please tell me what a baby needs to wear

[Armadale]

I'm due in August (although a good chance will be induced early so trying to get prepared in case).

What actually does a baby wear?

I've just been in a shop staring at long sleeve, short sleeved, vests etc and I just don't know which to buy/dress baby in.

First three months Aug-oct will be warmish, and then 3-6 months obviously I am going to need things that are a lot warmer, particularly at night as our bedroom is cold even with the heating on.

Can you please tell me what your baby wore at first. Thanks!

[Armadale]

sorry no idea how I posted this here! Will ask for it to be moved to parenting!

[Singsongmama]

I got so confused about day wear/night wear, underwear/outfits... The truth is that a lot of it is pretty similar! We tend to go for a vest then outer clothes but on recent hot days he has worn no vest. Best advice I was given was think about what you are wearing and if you are comfortable then DS will be too! But bear in mind that if they are on the floor on a mat/in a gym that they can get chilly. I often get down on the floor to see if there is a draft etc. In summer I think we will wear a lot of all in ones type outfits. Another tip... I always put a wee jacket on DS when we went out but often it involved a car trip and he was way too hot! I've seen me stripping layers off my son if I've dressed him wrong, just be flexible!
Happy shopping!

[Littlef00t]

Short sleeved vests and baby grows (also called sleep suits) will be fine for quite a while. At night you might want to swaddle or use a sleeping bag or blankets so what ur LO wears will vary. The room is supposed to be c17-20c in that temp my LO wears short vest, sleep suit and swaddle. You could consider long vest if the room is much cooler.

We bought nearly no newborn, starting with the mysterious 1 month category, which was good as my dd was 9lb so skipped newborn.

Check out nct nearly new sales, soon cheap and hardly worn.

[flingingmelon]

Had DS in July during heat wave and spent a lot of time worrying about this. You get lots of advice about newborns wearing 'one extra layer to you' but not so much about what to do if it's sweltering.

We coped with just short sleeve babygros and added another layer if it got cool enough to not be spending all day moving fans from one room to the next :)

Also those extra big muslins are great for at night if it's too warm for blankets and you're swaddling.

[elvislives2012]

Am due my second baby in July. I think it'll probably just be in a vest if it's hot (short sleeved) but long sleeved baby gro plus vest otherwise. This will go on for a few months. I'd just get a few bits because you will get presents and will also form your own preferences. Congratulations!

[Coveredinweetabix]

To start off with, all you really need are babygros & short sleeved vests & a cardigan. If cold, the baby wears all of them; if cool, babygro & vest; if warm, just babygro; if hot, just the vest (but keep the baby out of the sun). Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it. A couple of giant muslins woukd be useful too to drape over the pram - so much easier than a parasol.
I've only used long sleeved vests on mine in the winter when they have either worn them as a top under a jumper or, on warmer days, under a t-shirt. Under babygros, there didn't seem to be enough room in the arms to have the sleeves of a babygro too.

[PrincessBabyCat]

I just do little onesies, and if it gets chilly in the house I put DD in a blanket and hold her that way. Newborns love to be swaddled, so if might be best to put them in something light so you can do a fleece blanket to cuddle them in without over heating. Sometimes I just put her in feetie pajamas so she can be out without the blanket and kick her feet.

The general rule is to put the baby in one more layer than what you're wearing. But mine gets kinda lethargic in double layers, so I keep her in just a onesie and she seems content (and still feels warm).

[AryaOfHouseSnark]

The Scbu nurse who looked after my Dts gave me really good advice, touch the back of their necks to see how hot they are and just adjust layers.
Every baby will be different anyway, both mine were and still are very warm. They get hot and bothered quite easily and are comfortable in a t shirt and shorts when others are in jumpers.

[stargirl1701]

I'm due DC2 in Aug.

We have:

2/3 babygrows and vests in 'tiny baby' size.
6/7 babygrows and vests in 'up to one month' size
15 babygrows and vests in '0-3' size
12 baby bundlers/nightgowns
24 newborn cloth nappies
2 cellular blankets
3 swaddling muslins
1 cotton hat
A Moby wrap sling

I think that's it!

[stargirl1701]

Ooh, and 3 knitted cardigans 0-3 size.

[PrincessBabyCat]

24 newborn cloth nappies

Hee hee... You'll need more of those unless you plan on doing laundry almost every day. Mine goes through 12 a day (24hrs) on average, sometimes more.

Or maybe my baby just pees alot.

They go through less as they get bigger.

[specialsubject]

they really spend the first 18 months in their pyjamas; nappy, maybe a vest, babygro, additional layer as needed. Cute accessories go on top as needed; pinafore dress, trousers, whatever. plus all-in-ones with ears

remember:
a) they have big heads and HATE being faffed around, so look for easy fixings. The putting-an-octopus-in-a-string-bag analogy isn't far off.
b) if someone is hand-knitting like mad, watch for holes which will catch fingers.
c) if you have family and friends, you may need to buy very little... :-)

[Armadale]

Oh thank you so much for the help!

