Baby Towels
The recommended lists of clothes and equipment you’ll need for a new baby are huge, but one thing that’s often overlooked is baby towels. When bathing your baby you’ll need a baby bath or suitable container, special baby wash and baby shampoo and of course a towel to dry off your baby when he’s finished his bath. Towels used on your baby should be kept separate from your own so you should make sure you buy at least a few towels for baby before he makes his arrival.
Every baby towel should be washed before use in a non biological detergent that is gentle on your baby’s skin. The material of the towel itself should also be soft on the skin and absorbent. 100% cotton towels are the best fabric choice and try to buy organic cotton if you can. Organic baby towels are a little more expensive than the regular versions but they are produced without using harmful chemicals which could make their way onto a baby’s fragile skin.
Embroidered baby towels
Baby towels sometimes come with motifs and designs embroidered on them and these can be very cute and are a great gift for a baby shower. Popular designs include ducks, teddy bears and cute characters like Winnie the Pooh. It’s also possible to buy a personalized baby towel with the baby’s name embroidered on to it.
If you find these items a little expensive, it is possible to embroider your own plain towels. Some fancy sewing machines have automatic embroidery programs embroidered into them and it’s just a case of choosing your design and setting the machine to go. If you like doing things by hand, hand embroidery can be a rewarding hobby and there are many free patterns suitable for babies available on the internet.
Hooded baby towels
A hooded baby towel is a good investment for a newborn as small babies lose heat quickly from their heads and using a towel with a hood ensures they are kept dry and warm before they become too cold. You’ll probably need two or three, depending on how often you do laundry. Hooded towels are generally square shaped with a hood in the corner. They come in many different colors and designs including towels embroidered with cute animals and favorite characters. Some of these fancier towels can be quite expensive, especially the ones featuring Disney characters etc but you can pick up the simpler versions quite cheaply from supermarkets or online.
Hooded towels for baby are generally designed to fit smaller babies so they will outgrow them eventually. Some shops stock larger versions intended for older babies or if you want you can even make your own hooded towels out of a regular towel. This can also save you a bit of money as normal towels are much cheaper than the hooded varieties.
To make your own simply sew a square face cloth or small hand towel to the corner of a regular sized square towel. You can create a cute effect by using contrasting colors for the two different towels.
Caring for your baby bath towels
Towels should be washed at 100 degrees centigrade in order to kill any bugs that are lingering in them. This is particularly important when towels are to be used on babies as their immune systems are not sufficiently developed. Babies are also likely to pee and poo on the towels making them full of bacteria. Ensure you use a non biological detergent and a suitable softener without perfumes that are recommended for use with baby clothing. Drying towels in a tumble dryer will make them extra soft on your baby’s skin. It’s a good idea to pop the towel on a radiator while your baby is in the bath so it’s toasty warm and ready for him when he comes out.
