I didn’t even know gowns were a thing when I had Cub. I was doing things the hard way: unzipping or unsnapping one-piece pajamas in the semi-dark, trying to figure out why there was one snap left undone or struggling to get the zipper up over a stubbornly bent knee.

No such hassle with Little Miss Cub! She wore gowns to bed! Untie the bottom, roll it up, change the diaper, roll it back down. Feet are warm and snug and you’re back to sleep a minute sooner (and trust me, that minute means a lot when you’re following a newborn’s sleep schedule).

Choose a gown that has little fold over cuffs to cover the hands. I wish all newborn pajamas had roll-down cuffs… at least up until 6 months. Little Miss flails her hands around her face when she’s tired, and she scratches herself constantly. Cub still has a scar on his nose (three years later) from a particularly deep, self-inflicted scratch.

Most gowns will either have buttons at the neck or feature the typical, stretchy neck you find on most onesies. This way the gown can be pulled down over the infant’s body in the case of a poopsplosion (that way no poop gets smeared on her face).



Our favourite gown was received as a gift from a lovely shop called Bonjour Baby Baskets. They curate the most glamorous gift baskets for babies and children, with high-end brands hand picked for their quality and beauty. Our mermaid gown is by Montreal-based brand, Electric Kidz.

Just because Mommy’s lazy doesn’t mean baby can’t look fabulous… Little Miss Cub wore her mermaid gown for our 6-days-postpartum visit with our midwife, and it was both frickin’ adorable and practical!

When she started to grow too long for her mermaid gown, she was pretty displeased.

Luckily, one of my very dearest friends is having her second baby in the new year, so the mermaid gown shall find a new home, and give another Mama a few more precious minutes of sleep!

Do you agree that gowns are the way to go for newborns?