Romper, sleepsuit, jumpsuit or dungarees? Baby clothes explained

The names, in one list

• Bodysuit (also called a vest or onesie): a close-fitting top with snaps between the legs. Worn under other clothes, or on its own in warm weather.
• Romper: a one-piece outfit with short or cropped legs and no feet, usually with snaps along the legs. Worn as a whole outfit, mostly in the daytime.
• Sleepsuit (also called a babygrow or footie): a one-piece with long sleeves and long legs, usually with covered feet, fastened with snaps or a zip. For sleeping, and for everyday wear in the first months.
• Jumpsuit or all-in-one: a warmer one-piece, often in fleece, sherpa or a thick knit and often with a hood, for going out in cooler weather.
• Dungarees: trousers with a bib and shoulder straps, worn over a top. Good for crawling babies and toddlers.
• Two-piece set: a top with matching trousers or joggers. You can change one half at a time.

Which to choose

• The first months: sleepsuits and bodysuits do most of the work. Snaps down the front and along the legs make nappy changes quick.
• Crawling and standing: two-piece sets and dungarees move well and keep knees covered.
• Warm days: a romper on its own.
• Going out in winter: a hooded jumpsuit over a sleepsuit or a bodysuit and knit set, taken off again indoors.

Things to check before you buy

• Fastenings: snaps or a zip that open from the neck down the legs mean you don’t have to undress your baby for a change.
• Covered feet keep socks from going missing, but there should be room for the toes to move.
• Ribbed cuffs keep sleeves and legs in place when your baby wriggles.
• Hoods and hats are for going out, not for sleep. The NHS and the Lullaby Trust advise taking hats off indoors and keeping a baby’s head uncovered while they sleep.

Sources

NHS Best Start in Life, “How to dress a newborn baby”; NHS, “Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)”; The Lullaby Trust, safer sleep advice.

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