Shopping for a newborn- help! 31 July 2014 at 3:11PM edited 31 July 2014 at 3:13PM in MoneySaving mums 23 replies 3.3K views

Crabapple

fannyadams wrote: »

Since you don't know if you have a 3lb chicken or a 10lb turkey in there I would ask your midwife how big they think the baby will be at term and then look to see how heavy the baby has to be for the baby clothes you are looking at.

I had growth scans at the hospital for my daughter. At 34 weeks they reckoned based on measurements she was about 7lb at that stage. She went nearly two weeks overdue and popped out at 6lb12. We had no newborn stuff at all because I was expecting a well over 8lb baby!

My son was 8lb10 and newborn stuff was too small but the 0-3 a bit big, so we ended up buying 'up to 1 month' stuff.

So basically, get a little bit of stuff, but wait and see what your baby will fit before getting too much!

teaandcakeordeath wrote: »

3. Don't get suckered into buying 'real' clothes for baby. The few mums I have met all spent a fortune on jeans/ dresses etc. baby lives in babygrows and vests as they're easier and comfier for the little one.

* 24 muslin cloths- all any mum tells me is to always have a muslin handy. I have no idea why but i'm sure when i'm covered in some sort of bodily fluid it'll be apparent...

Also the pregnancy forums on here are really good for advice from mums to be and existing mums.

Totally agree re outfits - they are a pain in the backside and you will want them in babygrows Personally, I prefer babies to look like babies and I don't think my eldest wore an outfit until she was about 5 months, but that's a personal preference.

Never used muslins with my daughter. She was not a sicky or drooly baby at all, and with a girl there is far less danger of the wee fountain at nappy changes My son drools constantly and regularly possets milk so they've been very useful! Get a few cheap ones.

And if you aren't already do check out the pregnancy forums here because you will find lots of help and support there.

Nappies - you will need some of those too, but again I wouldn't get carried away buying too many of one size or brand because they won't all fit well.

Congratulations btw!

amalis

which pregnancy forums do you ,guys, mean? Like Mumsnet?

cmace2

No, if you go to the main 'marriage, relationships & families' board, (i.e. Don't click into this money saving mums sub group) and have a look for the three groups. There is one up to 12 weeks, a 12-24 weeks, and a general one for over 24 weeks (think it's called 'mse pregnancy group 28'), although everyone is welcome in all of them!

cmace2

If I'm calculating correctly you are over 24 weeks so have a look at this group: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4893276&page=174

Kynthia

amalis wrote: »

Dear moneysavers,


I know this question was asked like a million times ,but I am so confused! What do I need to buy (clothes and bedding wise ) for a newborn? I have some clothes for size 0-3 month, but nothing for a newborn. I read million of web sites and cant summarise information at all. Some says I need 3-5 all in ones, on Mumsnet forum they recommend closer to 25, some cellular blankets also.. some people says I need duvets, some people says I don’t.. I am tired and on the edge of hysteria. At the moment I have nursery + crib+ travelsystem and all mattresses+ 1 duvet- blanket + changing mat. The baby due in late October.

Please help!

Most websites are telling you starter kit amounts, so that you don't need to go shopping in the first few days after the birth, rather all you will need while your baby is small. So you will need some vests, long and short sleeved depending on the weather, and baby grows. Don't worry about outfits as many people just use baby grows for the first couple of months. Also it's worth getting some newborn size and keeping the receipt in case you need to take them back as my baby was 7lb 5oz and didn't go into 0-3month for 6-8 weeks. Then you'll need a couple of baby hats, mittens and one pram suit (to keep baby warm outside).


As cot death is a big concern for small babies there is lots of advice on how to ensure baby doesn't get too warm while sleeping or have anything over their face/mouth. So the only blankets allowed in the cot are cellular ones as baby can breath through them if they went over their face, although baby sleeping bags are great as they can't wriggle down and do this. Duvets and cot bumpers are also not recommended, plus don't put a hat on your baby when sleeping.


Try not to worry too much as you can ask someone to pop to the shops for anything you need when the baby is here. People want to help so let them, and there are shops open 7 days a week. I had my parents go get large muslin cloths, a breast pump, newborn baby grows, maternity pads and a baby playmat on their way to visit me five days after the birth. They also cooked dinner.

big5

If you want to take advantage of the sales, I'd suggest picking up some basics (e.g. sleepsuits, vests) in bigger sizes to put away. Until you baby's here, you won't be sure what size they'll need to start with. It can be very tempting to buy season-specific things like a winter coat or snowsuit in advance, but until you know what size they'll need at the right time it might not be worth it. My MIL gets a bit crazy in the sales and my son has a bunch of thick trousers and long sleeved tops that fit him now when it's too hot to wear them. I'm hoping they'll still fit in the autumn.

Nicki

My approach was to buy 6 vests and 6 babygros in newborn size and 6 in 0-3 months size in plain colours, but only washed one pack of each before the baby was born. That way if baby was big, the unopened pack of newborn stuff could go back and be changed for a larger size. If the baby was small, the 0-3 month stuff would not be wasted as the baby would grow into it. We then had fun shopping when the baby arrived for more gender specific babygros in the correct size. As it is mine ranged from 7lb 10oz to 8lb 10 oz when they were born, and although the heaviest wasn't in newborn clothes for very long, he did get a few weeks out of them, so nothing got wasted.

DFWannaBee

Definitely dont buy moses basket sheets, they're a pain when you change them so frequently, we used pillowcases and muslins.

My LO was 8lb 2oz at birth so fit newborn for about a day I think lol but M&S and Next do a 'first size'and we got a good month out of those before we moved to 0-3months. I went overboard on clothes when I was pregnant but once she was here yo want to go and shop for them and spoil them so rein it in if you can because you'll want to spoil them once they're here - its part of the fun!

amalis

Oh, so "newborn" and "first size" are different? I was hoping its just different jargon in different companies

BAGGY

My twins were born in January. I only used short sleeved vests and baby grows for the first few months. I also put socks on over the top and a fleece all in one when we went out inthe buggy. They slept in gro bag thingies and I couldn't be doing with moses baskets so I had a cot downstairs and one upstairs. I used half a single sheet to line the head end (kind of across the middle as they slept side by side with their feet at the bottom of the bed) so if they were sick I could turn thier feet to the other end and deal with it in the morning. I was very sleep deprived. I didn't get muslins but got the cheapest thin t-towels that Ikea do - they were about 20p then and they still do them- and basic white hand towels for mopping etc. Also cut a fleece blanket (or top) into squares for really soft face wipes.
Go to charity shops for baby grows. You can never have enough if they are only pennies. You can often get baby clothes a boot sales so get in quick because they end in september.
I never had a baby bath as I couldnt lean over. They got washed in the kitchen or bathroom sink, lined with a basic towel to stop slips. And you dont really need hooded towels either. Go for white basics.