How do I dress my baby who’s arriving in summer?

Essential items checklist

You might be wondering which innerwear to choose for babies, who naturally grow faster and perspire more. Because innerwear will come into direct contact with your baby’s delicate skin, you’ll want to be very particular about how gentle the innerwear is on skin and how comfortable it is. If you’re interested, we have some advice on innerwear and other items that you’ll want to prepare in advance of your baby’s arrival in summer. This includes suggestions on fabrics that are very breathable and are excellent at releasing moisture.

My baby can’t hold his head up yet, so I dress him in innerwear that opens to the front. The innerwear is mesh, so it’s also great for my son, who perspires a lot. It can be fastened with buttons at the crotch, so it doesn’t ride up when he moves around, which is a lot. The feature is very helpful.

Working mother (aged 25)
2-month-old boy

I bought three sets of the mesh sleeveless innerwear. I dress my baby in them every day when we’re at home. The prices are reasonable as well, so the items were easy on the wallet even when I bought both patterned and solid-color sets!

Housewife (aged 23)
5-month-old girl

AIRism and the mesh items are essential in summer. And I seldom fasten the buttons wrong because their colors are different. This makes it easier to ask my husband to dress our baby.

Working mother (aged 29)
5-month-old girl

What types of innerwear should I get for a baby born in summer? And how many?

The short innerwear, which is for wicking perspiration, is worn directly over skin. The combination innerwear is for layering over top. And it’s for regulating body temperature. The short-sleeve and sleeveless bodysuits offer convenience. They can be used in place of the short innerwear. Plus, buttons at their crotches ensure tummies remain covered. You’ll want to ready about five to six of each for wicking perspiration and regulating body temperature. You’ll likely be changing innerwear two to three times a day due to perspiration and burping.

【Modeled items】
Baby(Newborn) Inner 2P (Short innerwear) (Item not available in the Philippines)
Baby(Newborn) Inner 2P
Baby(Newborn) Crew Neck Short Sleeve Bodysuit 2P
Baby(Newborn) Cotton Mesh Inner Bodysuit 2P Sleeveless

Combination guide

When indoors, put the combination innerwear over the short innerwear or sleeveless bodysuit. When going out, put shortalls over top in place of the combination innerwear. While the shortalls are cotton, an innerwear item directly on skin wicks perspiration faster. Frequently check both for perspiration, and change when necessary.

At first, move up in size about every three months. Innerwear that’s too loose doesn’t properly wick perspiration, so choose the right size for your baby and move up in size in conjunction with your baby’s growth.

Short-sleeve bodysuit
This bodysuit can serve in the place of the short innerwear. It fastens at the front, so it’s easy dressing babies who still can’t hold their heads up. It also has buttons at the crotch to keep tummies covered. On warm days, this one item should be enough.

【Modeled items】
Baby(Newborn) Cotton Mesh Inner Bodysuit 2P Short Sleeve

Sleeveless bodysuit
Consider the sleeveless bodysuit as well if the day is hot or your baby is heavily perspiring. This bodysuit also simplifies changing when it’s worn under shortalls. An adorably designed camisole model is available, too.

【Modeled items】
Baby(Newborn) Cotton Mesh Inner Bodysuit 2P Sleeveless

Selecting the season’s right fabric for babies born in summer

You’ll want to select fabrics that are appropriate for the season when preparing innerwear. In addition to standard cotton, consider cotton mesh and AIRism. They both breathe well. The cotton mesh fabric is characterized by excellent moisture evaporation because less of it comes into direct contact with skin. The AIRism fabric quickly dries perspiration to keep skin dry. Both fabrics offer the added convenience of drying quickly after laundering, which will be frequent.

You might think that your baby should be fine in shortalls alone in summer, but in general your baby is better off if innerwear lies directly against his or her skin. Innerwear naturally wicks perspiration. Thought has also gone into producing a gentle feel to the touch and protecting delicate skin. For example, the seams are on the outside. Normally, you’ll want to change the innerwear when your baby perspires. Nonetheless, you can cut down on the frequency of changing by sliding a thin, tiny towel between the layers at back, which sees more perspiration.

You’ll want to get short-sleeve shortalls in preparation for going out or receiving visitors in summer. Simply putting these on over short innerwear or a bodysuit produces a “well-dressed” appearance. You’ll appreciate that the sections that come into contact with skin are made of cotton.

【Modeled items】

Baby(Newborn) Shortalls (Item not available in the Philippines)

An adorable coordination item for babies that keeps diapers out of sight

These separate bloomers are coordination items that you might want to consider for your baby. Just slipping them over innerwear or shortalls instantly produces a look for going out in. They conceal diapers and produce an adorable appearance when your baby is on all fours.

【Modeled items】
Baby(Newborn) Bloomer
Baby(Newborn) Short Sleeve Bodysuit (Item not available in the Philippines)

An adorable accent for your baby’s coordinated look

You can never have enough bibs, which come in handy to catch drool. They’re also ideal when your baby is receiving milk. The front is 100% cotton, which is absorbent and gentle on skin. The back is AIRism pile, which is highly absorbent and dries quickly.

【Modeled items】
Baby(Newborn) Bib 3P (Item available in most stores)
Baby(Newborn) Crew Neck Short Sleeve Bodysuit 1P (Item not available in the Philippines)

These bibs come in many designs, ranging from simple ones that are easy to coordinate to patterned ones that can become the accents of coordinated looks. You’ll be using many every day, so you’ll rest easier if you get several of these bargain sets.

【Modeled items】
Baby(Newborn) Bib 3P (Item available in most stores)

In summer, you’ll be changing your baby’s innerwear frequently over the day due to perspiration, burping, and diaper leakage. These items quickly dry after laundering if it’s sunny out. Nonetheless, you’ll want to ready five to six sets because there may be days when you’re too exhausted to run a load of laundry.

【Modeled items】
Baby(Newborn) Inner 2P (Short innerwear) (Item not available in the Philippines)
Baby(Newborn) Inner 2P
Baby(Newborn) Crew Neck Short Sleeve Bodysuit 2P (Item available in most stores)
Baby(Newborn) AIRism Mesh Sleeveless Bodysuit 2P

【Staff Credit】
Photographer: Keisuke Saito
Stylist: Tomoyo Maruo
Editor: Kaoru Yamamoto
Writer :Keiko Egashira