When you think of baby clothing, you immediately think of onesies. Onesies are the one category of clothing that dominates a baby’s wardrobe for at least the entire first year, and for good reason. Not only are they super convenient as a complete outfit, they’re also designed to make diaper changes as easy as possible. In the summer months, your baby will live in short sleeve bodysuits, and in the winter months, they’ll likely be in mostly rompers or footies. As your little one grows and you continue to size up, you’ll realize at some point that most brands only carry onesies up to 18-24 months. So, it begs the question: when do babies stop wearing onesies or bodysuits? Like all good things, the onesie era must come to an end, and it usually happens sometime between 12-24 months. Here’s why:
THEY’VE STARTED WALKING
Once your little one is on the move, a few things happen. They’ll be so busy working on this new motor milestone, they won’t want to stop. Not only is their newfound independence completely fascinating to them, they’re less likely to be as compliant when it comes to changing their diaper or getting changed into clothes. While you might be able to get away with pulling on a short sleeve bodysuit over their head as they’re standing and trying to wriggle away, getting a romper or a footie may prove to be near impossible. Pulling on a shirt and pants is much easier on an upright toddler, and it’s also a good opportunity to slowly begin teaching them how to dress themselves. Another reason to stop wearing onesies once your little one starts walking is the fact that footed pajamas can easily become a slipping hazard. Although our footies in sizes 6-12 months and up come with grips on the soles, you may want to use them solely for sleep once your little one begins to cruise or walk.
THEY’RE IN DAYCARE
Although it isn’t necessary to ditch the onesies just because your little one is in daycare, putting your baby in two piece outfits can make it a lot easier for daycare providers to detect dirty diapers. Rather than doing the sniff test, they can simply pull back the waistband of the pants to check if your little one needs changing. If your little one is close to toddlerhood, they may even begin to hide when they’re pooping, making it that much harder to detect when their diaper is dirty.
THEY’RE POTTY TRAINING
One of the biggest reasons to stop wearing onesies or bodysuits is when your little one embarks on this huge milestone: potty training. The early days of toilet training can look like pure chaos. You’ll want to keep a potty at hand 24/7, carrying it from room to room and even in your car. Since your child likely won’t start out voicing their need to use the potty, you’ll first notice the cues that they’re already starting to strain, and you’ll want to get them out of their clothes and on the potty as quickly as possible. The right clothing becomes a matter of convenience, and pulling down pants is much quicker and easier than undoing snaps and pulling hanging fabric out of the way. If your little one has an accident, and it’s inevitable that they will, changing soiled pants is much easier than removing a bodysuit or onesie—which can get messy. Additionally, as your toddler becomes more independent during their potty training, you’ll want to encourage them to pull down their own pants and get on the potty on their own, especially if you’re preparing them for preschool.
YOU WANT MORE STYLE OPTIONS
Not only will you be hard pressed to find onesies in sizes past 24 months, your child’s style will change as they grow. Bodysuits and onesies are necessities for the first year of life because they’re convenient and comfortable for babies who only lay down or crawl (shirts tend to ride up, and pants tend to fall down). Once your little one reaches toddlerhood, you’ll likely begin to move away from baby styles and more towards big kid outfits like jeans, dresses, overalls, etc. Although there are many reasons why you might choose to stop putting your baby in onesies, it all comes down to personal preference in the end. Some parents make the switch after their baby’s first birthday, while others wait closer to the second birthday because of comfort, convenience, or habit. There are no hard or fast rules when it comes to ditching the onesies or bodysuits, so just do what feels right to you and make the transition when you’re ready!
