Really stupid question about packing hospital bag...

[hopefully]

Do I really need to buy, wash and pack newborn size clothes? Or will the baby cope with 0-3 month clothes rolled up?

I know I can't guarantee it won't be a 5 lb midget, but given that everyone seems to think I need to take about half a dozen vests and sleepsuits into hospital, if I pack newborn and 0-3, the bag will be overwhelmed and there won't be any room for thrilling things like maternity pads! I'm doing my best not to pack a 3 piece luggage set here...

[HaventSleptForAYear]

How long will you be staying in?

Will you have a DP who can bring in extra stuff?

0-3 is quite big on a newborn.

If you have newborn stuff, take it in. YOu may only use it in hospital if the baby is big.

I wouldn't bother with both sizes unless you are staying for 2 weeks with no-one to bring stuff in.

Lay out the other stuff somewhere obvious (baby's room/spare room) and then you can ask someone to get it for you on day 2 if you really need it.

[itati]

We bought 0-3 and hubby had to go out and get newborn. Baby was 6lb 12oz. Just take 2-3 of everything. Hubby took washing home every night and washed them, bringing back clean clothes each morning for the baby. You can always leave a spare bag in the car. You will need 3 bags anyway ime.

1. Labour
2. Baby
3. You

0-3 months clothes will swamp baby if they are not at least 8lb.

[HaventSleptForAYear]

Oh - if you haven't already bought the stuff and are not keen on buying loads (like me) the baby will be fine in the 0-3 (my two were).

[HaventSleptForAYear]

Maybe one newborn "outfit" for the photos (if you're bothered, I wasn't.)

[Sidge]

0-3 can be huge - I have tiddly babies (6 pounds - 7 pounds 10) and mine weren't in 0-3 size for months.

You won't need half a dozen vests and sleepsuits if you have someone visiting - they can take the dirty clothes away and bring you fresh each day (for you as well as the baby). There is very little storage in hospitals so the less you take the better really.

I would take just enough for 24-48 hours at the most, someone can bring you in extra if you stay longer.

[NorthernLurker]

what you need is some secondhand 0-3 thats been worn, washed and dried a bit - that shrinks it down to about the right size for an average baby. Brand new 0-3 is going to be pretty big on a scrunched up newborn.

[hopefully]

Hmm... maybe I could get away with 0-3 sleepsuits and buy a pack of newborn vests? Have no newborn stuff at the minute, but have been donated absolutely everything we have got, so I can probably stretch to one pack of newborn vests. That way at least I can take in a couple and it can wear newborn vest and blanket until DP can go to a shop!

Am planning on being home asap afterwards, but who knows? Will leave out 'spares' bag for DP and he can bring in extra clothes if necessary.

Thanks for the advice! I'm so clueless...

[dinkystinky]

My baby was a chunky 9lber and went straight into 0-3 stuff in hospital (infact, he outgrew the newborn stuff within 2 weeks - fortunately we were only given those outfits by family/friends). I'd go with 0-3 if you're looking to save money and roll up sleeves - they look v cute in their slightly oversize clothes... and do take plenty of changes of clothes (as babies can be a little messy in the first few days...)

[itati]

0-3 really will be too big for a newborn. I have looked on a couple of sites but couldn't get the weight range but iirc it is a few pounds. Get a few newborn and then send out for bigger if baby needs them. You can roll up sleeves but you can't roll up babygrows with feet.

[PortAndLemon]

DS was 10lb 5oz and went straight into 0-3; DD was 8lb 15oz and in newborn size for a couple of weeks. I've passed her stuff on to a friend's DD who was 7lb 3oz, is around 6 weeks now and likely to be in newborn for quite a while yet.

I took a couple of newborn things and a couple of 0-3 things to hospital in case.

[Sidge]

You can get a pack of 3 newborn sleepsuits for a few quid in Asda - I would get some just in case.

[SydneyB]

We took newborn in and had to cut all the feet off the end of the sleepsuits as DD was nearly 9lbs and pretty tall! Perhaps just take a pack of three of newborn and 0-3 just in case - the sizing seems to vary so widely anyway. Hope it all goes well for you.

[notcitrus]

SIL2's baby was 7 lb but long, and more importantly objected to the efforts to put newborn clothes on him, so he wore 0-3 for the first three days until he and family relaxed enough to deal with newborn clothes.

Three weeks later he was over 10 lb and newborn didn't fit any more.

[giddykipper]

DS never fitted in newborn clothes - he was only 7lb 11oz so no monster but he was very long.

[BasementBear]

DS1 was 7lbs 4 and all the 0-3 month sleepsuits were massive! The fleecy all-in-one thingy we bought was huge too so he went home wrapped up in DH's jumper (was winter!)

[LadySweet]

How long are you allowed to stay in hospital for? At my hospital the maximumthey allow you to stay in for (all being well ofc) is 6 hours..

[PortAndLemon]

I think there are different ideas of "newborn" in different shops/brands. DD was 57.5 cm long (which was over 99th centile) and fit the newborn stuff I'd bought for ten days or so. So possibly there's another advice point of buying "big" newborn stuff rather than "small" newborn stuff (I've seen "newborn" used to mean anything from "under 8lb" to "under 12lb" depending on make)?

[PetitFilou1]

I'm taking both sizes - my babies come out at close to 9lb (so far) and newborn clothes sometimes didn't fit (depending on the make - and esp if french) Tescos babyclothes are huge on the other hand. I would assume you are only going to be there for one night (unless you know otherwise) though

[mazzystar]

take what you have and phone your mum/best mate/whoever to bring size up or down as required

[PortAndLemon]

Oooh yes, agree that French/continental stuff is teeny. And the stuff that fit DD was all Tesco, so that sounds like a good general bet for the larger newborn.

[ChezzaB]

My DS was 10lb and 58 cm long and alot of the newborn stuff is for up to 7/8lb! I was ever hopeful and took in newborn clothes only to have to send my DP home to get 0-3 mths for him to wear. My DS is now17 weeks and already wearing 6-9mth clothes so alot of stuff went into the loft before he even wore it!

[zwiggy]

yes you should get a couple of new born, but don't buy too many cos they grow out of them before your eyes

[AbstractMouse]

I can send you a couple of newborn babygrows if you like? I took all newborn stuff in for ds and they fitted him for about 2 weeks (was 9lb 10 but not that tall). I'm sure 0-3 months wont be that bad, I'm sure babies don't really care if the clothes agr baggy as long as they are warm lol.

[AbstractMouse]

M&S baby stuff is also mahoosive, remember looking at their newborn stuff when pregnant and envisioning 18lb newborns.