How do i shop for my first baby?!

[Jasminexo]

I'm due September 23rd, and I have only picked up a pack of three sleepsuits from mamas and papas, i fell in love with them, so I just had to! They were newborn.

I'm so confused as to how to buy clothes for my baby. Do I buy all new born clothes? or do I buy 0-3 months? If so do I do a mixture of newborn and 0-3? Do I start buying 3-6 months too?

I just need advice and some help... Guidance too...

[MrsAukerman]

Buy as little little stuff as possible as they'll always get bigger and not smaller. One pack of vests and one of sleepsuits in newborn should be fine. Unless you're a single mum on a Scottish island someone can always pop to the shops for more things for you.

[TakesTwoToTango]

No need to buy 3-6 yet - wait and
See how quickly little one grows or you may end up with the wrong season clothing. Unless you have reason to think you baby is going to be very small (ie pre-eclampsia or planned early delivery) then I'd buy 10 vests and 10 sleep suits in new born and the same in 0-3. They probably won't fit 0-3 straight away, but they will grow into them and you have them in back up in case you have a bad laundry day and get through all your clean newborn ones.

[S2b16]

Definitely newborn and 0-3, I've bought a few 3-6 and my friend has even bought 6-9 month outfit for my baby but that was only cos they were in sale.

[Jasminexo]

@Baffledmumtoday

I'm really OCD about shopping, I'm going by the mamas and papas essential list, so when it says 9 sleepsuits, do I do 9 newborn and 9 0-3? Sorry to sound stupid :(

[Flisspaps]

Buy a few babygros and vests in 0-3 and newborn. No point buying loads in case you have a baby who is too big for newborn clothes

Most people get lots of clothes as presents anyway when they have a baby, and you can go and buy stuff that you know will fit once the baby is here

[Sizzlesthedog]

Depends on the size of your baby!

I had a under 8lb baby, and the 0-3 swamped them.

So newborn were really handy. Also lost loads of weight so become tiny. Took months to fit the 0-3 babygro.

I did get 0-3 vests.

[Jasminexo]

Thanks so much, everyone! So a mix of newborn and 0-3, by the sounds of it, i'll probably lean more so towards 0-3...

[MarinaCoyle]

Just to add you can get "up to 1 month" stuff in Next. Along with newborn and 0-3months. It's a nice in between size and my DD (8lb 11oz) fit in them at birth, with a little extra room. You can always roll up sleeves if needs be. Mine was bursting out of the newborn stuff fairly quickly!

[Sizzlesthedog]

I wouldn't go by mamas and papas list. They are trying to sell to you.

To you have a washing machine and tumble dryer? If so you don't need so many.

[Jasminexo]

I'm only going by mamas and papas because it's just me and my partner, and none of us have a clue! We phoned his mum up and she was like, don't worry i'm going to knit things, and i'm thinking, the baby has to actually wear some clothes, haha! My parents are no longer here, so this was just guidance :)

We have a washing machine and dryer. I'm just scared that I'm not going to have enough clothes for her.

[OhEmGeee]

I bought up to one month, they were fine. New born are tiny and DS would have grown out of them in a week. You just need babygros and vests, no hats indoors. I bought a lot from supermarkets and Next, they grow so quickly it's not worth spending a fortune. Plus you'll get given loads.

[Rosieliveson]

My DS was 9lb but still in newborn for a few weeks. We only had 5 vests and 5 sleepsuits as we had been warned off that size but we ended up buying more due to baby spitting up and the odd nappy leak.
I had loads (20ish) vests in 0-3 and about 10 sleepsuits. I also bought a some softer outfits and rompers in 0-3 too. I was glad of all the vests as 0-3 stage was when the up the back poos began something to look forward to
As an aside, I found moses/crib sheets were the thing I needed far more of than I thought. Again due to milk spit up and the odd nappy leak.

[Jasminexo]

we got given a lot of vouchers for Next. Are they good for baby clothes? Mamas and Papas are like my go to store, we brought literally all her nursery from there...

