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Original poster

Why is a baby’s “going home outfit” a big deal?

257 replies

EmAreSea · 09/10/2019 07:23

DH and I have just been discussing this as I’m 37+6 today and have been packing (and re-packing, and double-triple-checking, and re-re-packing) hospital bags. We’re taking a selection of sleepsuits for baby to wear in the hospital and then started talking about the Going Home Outfit, and both started wondering why it’s a thing? How did that come about? Does anyone know?

OP posts:
MeggyMeg · 09/10/2019 07:24

SM I suspect. It certainly wasn't a thing when my dd was born 14 years ago.

SnuggyBuggy · 09/10/2019 07:24

I think in some cases it's people being neurotic that the baby will die of cold on the walk to the car park.

MadisonAvenue · 09/10/2019 07:26

It wasn’t a thing when my children were born, but then we didn’t have Facebook and Instagram then.

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sheshootssheimplores · 09/10/2019 07:26

The midwives were REALLY keen on a hat. That’s all I remember from DS1. When I packed for DS2 I makes a multitude of them or else I don’t think they’d let me leave 😬

sheshootssheimplores · 09/10/2019 07:26

*packed

ButtfaceMiscreant · 09/10/2019 07:27

We just had a designated clean sleepsuit (that was kept to one side as we didn't know how long we would be in) but it was just one of a multipack! And a blanket and matching hat we had been given before the birth to pop over them in the car seat. Same for my twins, except it was the blankets and hat I had made for them (I was too precious about the ones I made for my first to take them into hospital, soon bucked my ideas up when twins came along!)

SuperPixie247 · 09/10/2019 07:27

I had my baby a cute going home outfit. In all honesty, it was just for nice pictures! It feels like a Big Deal to take home a child and I liked the idea of a special outfit to keep.

Thats just my own opinion though.

Waiting1987 · 09/10/2019 07:28

Taking the baby home is a special event/moment/memory. People like dressing up for special occasions. I didn't personally care (was just uncomfortable and desperate to get back home) but I can understand why it's important to some people.

SallyLovesCheese · 09/10/2019 07:29

I didn't buy many clothes for my DS, we were fortunate to have been gifted a lot of second-hand stuff. So when I bought a particular babygrow it wasn't with going home in mind, but I eventually packed it as I already felt emotionally attached to it (yes, weird, I know). So he wore it home. I doubt know, I guess I wanted his first outfit to be something new. But then, he is my PFB! I probably wouldn't care as much next time around.

crumpet · 09/10/2019 07:30

Nah. Mine both had a plain white babygro, and blanket - oh and plain white hat too. Neither wore an “outfit” for quite a few weeks.

Carparkticket · 09/10/2019 07:31

Some people care, I didn’t.
Maybe they have family waiting at home or they have made it a tradition.
I just wanted to get home

ThursdayLastWeek · 09/10/2019 07:32

It isn’t a thing.

The horror of the first time you use the car seat is a thing.

Mammyloveswine · 09/10/2019 07:33

My boys both just wore a babygrow with cardigan and hat...a cute Dear Zoo set for number 1, a "baby brother" one did number 2..,

Ds1 was going to wear something different but he shit all up his back (as newborns tend to do..Grin)

Congratulations on your imminent arrival!

TheVanguardSix · 09/10/2019 07:33

All of mine went home in babygros.
Going Home outfits are up there in my own 'no-fly zone' along with headbands/headgear and baby showers for me personally.

Smashtastick · 09/10/2019 07:33

It's not a 'thing' other than making sure it's a nice warm outfit.

Both my DC had the same outfit for heading home.

Wellthatwasarottennightssleep · 09/10/2019 07:34

I genuinely didn't know that that was a thing. I'm guessing DD wore a white sleepsuit? Seems a bit strange given that (assuming vaginal birth and no complications) most mothers and babies spend next to no time in hospital now. Where I am, the norm is to chuck you out of the hospital after six hours. I know quite a few mothers who discharged themselves before six hours because the post-birth care was so grim. Add to that the push to do skin to skin for as long as possible, and your baby's only just going to have got dressed before you have to change it again into a special outfit, surely? Nothing wrong with it - just seems like hard work!

Preggosaurus9 · 09/10/2019 07:34

Not a thing. I don't remember at all what we put DC in. Clean and warm that's what a going home outfit should be! And yes the horror of the car seat is a thing! Worst 40 min journey of my life!

Sparklingbrook · 09/10/2019 07:34

I bought something especially for DC1 going home in and this was in 1999. I just wanted his first outfit to be nice.
As for DS2 I couldn’t tell you what he wore. Blush

TheBabyAteMyBrain · 09/10/2019 07:35

We had the first sleep suit we had bought put to one side with a cute cardigan, hat, booties, and mittens, it was the only one which wasn't from a multipack or secondhand. When it came to it I had been stuck in hospital for so long and so desperate to leave, when we got the discharge papers I just chucked ds on the car seat, bundled up with blankets and ran for it.

I guess you picture it as a nice moment, taking your newborn home, and you want something special to show it.

AmIThough · 09/10/2019 07:36

I got DD a 'hello world' sleep suit. I don't know why. It wasn't for the pictures, I just felt like she needed a specific 'going home' outfit.

I guess it's like getting a new outfit to wear on Xmas day.

TheSecretJeven · 09/10/2019 07:36

I have no idea what my DC wore when we came out of hospital. I kept the very first babygro that they wore though.

Morgan12 · 09/10/2019 07:36

Both mine came home in a sleep suit, cardigan and hat.

I don't even have a picture of DH walking along the corridor holding a car seat with his back to the camera.

Did I even have a child 😮

funmummy48 · 09/10/2019 07:37

It's only a "thing" if you allow it to be. It's not a "thing" with any of the new mums I know.

Northernlurker · 09/10/2019 07:37

Well actually it was a 'Thing' 42 years ago when I went home. My mum was forced to dress me in a white babygro provided by nan, her mil. Meanwhile the baby in the bed next door went home in a 27 piece primrose outfit de excellence. My mum has never got over it.........

That baby went to Oxford on accelerated entry btw. Every time she was in the local paper you can guess what got mentioned..........

LolaSmiles · 09/10/2019 07:39

The idea of keeping a cute baby grow on side so you've definitely got something clean to put them in to go home makes sense, but having a full baby fashion outfit seems more for social media and photos than anything else.

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