Whether you’re preparing for a baby of your own or choosing a gift, buying baby clothes can be more complicated than you might think. Here are four useful tips for buying baby clothes.

1. Don’t Stick to a Single Brand

Children, teenagers and adults may prefer specific brands, designers or clothing collections, but babies don’t have such preferences. There is no need to only purchase baby clothes from one or a few brands. Instead, make choices based on need, comfort, price and the baby’s size. For example, you may choose store brand options for some of a baby’s clothes while purchasing specific items from a brand or collection such as Turtledove babe clothes.

2. Keep an Eye out for Deals and Sales

Because babies grow quickly and can be messy, purchasing clothing for them can be a high long-term expense. Taking advantage of deals and sales can help you save money. Many stores include baby clothes and supplies in their holiday and back-to-school sales. You should also be able to find good deals at second-hand and nearly new shops. Buying clothes during the off-season is also helpful. Winter clothing is more likely to be on the sales rack during the summer and vice versa, so you can buy larger clothes for a baby to grow into at lower prices.

3. Dress Babies According to Their Specific Needs

Keeping a baby’s specific needs in mind is important. Babies can’t tell you when they are uncomfortable or want to wear a different outfit. In some cases, such as wearing socks and shoes, safety or use may be more important than comfort. However, you should still do your best to dress a baby according to his or her needs. Dress babies appropriately for the season and weather and make sure they have light, breathable clothing for summer and warm layers for winter. It may be easier to dress newborns in onesies. As babies grow, you can begin to experiment with style. Premature babies may require thicker clothing or more layers for protection from the cold.

4. Buy Clothes One Size Larger Than a Baby’s Current Size

A good rule of thumb when buying clothes for babies is to buy a size up instead of the size the baby currently wears. Babies have incredibly fast growth rates and will outgrow their clothes much more quickly than older children and even toddlers. Buying a size up gives the baby a chance to grow into the item of clothing. This can save you money in the long term and ensure your baby gets as much use out of a piece of clothing as possible.

It’s easy to know what types of clothes babies need, but it can still be difficult to buy the best items for them. Babies have specific clothing needs, such as bibs and small shoe sizes. However, they aren’t yet able to tell people whether their clothes are too big or small or if they dislike certain fabrics. You need to pay attention to a baby’s reactions to clothes and buy new ones based on those reactions.