Can a newborn wear a frock? Dresses for 0–3 month baby girls

The short answer

Yes, a newborn girl can wear a frock for short spells: a visit from relatives, a family photo or the first trip to Nani’s house. For everyday wear and for sleep, a sleepsuit is easier, because a frock rides up when she lies on her back and bunches every time she is lifted. Dress her in the frock for the moment, then change her back.

Plenty of parents search for a new born baby dress the moment they hear it’s a girl, and gifts tend to arrive in the same shape. There is nothing wrong with that. It just helps to know where a frock works well in the first months and where it gets in the way.

Why frocks and newborns don’t always get on

A newborn spends most of the day lying down, feeding or being held against a shoulder. In a frock, the skirt gathers up under her back when she lies down and slides up to her armpits each time someone lifts her, leaving her legs and nappy bare. A newborn also needs a nappy change many times a day, so you are lifting the skirt out of the way again and again. None of this is harmful in a short visit; it is simply fiddly as a daily routine, and it is why sleepsuits do most of the work at this age.

What to check on a newborn frock

Turn the frock inside out before she wears it, and check it the way you would check anything that will sit against new skin:

• A soft lining against her skin. Net, organza or sequinned fabric should only ever sit on the outside, over a smooth lining that covers every seam.
• An easy neckline: a wide neck, shoulder poppers or a front opening, so nothing has to be dragged over her face.
• No buttons, zips or bows down the back, where she lies on them.
• Matching bloomers or soft leggings with gentle elastic, so her nappy and legs stay covered.
• No loose bows, beads, pearls or sequins she could pull off, and no ribbons or ties at the neck.
• A short length, ending at the hip or upper thigh. Long skirts tangle around a newborn’s legs.

What ‘0 size’ on a label means

Size 0 is usually just a shop’s smallest size. Depending on the shop it can mean newborn, 0–3 months or even 0–6 months, and the same label can fit very differently from one brand to the next. So ignore the number and check two measurements: the chest of the frock, which should be a little more than hers so it closes without pulling, and the length, which is easiest kept short, around her hip or upper thigh.

For comparison, our first size is 0–3M, which fits babies of about 56–62 cm long and 4–6 kg, with a chest of about 40–42 cm. Our guide to baby clothes sizes by age and weight shows the next sizes, and if your daughter was born long or heavy, read whether a big newborn can skip 0–3 months before buying a stack of tiny frocks.

Wearing a frock in winter

A frock leaves arms and legs more exposed than a sleepsuit, so in a cold month it needs help. Put a long-sleeved bodysuit underneath, footed leggings or soft tights on her legs, and a cardigan on top that you can take off in a warm room. Feel the back of her neck or her chest to judge: if it is hot or damp, take the cardigan off; if it feels cool, add a layer. No hat indoors, as the NHS advises. For going out, put a jumpsuit or blanket over the frock, and take bulky layers off before she goes into the car seat.

Frock, romper dress or sleepsuit?

• Sleepsuit: nights, naps, everyday wear at home, cold days and the first weeks while the cord stump heals. A footed one such as the Sky Blue Striped Elephant Footed Sleepsuit, with snaps down the front and along one leg, keeps her covered from neck to toes. Our post on how to put a sleepsuit on a newborn makes the first few times easier.
• Romper dress: a one-piece with a little skirt attached and snaps underneath. The skirt can’t ride up because the body is a romper, so it suits a longer outing where you want a frock look.
• Frock: visits and photos, worn with bloomers, for an hour or two before you change her into something easier.
• Skip: a wardrobe full of frocks in 0–3M. Our list of newborn clothes you can skip explains why the first size goes so quickly. You can see our sleepsuits in rompers and sleepsuits.

Quick answers