One of the most practical and sought-after baby items is baby onesies. Not only do they look completely adorable, but they also remain in place no matter how much the baby moves and make changing a diaper so much easier.
A baby onesie is a great gift and a must-have item to make the baby comfortable while looking cute as well as being practical.
If you check out a newborn’s wardrobe, you’ll find many different onesies for every occasion, but as the child grows, baby clothes change, and onesies are used less often.
Most parents would love to see their babies in onesies forever, but as with every baby item, there’s a time limit for when it’s considered appropriate to wear onesies and when you’ll need to move on.
So when do babies stop wearing onesies? It will depend on many factors, so let’s see what those are.
What are onesies?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, “a onesie is a bodysuit for an infant having a snap closure at the crotch and not covering the legs.” It also refers to “a one-piece garment for adults, usually with long sleeves and pants and sometimes with a hood.”
Baby onesies are essentially the ones that resemble a t-shirt, long or short-sleeved, and that have snaps underneath to close it at the crotch area. The ones that cover the baby’s legs and arms (and in some cases cover the baby’s feet as well) and close at the front with either snap buttons or a zipper are bodysuits or sleepsuits. Still, although they technically aren’t onesies, they are popularly known as such, and we will include them in this analysis.
Curiously, onesies were invented for adults, but in time adults stopped regularly wearing onesies, and they became a beloved baby item instead.
Onesies come in many models, but one of the most common features of a onesie, besides the closure of the diaper area, is that it has two flaps on the shoulder area. Do you know what they’re for?
It’s actually a very practical feature because it allows the parent to put on and remove the onesie downward and not through the baby’s head. Meaning, that if the onesie got soiled or your baby doesn’t like to have their head covered for even a second, you can remove the onesie by carefully getting the baby’s arms out through the neck area and sliding the onesie from the chest and through the legs. You won’t spread any of the mess, and it will be a more hygienic way to do this.
Why do babies wear onesies?
As we said before, wearing onesies allows the baby to move around without the risk of their clothes riding up and covering their faces (which poses a suffocation risk), especially when they’re at the newborn stage.
Also, if the baby wears onesies to sleep or bodysuits, parents can rest assured that they will help with keeping their baby warm. If the baby feels cold, they will wake up more frequently, and also, there’s the risk of them getting sick, and no one wants their baby to be sick.
In places with cold weather, using protective clothes that keep the baby warm around the chest and tummy area is a must. If the temperature is too low, adding a sleep sack or a swaddle can also help because remember that babies up until they’re 12 months old should not use loose sheets to prevent suffocation risks.
In warmer weather, if you’re not using an air conditioner, the baby can sleep with a normal onesie, but sleepsuits are recommended if indeed you use the AC.
Using onesies is also a matter of style and preference. Many parents like to dress their babies in cute outfits and prefer them to be well presented. If you as a parent don’t want your baby showing their chubby tummy or a bit of their diaper because the shirt or t-shirt moves and exposes them, then onesies are your best option because they remain in place all the time.
However, if your baby uses cloth nappies instead of disposable diapers, beware of compression leaks. This happens when the onesie is too tight around the diaper area and may cause them to wet themselves or have a blowout. So with cloth nappies, make sure the onesies are not compressing them to prevent any accidents.
When do babies stop wearing onesies and reasons to stop
Onesies come in many sizes, from preemie, newborn, and month ranges (0-3 months, 3-6, 6-9, 12, 18, and 24 months), up to toddler sizes 2T and even 3T on some brands.
But the decision on when to stop your baby from wearing onesies, no matter what the market suggests, lies in convenience and personal choice.
When the baby starts crawling, there are pros and cons to wearing onesies. For example, babies need to feel their surrounding areas to be stimulated and to learn. So with full-length bodysuits, they won’t get those sensations as they would without them, and in those cases wearing traditional onesies without the legs would be better. However, the long legs of bodysuits may offer some protection to the baby’s knees.
Also, when babies crawl, if they’re not wearing onesies, their t-shirts ride up on the back and expose them, so if you don’t like that, then allow them to keep wearing onesies.
As the baby starts independent walking, the first adjustment you need to make is to stop wearing onesies that cover the baby’s feet, so they don’t slip on them and accidentally harm themselves. It also allows them to feel the floor with their bare feet.
It’s been proven that baby’s feet contain sensory receptors that gather information and send it to the baby’s brain to fine-tune their motricity and body movements when they stand and walk. So expert advice is that when babies start walking, they should do it barefoot and only use shoes to protect their feet when they leave the house or at a place where you as a parent can’t control if they can get harmed or not.
A baby starts walking normally around the ages of 10-18 months old.
But the main reason a baby stops wearing onesies is when they begin potty training, also known as toilet training. The potty training process requires fast response and easy access because, at first, toddlers can’t retain for long times, and once you notice they need to go to the toilet, or if they do tell you, you’ll need to move fast. Most babies begin to potty train between 18 to 24 months old, but they may not be ready until they’re 3 years old.
The snaps underneath take more time than simply pulling regular pants down and then removing the diapers when children need to go to the toilet. And if the child wants to be self-dependent, they may have trouble removing the onesies during potty training. That’s the reason most parents stop using onesies. Simply to make toilet training easier and accident-free.
There are cases where small children enjoy dressing themselves and like to have a say on what they wear, so they stop wearing onesies sooner because they simply want to develop their own sense of style. Yes, it actually happens more than you know.
Kids may have a personal preferences and want to feel more independent, no matter the age, so they may disregard baby onesies altogether and choose regular pajamas and clothing like regular shirts, dresses, skirts, and regular pants. Allowing them to choose their own outfits helps them develop their own identity and sense of self, which in the long run is very necessary for healthy self-esteem.
Final thoughts
There’s no specific answer on when babies stop wearing onesies, and it’s not a big deal if you decide to dress your baby with onesies for a short period of time or a longer one. As we said initially, it is a matter of convenience and personal choice.
Here are some quick and practical tips to determine if you or your child need to move on from onesies:
- Did your child start walking? Walking babies require more freedom of movement and stability, so if they’re wearing onesies, make sure they don’t cover their feet.
- Are you potty training? It is crucial during potty training to react fast, so most toddlers stop wearing onesies while potty training because they’re not practical to open them up and remove the diaper fast enough, which may lead to accidents.
- Is your child refusing to wear onesies? No matter the age, a toddler may prefer to wear a specific type of clothing and be self-sufficient; onesies may not be on that list. Let your toddler choose what makes them feel comfortable and confident.