[Rosieliveson]

Next do lovely clothes. I got quite a few sleepsuits from sainsburys and Asda. They were a bargain and really cute too

[Rosieliveson]

I think the most useless thing I bought were scratch mitts. They either didn't stay on or DS just hated having his hands covered and screamed!
I'm due my second later this year and have just hung on to one pair in case.

[Artandco]

I really wouldn't get all on that list! Mamas and papas want you to buy everything from that list as they sell it.
By all means use it for ideas but think about whether you actually need some stuff.

For example, under clothing they suggest 8 sleep suits. That's about right and helpful. However they then suggest socks on the same list. Sleep suits have feet built in so you don't need socks if just using sleep suits. Day outfits not needed either at that age

Things like bathing and changing stuff. Their list is huge. If you have a regular sink, and bath or shower you don't need extra baby size ones. Baby towels! Just use erm a towel you already have. Baby bath toys not needed until they can actually sit and play in bath which is months away, and plastic cup and spoon from kitchen works just as well.

[MarinaCoyle]

I buy pretty much all my DD's clothes in Next. They have gorgeous stuff and washes really well. I luff them.

(Note I do not work for Next. Sadly.)

[Jasminexo]

I'm not bothering about scratch mitts! My friends had them for their baby and they looked uncomfortable...

Is there like a site, where there's just a kit list that's not biased because they sell it? it sounds like, i'm doing it wrong.

[BikeRunSki]

Get about 6 newborn/up to 1 month (Next)/0-2 months (H&m) vests (short sleeved bodysuits) and the same of long sleeved/long legged baby grows/Sleepsuits. Keep the receipts!

All babies are different sizes, could be long and thin, round and chubby. All manufacturer's baby clothes fit differently. I found M&P tiny for their size but really wide! John Lewis tinier still, but Tesco massive! Next worked well for DS, but all his weight was in his height.

Top Tip - you may well be inundated with baby clothes as presents, and the shops will still be open after your baby arrives.

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Buy a couple of packs of vests and sleepsuits in newborn size (6 vests, 6 sleepsuits). Leave one set of each in the packet so you can return it if needed. Wash three vests and three sleepsuits and put in your hospital bag. Buy the same number (or more) of 0-3 months - you know they will get used at some point- and put a couple in your hospital bag. When your baby arrives, if he fits in the newborn clothes and you need some more either send somebody to the shops (sainsbury/mothercare/Asda whatever) to get some more or order from Amazon. Voila

[BikeRunSki]

you mean like Mumsnet newborn essentials list Jasmine. ?

[Artandco]

You really don't need a kit list.

Just think, it's a baby, a small person. What does any person need?

Somewhere to sleep - so that's a bed or some sort, plus bedding. You decide what size or type of bed, and what bedding. Need x2 changes of bedding, one on or worn, one in wash.

Some food - that's nothing if boobs, bottles, some sterlising fluid and formula if bottle feeding.

Some transport - sling, or car seat or pram. Depending on lifestyle and what you need.

Some Clothing - vests and babygrows. Plus cardigans up to 6 months.

Some nappies

Everything else is an extra. Maybe you want say a baby bouncer, but that's an extra, many have, many don't. Same with toys, baby baths, thermometers, monitors etc.
All the extras I would say don't buy and try without first, if you feel you need one of them after baby is here you can buy as and when needed. Such as with baby bouncer example, both mine happily laid on a sheepskin rug or in our arms until the day they sat up, crawled and walked. We never needed one. Had they hated being put down, we might have looked as something extra to put them in

[ARV1981]

This might be useful: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/what-you-need-for-baby.aspx - nhs not trying to sell you anything.

[Jasminexo]

@bikerunski thanks so much! :D

I'm still confused as to how much of each, but I'm sure, i'll figure it out, right?

@Artandco thank you! Yeah, we're not fussed about a bouncer at all! Like you said, we have a nice rug for them to lay on, failing that our arms might suffice, hopefully!