Firstly 12 nappies per 24 hours!!! Oh my goodness me, I'm glad someone told me this, my estimate would have be sooo inadequate I'd have run out by about the third day.

I have two cardigans I wore as a Newborn so it sounds as though I need to buy short sleeved vests and long sleeved babygros for now, plus a swaddling blanket.

I have a feeling I might have a whopper, my DB's and DS's were both 10lb ers and I was 7lb at 7 weeks premature, so might not bother with size zero's ones.

The tips about checking the temp on the back of the neck and putting baby in one more layer than me are really helpful, thanks. Also will put giant muslims on the shopping list.

Stargirl, I am in awe at your shoppnig organisational skills.

Can I ask: Socks, hats and mittens- needed? thanks

[PotatoPolly]

As a general rule of thumb, I think the advice is one more layer than you would wear

[Warrap]

I wouldn't bother with socks at first since most sleepsuits tend to have feet anyway. DS (April born) was in short sleeved vest plus long sleeved/legged sleepsuit for around the first 3 months. Then in summer no need for socks.

You'll need sunhats for sure, and possibly some scratch mittens. Warmer hats and regular mittens as weather turns colder.

[flingingmelon]

Scratch mitts can be very handy if you're not a natural at nail clipping, they grow surprisingly quickly. A sun hat is good, I never used the ones that came in newborn clothes starter packs, but I think I would have if it had been colder.

[wigglylines]

For summer? Maybe get a couple of pairs so you have some just in case you feel you need them, but you'll be five without IMO. I bought some after DD was born aa it felt wrong that I had none, but she only wore them once or twice. The blooming things come off all the time, and mist if her baby grows had feet anyway.

Hats? Yes, get those baby hat things (simply stretchy cotton things, they sell everywhere, do you know the ones I mean?). Also a sun hat or too.

Mittens - only needed in summer if s/he scratches themselves with their little fingernails. And even then they cone off all the blomming time (see socks!) instead, maybe get a couple of those cunning babygrows which have arms (and sometimes feet too) which can fold over to cover the hand if it turns out s/he's a scratcher.

[NearTheWindymill]

Vests, babygros, cardigan. Depending on the weather you will need all or a combination. You really won't need much more than that before the end of September. After that you might need a warmer babygro and warmer fleece for a couple of months. Get a cosy tosy type cover for the pram for the legs.

Keep it easy. See how you feel in the weather and bear in mind that the baby won't be moving about like you.

[wigglylines]

Cross posts while I was writing that essay there

[NearTheWindymill]

Mine never kept the hats and mittens on. The babygro had feet. Start with 0-3 months. They grow awfully fast. By the time the weather gets cooler you'll need 3-6 months and they'll keep you going until late winter.

[TeacupDrama]

firstly you will almost certainly get plenty of clothes in all sizes upto 6 months as presents so I would just buy 5 short sleeved vests and 5 babygros/sleepsuits no shops will be closed in august so if baby is unexpectedly small or large you can easily buy stuff for this reason do not open packets before birth as if large baby you can just get someone to return all the new baby (7-10lb) stuff and get 0-3 months instead same if you are early and end up with 5lb baby and need tiny baby stuff

some babies are sick a lot and need clothes changing every feed but lots are not and can easily wear same clothes all day

I think advise is 1 more layer than you if coolish but 1 less layer if really hot as babies overheat and cool down faster than adults, so if really hot and muggy in day time might just require a nappy

[TeacupDrama]

I needed emergency tiny baby stuff as ECS she was 4lb13 DH went later that day to tesco and got 3 sleepsuits and she managed in new baby vests they lasted until about 5 months before she went into 0-3 months size

[Rosieliveson]

Aw, how exciting! Congratulations

I had a baby last summer, the bodysuit and babygro combo works well with a few cardigans in case it gets chilly.

If your baby does turn out to be a little bigger sooner, I'd recommend a sleeping bag. It's far easier than tucking blankets in. I found that often woke baby up! If it's warm a bodysuit and sleeping bag is plenty for bed.

For when I wanted baby to look more 'dressed' I bought some super soft, jersey dungarees. Got some lovely ones from M&S. They often come with a bodysuit as part of the set.

[stargirl1701]

Princessbabycat, it's DC2...I know! But, I'm not buying anymore newborn size. I've collected them preloved on eBay over the last year. If we run out, it'll be DD's BTP nappies that'll go into action!

[stargirl1701]

Only my storage skills, Armadale

All gifts from DD's birth and stored in the loft in clearly labelled boxes! We were overwhelmed by gifts for DD. She had 92 separate outfits for age 3-6 months! We kept 30 outfits for each size (unisex) for this bump. Oddly, not a single gift 0-3 months so she wore white for the first wee while as that was all I had bought.