She Dresses Children to Move in Style, Comfort and Safety

How do you get a screaming baby to calm down and maybe even smile? Try removing his clothing, because it just might be making him miserable, suggests Shelley Armstrong, who recently opened Cotton Kangaroo, a children’s store in Pasadena for infants to children Size 7.

Armstrong opened the store because she had difficulty finding the kind of clothes that made her children happy. Now she is running a one-woman campaign to teach parents how to dress their children for maximum comfort.

“There is a science to this. The wrong clothes may even interfere with a baby’s development,” warns Armstrong.

For example, when your baby is around 4 months old and begins to roll, protruding buttons or decorations will hurt and encumber him. Some babies will even give up trying to roll if the clothes are binding, she says.

Armstrong believes children of all ages need clothing that allows complete freedom of movement. But as small children’s motor skills develop, their clothing needs change. To help parents choose the appropriate items, she offers the following tips in her informal classes held twice a month and free of charge at the store:

INFANTS: Babies need to be able to explore with their hands, so avoid outfits with attached mittens. If you are using mittens to prevent the baby from scratching himself, try a simple manicure instead. Overuse of mittens inhibits children learning how to use their hands, Armstrong says.

Dress your baby in the same number of layers of clothes that you are wearing; it is a great misconception that babies get cold more easily than adults.

Make sure that buttons are sewn on securely, so that your child cannot pull them off and pop them in his mouth.

CRAWLERS: This is the time when children can become the most encumbered by their clothing. They get tangled in skirts, dresses and loose-fitting pants. Armstrong recommends pants with elastic around the bottom of the legs to ensure the knees have some padding and to prevent the child from crawling out of the clothes. The knees take a lot of abuse at this stage of development so it is wise to keep them covered to prevent chapping.

Make sure neck and arm openings are large enough for comfort. Some young children wonder if they are going to get stuck in turtlenecks while putting them on. If possible, children should try them on in the store to ensure proper fit.

TODDLERS: Children need and like to learn how to dress themselves, so buy clothes that ease the process. Elasticized pants and uncomplicated pullovers without buttons and zippers are best. Mark the sides of your child’s shoes so that he can distinguish left from right.