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Both a newborn gown and a two-way zip romper let you change a diaper at night without taking all your baby's clothes off. A gown is the quickest: lift the elastic hem, change, pull it back down. A zip romper takes a few seconds longer but keeps your baby's legs covered and lasts well past the newborn weeks. If you buy both, gowns suit the first weeks and zip rompers take over after that.
How each one works at 3 a.m.
| Gown | 2-way zip romper | |
|---|---|---|
| Diaper change | Push the elastic hem up to the chest. No snaps or zips. | Unzip from the bottom. The legs come out; arms and chest stay covered. |
| Getting dressed | Over the head, or a wrap front with side snaps | Zip from the top. Nothing goes over the head. |
| Legs | Inside the gown, free to move | Covered in full-length legs |
| Hands | Long sleeves | Long sleeves; the smallest sizes come with mitts |
| Sizes | Ours: 0 to 3 months only | Ours: 0 to 3 months up to 18 to 24 months |
When a gown is the better choice
- The newborn weeks, when you're changing diapers often through the night and want the fewest steps.
- Parents still getting used to tiny snaps and zips in the dark.
The catch is size. The gowns we carry come in 0 to 3 months only, so you'll get a few weeks to a couple of months out of them, depending on how fast your baby grows.
When a 2-way zip romper is the better choice
- You want legs covered, for example under a light sleep sack, or in a cooler room.
- You'd like one style that lasts. The same romper comes in sizes up to 24 months, so you don't have to relearn a new outfit as your baby grows.
- Your baby wriggles a lot. A zipped romper stays in place, while a gown can ride up.
A two-way zipper is the feature to look for. It opens from the bottom for changes, so the zip doesn't have to come all the way down and your baby's chest stays warm.
Safe sleep comes first with either one
Health Canada recommends simple, fitted sleepwear that suits the room temperature, with your baby on their back on a firm, flat sleep surface. Choose the size that fits now rather than sizing up, because sleepwear that's too big can ride up over a baby's nose and mouth. That applies to a gown's neckline as much as a romper's. If you swaddle, our guide to how to swaddle safely covers what to wear underneath, and the TOG guide helps you match layers to the room.
The Parade Organics options we carry
- Parade Organic Gowns, Essentials Basics ($23.99): 100% organic cotton gown with an elastic hem, in solid colours, size 0 to 3 months.
- Parade Organic Signature Print Gown, Blue Moons ($25.95): GOTS-certified organic cotton with a wrap front and side snaps, so it doesn't go over the head. Size 0 to 3 months. More prints are on the Signature Prints gown page ($25.99).
- Parade Organic 2-Way Zip Romper, Blackberries ($31.95): organic cotton with long sleeves and legs, sizes 0 to 3 months through 18 to 24 months. The 0 to 3 and 3 to 6 month sizes include mitts. Also in Chocolate Dinosaurs ($31.99).
Prices are in CAD and were current when we wrote this. Parade's care label says to wash cold and tumble dry low. For footed, footless and two-piece options as your baby grows, see our guide to baby sleepers.
Want to feel the fabric first? Call our Richmond, Burnaby or Ottawa store ahead of your visit and we'll let you know which sizes and prints we have on hand.
