FTM - What size baby clothes should I be getting?

[HopeWish]

Hello everybody,

I am a first time mum and don't really have any friends with babies or close family who have had a baby recently! I have had my 12 week scan and baby is ok so I want to start getting some bits and bobs together. (I like to be organized!).

I want to get some baby grows and vests, but I'm a bit confused with baby clothes sizing and realistically what is worth getting and what is not. Most shops sell 'first size', 'up to 1 month' and 'up to 3 months'. I am thinking about just buying 'up to 3 months' for now, as I know they will definitely get used, but just wondered if 'first size' and 'up to 1 month' are actually useful at all, or if baby tends to grow out of them too fast to be worth it.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

[dementedpixie]

Depends on the weight of your baby. Up to 3 months can be quite big on a newborn so I did have some first size/up to 1 month clothing. My babies were 7lb 11oz and 7lb 13oz.

[hellolittlebaby]

0-3 was too big for my 8lb3oz baby.

I ended up buying two packs of vests and babygros in newborn size for her.

She was in them two weeks.

The "up to 1 month" size fit better, for slightly longer.

To confuse things more, I find it varies wildly by store. Even in the same pack of babygros, sometimes one will fit better than the other two!!!

I rate:

Aldi - organic cotton, cheap and lovely
Matalan
Next

But most of all... eBay bundles! Nearly new bundles for a few quid. They're brill

Congratulations and good luck!

[HopeWish]

@dementedpixie

Thanks, this is useful. I'm not going crazy on the buying stuff yet anyway, just wanted to get some bits to make it feel more real! I will get some in the 0-1mth and some 0-3mth.

At the end of the day I suppose it doesn't matter if the baby is mahoosive and doesn't fit into the smaller clothes as I can gift them on to family who I know will be having a baby a few months afterwards (hopefully!).

[Pegase]

First baby under 8lb wore newborn for a few weeks. Second baby over 8lb had to go into 0-3 months immediately. Length also a factor - I produce children with very long legs!!

[emmab96]

I would suggest to but only a few newborn/ up to one month because honestly they last like 5 minutes you'll be amazed how quick they grow!

[HopeWish]

@hellolittlebaby

Thanks for this! I hadn't thought about different stores being different but of course they would be!

Next is where I am planning to buy the first few bits from, but good to know Aldi clothes are good as we have one in my town!

I might end up getting ebay bundles but I feel like as it is my first baby I want it to be 'special' and don't mind spending more for new stuff.

[dannydyerismydad]

We went for up to 1 month.

Turns out DS was over 9lb. They fitted for only a week!

[Lockdownseperation]

Aldi baby clothes and stuff are good. Sainsbury have at 25% of sale regularly, normally at the start of each school holiday.

My first was 9lb 9oz and up to one month last less than 2 weeks.

I would buy some up to one month and 0 to 3 for now if you want to get started and then closer to the time ask your is wife to estimate the size of your baby. Often clothes say up to 1 month and up to x on.

[TheTeenageYears]

Newborn was still the best size for my 8lb10oz DD and fit for about a month before moving on to 0-3 months. The 0-3 month would have been way too big at birth even at that weight.

[Superscientist]

Ftm here too due in next month. I have bought a mix of first size/newborn (different shops use different names for this size) and 0-3months. My bump is measuring small so not anticipating a big baby but who knows for sure!

When friends and relatives have asked what they can buy I have requested 0-3month clothes in preference to newborn so that we aren't inundated with newborn clothes although it doesn't look like my mum has listened!!

As a heads up, a lot of shops are struggling with supplies of baby clothes. I went to the loo mid order the other day and came back to half the things in my basket now being out of stock!

We have done a mix of ebay bundles (take care to include postage in your calculations of good value or not) new and hand-me-downs from people we know.

[fedupandlookingforchange]

I just bought 0-3, I also had a small bump DS was 8lb 12oz. M&S have bigger sizing than morrisons and asda. DS was in slightly too big clothes but they weren't massive on him. Currently pregnant again and will be using the same clothes again