I never gave it much though before, but I’ve just learned that you can experience damaging sun rays right through your clothing.

I was always careful to apply sunscreen to my baby when he was young and he always wore a hat when we were going to be in bright sunlight. Now you can go a step further and choose clothing that provides protection as well.

The Alex & Me Company Company sells clothing that does just that. “All our manufactures swim fabrics have been tested to prevent the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB rays from damaging the skin and are highly resistant to chlorine and salt water damage.”

They have the cutest little baby swim outfits, even long sleeve swim shirts to provide full protection.

Baby’s first Fall

The general rule for dressing your baby for fall is layering!  In the fall, the weather could be warm on minute and cool the next.  If you layer your baby’s clothing, you can add clothes or take them off as the weather changes throughout the day.  Here are some things you should have for your baby this fall:
 
Onesies - A perennial favorite of mommies everywhere, onesies are wonderful. The best thing is that they make them in either short sleeves OR long sleeves, so as the fall weather varies, you can put one on under whatever your baby is wearing for the day.  You can then take off the outer layer if your little one is too warm.

Blanket sleepers - Especially when your baby is a newborn, he will spend most of his time in sleepers.  Even if your baby is a little older, sleepers are great because they keep baby covered, especially when it’s a little chilly.  There are many styles to choose from, and be sure to choose some that are in heavier fabrics than you would choose for summertime.  You want to keep your baby warm, but not TOO warm. 

A jacket - It doesn’t need to be as heavy as a winter coat, but you need to have something for those fall days when it gets a little on the chilly side. Fleece jackets or hoodies are a great option.

Socks - You’ll want to have warm socks to keep baby’s feet covered.

If you have a newborn, those items may be all the items you purchase for now.  For babies who are a little older, you might want to check out a few other things to buy in addition to those listed above:

Jeans or Overalls - Depending on the age of your baby, you may have only one or two pairs of jeans for him, or as many as four or five. 

Long sleeved t-shirts - You might want to get several in different colors.  They work well with layering (over a onesie or under a sweater) and are ideal for fall and winter.  

Sweaters - You’ll want to purchase a couple of sweaters for those fall outings. 

It’s a smart idea to keep a backpack with extra layers of clothing for baby in the trunk of your car for those sudden temperature changes while you’re out and about and get caught up somewhere for longer than you expected.