than you may need to change what they are wearing to match the temperature.

One of the easiest ways to do this is often by layering, this way you may not have to change them as often, you can simply add or take away layers. 

Another thing to bear in mind when it comes to changing your baby’s clothes to meet the climate is that it is not just temperature that you should take into account but other weather.

For instance, if it is raining, and they are not going to be under a rain cover for any reason, then you might want to consider putting them in something waterproof.

Similarly, babies can burn really easily so even when there is just a small amount of sun you should try to put them in clothing that will protect their skin by keeping it covered up. However, confusingly it is also important to make sure that your baby does not overheat. 

When They Are Sick

Unfortunately, just like everybody else babies can get sick. Despite all of your best efforts sometimes it just happens. Obviously, when anyone is ill they have more germs and infection.

Therefore, it is essential to make sure that you are changing your baby’s clothes regularly when they are sick.

Whether it is a sickness bug, a cold or something else entirely one of the best ways of stopping the germs from cycling around and around is by changing the baby’s clothes as these will very quickly become covered in germs. 

It is also important to remember that changing your baby’s clothes regularly could help to stop the infection or virus from spreading to other members of your household or other people that they may come into contact with. 

When They Are Dirty

If you’re baby has been loving some messy play time or maybe they are starting solids and the bib just didn’t cut it, then it’s probably a good time to change their clothes especially if they are wet.

If they are sitting it wet clothes for a long period of time then this can make them cold leading to other issues.

Plus you’ll probably want to get them changed to prevent the mess from spreading throughout your home.

Final Thoughts On How Frequently to Change Baby Clothes

Hopefully, this has answered some questions about why you should change your baby’s clothes often and how often you should change them.

The main reason is arguably hygiene related as illnesses can be detrimental to babies. On top of that, temperature control is super essential when it comes to your little one as they will struggle to do this for themselves. 

With all of the above in mind the best thing that you can do is use your common sense and also listen to your baby’s cues.

For instance, babies may not be able to talk yet but that doesn’t mean that they can not communicate, they will frequently cry to tell you that something is wrong and this could be that they are too warm or that they are too cold.

And if you’re looking for more great baby guides, then check out these clothing guides on best dryer sheets for babies, best baby fabric softener, should you hang or fold baby clothes, and best baby dressers for nursery.