buying clothes for a new baby

moneypuddle

Hello!

My partner and I are due in Oct and plan to start buying for our baby once we've had our 12 week scan on the 28th march :j

This has got us thinking - we've made plans for buying all the larger equipment - cots, travel system, nursery furniture etc but on a smaller scale what about clothes. We know not to over buy the newborn size but how many sleepsuits, vests etc would be appropriate to buy, assuming absolutely nobody buys us anything (which won't be the case). I'm not fussed about really buying outfits as I think babies look lovely in baby grows and there's plenty of time later for proper outfits.

Can anyone help, ie you'll need approx 30 sleepsuits, 20 vests etc

Thanks in advance :T

whitewing

Akk we bought before baby was born was a mothercare 'new baby' pack with vests and babygros in.

We didn't need to buy anything else for at least a year. Once baby turned up we were swamped with clothes and some preloved stuff never got worn.

My advice is to wait until the baby is born and buy after if you need. Some stuff looks great some doesn't suit the baby, some is fiddly to put on.

Apricot

Congratulations! :j

I would say 10 vests & 10 sleep suits in each size - that way if [STRIKE]when[/STRIKE] you have sick / poo explosions you don't need to worry about washing & drying things straight away.
(My little girl got changed 3 times within the first 12 hours of her life due to me being incompetant when it came to nappy changing)

As well as that I'd get 2/3 cardigans, a coat/snowsuit and 2/3 hats

I found that we got absolutely loads of clothes bought for us - but mostly impractical outfits (strappy dress for a newborn??)

moneypuddle

Haha strappy dress!

Thank you!

Nicki

As Apricot says I would buy around 10 sleepsuits and vests in newborn size, and if you are having a gender scan another 10 in 0-3 months in case you have a big baby (my third was 8lb 10oz and too big for newborn from birth). Wash 2 or 3 newborns before the baby comes and the same amount of 0-3 months so you have clothes for the first day or so, and only wash the remainder when you know how big your baby is (or get someone else to do it for you), so that if newborn is too small you can take it back and swop it for a bigger size. If you don't know the gender in advance, after the first few weeks you'll probably be sick of people thinking your boy in a white babygro is a girl, or vice versa and may want something more gender specific, so perhaps don't buy as many in 0-3 months so you can buy in the right colours after the baby arrives.

You MAY get loads of clothes, but you may not. It depends on what stage your friends are at in their lives, and what your families are like. I was the first of my group of friends to have kids, and probably got half a dozen outfits in total for my first and second children. With my third almost all my friends had at least one child by then, and I don't think I needed to buy any clothes for him at all, other than his coming home from hospital outfit, until he was 18 months.

Victoriahl

Congratulations! Like the other's said; probably around 10 of each would be good- don't get too many weeny size though because they don't last long. (in fact my son went straight into a 3 month old babygrow because he was 11lbs :eek:)

I do remember though that my favourite babygrows were from H&M- they did a few that had zips from neck to foot, and I found they were LOADS easier and quicker to get him in and out of- definitely check it out and see if they still do them!

*Redhead*

Congratulations.

We have about 15 sleepsuits (new baby size from Mothercare) and the same for bodysuits at the minute, and we just about manage, but we do at least 3 changes a day due to milk dribbling/nappy leakages/after baths etc, so allow for some in the wash, drying and clean ones.

Also, we didnt buy much newborn at all, due to a growth scan predicting a weight of 10lb 5.5oz at birth. At 41 weeks he was born 9lb 3.5 but tiny, my OH had to go shopping on the day he was born and for the first 3 weeks he's being wearing tiny baby things, now newborn just about fits him.

Present wise, everything we have been bought has been in 3-6 and 6-9 sizes, so really glad we bought our newborn and 0-3 ones.

I'd say have a few different sized things in your bag, and remember that different stores will be different sizes. From what ive found, Asda first size sleepsuits are smaller than Mothercare new baby sized sleepsuits.

fluffnutter

Uh oh, I think I need to buy some more clothes! I've got three newborn and three 0 - 3 months sleepsuits for my baby (due in June). That's not enough is it?

Obviously I've no idea whether it will be a whopper or teeny-weeny yet, but shall I buy another lot in newborn size or go for 0 - 3?

Chakani

I'd say get more of each, FN - about 10 is probably right - you can always return them if they're too small. Though I must say, it's a minority of babies that don't fit into newborn stuff when newborn. I only know of one from all my friends with babies (one of mine, who was fairly whopperish) - the little one was still 9lb4oz and he was fine in newborn for a good couple of weeks, in fact the 0-3 stuff swamped him at first, so I was glad I had the small things.

fluffnutter

So if I double up and get another three newborn and three 0 - 3, that gives me six at the smaller size and six at the bigger. That would be OK wouldn't it? I can always buy more once it's born.

If I go full-term I reckon I'll have a whopper; it's already showing as big on the growth charts, husband's 6 ft 2 and weighed over 10 lbs when he was born :eek:

lisa26_2

I've bought about 10 each of vests and sleepsuits in newborn and maybe 7 in 0-3 months. i was going to buy more 0-3 incase baby went straight into them but scans show he/she is tiny so i haven't bothered yet. I would probably have bought more if we were finding out the sex but the choice is so limited in neutral that I've bought the ones I like and then will buy gender specific stuff once baby is here.

One thing I would say is......don't rush to buy everything straight away as you'll find that as time goes on new stuff will come out and if you've already bought everything you'll be sure to see stuff you wish you waited for if that makes sense. Also, i've found it very boring not having lovely exciting baby things to buy since I finished all my shopping!