Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

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:
GrouchyKiwi · 09/10/2019 09:28

Just remembered (Blush) that my third child was a home birth, so she didn't have a going home outfit, per se, just her First Ever Babygro.

Span1elsRock · 09/10/2019 09:28

It's a 1st baby thing IMO. All of mine were born in winter so came home in a snowsuit! And I don't remember taking photos, I was too sore and exhausted to think straight.............

littleduckeggblue · 09/10/2019 09:34

I had take a lovely white ribbed sleepsuit as our going home outfit. Wanted something that I would keep in my memory box and maybe bring any other children I had home in the same outfit. However, we ended up staying in for 3 days so ended up going to hospital in a random hand me down. Not everything turns out the way you plan.
I don't think it's a SM thing. It's an outfit for a special occasion

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Clothing Families
Buyitinbamboo · 09/10/2019 09:34

I didn't bother with my first, but then DP left a bag in the car and went home that night so I only had 2 baby grows and they became a right mess so any pictures I have of her in the hospital and on the way home are covered in blood/mess.

I'm 35 weeks with no 2 and have packed more babygrows with one I intend to take him home in, as I felt I missed that with DD

Everythingseemsfine · 09/10/2019 09:34

I think it's depends on what you expect when baby comes home. If you are expecting people waiting and taking photos, maybe. I don't even remember what my only child was wearing the day he came home.

MamaGothel · 09/10/2019 09:37

When I was pregnant, especially with my first, I loved getting out all the little clothes and folding and sorting and resorting them, picking the first clothes that would be worn, the going home outfit, what she would wear on X and Y date. It was a way of bonding with the baby.

StarlingsInSummer · 09/10/2019 09:39

DS was born 5 years ago, and I had a going home outfit picked out. I'm not really on social media, I just wanted to dress him up. I'm not sure we used it though! I can't remember. The rest of the time he lived in cosy vests and babygros.

BertieBotts · 09/10/2019 09:39

YY Mama :)

I love baby/toddler clothes. It's one of the fun parts of parenting IMO.

StarlingsInSummer · 09/10/2019 09:41

I don't care who thinks this is weird, it makes me happy and I'm harming no-one.

Exactly this.

Passthecherrycoke · 09/10/2019 09:41

Goodness it’s always been a thing as far as I remember! One special little newborn outfit since there isn’t much point splashing out on loads.

I loved picking my newborns going home outfits- not much else to do in late pregnancy is there? I’ve kept them too. I hated being in hospital so bringing them home was a big celebration

Passthecherrycoke · 09/10/2019 09:43

I hate threads like this where people pretend to be all confused by something they personally haven’t heard of. I think they think they’re being smart but it looks really dim.

PickedByYou · 09/10/2019 09:44

I'm keeping the sleep suit my son wore home from hospital and I'm going to enjoy looking at it when I'm an old lady!

Good for you. I think that sounds like a lovely plan😊
I have kept a couple of outfits and when I come across them they make me happy. You would think I would get used to how little they are but somehow every time I see them it's like 'wow, that's tiny!, I can't believe A,B,C and D ever fit into that'

(Not their real names)

andannabegins · 09/10/2019 09:47

I he going home outfits for mine. My DP is a rugby fan so both my eldest came home in an England rugby babygrow

andannabegins · 09/10/2019 09:48

Oh and that was 18 and 14 years ago

stucknoue · 09/10/2019 09:49

It's not, you need 3 sleepsuits, 3 bodysuits, a hat and a blanket unless the weather turns arctic in which case an extra blanket is needed. Same goes for you - think comfy. Most people are only in the hospital a few hours after the birth these days, especially if you give birth late afternoon/evening. Don't overthink the bag contents either, someone can bring in anything you need (In my case smaller sleepsuits the newborn ones drowned her!)

Everythingseemsfine · 09/10/2019 09:49

Passthecherrycoke, I just don't get your point. Everyone feel special about their new born. But not everyone thinks what they wear really matters.

BertrandRussell · 09/10/2019 09:50

“In my case smaller sleepsuits the newborn ones drowned her!)“
I had the opposite problem with ds- we had to stop at Mothercare on the way home for bigger ones!

BertrandRussell · 09/10/2019 09:51

As I said- I basically treated by babies like dollies. Grin

stucknoue · 09/10/2019 09:53

Ps I think it comes from the USA where the hospital provides clothes in the hospital so the first outfit they wear that you brought is to go home, you literally take one nappy and one outfit, it was brilliant (i "tried" both systems by circumstances)

MrsPear · 09/10/2019 09:54

We had special outfits because after 6 weeks in SCBU for ds1 and 5 weeks for ds2 it did feel special and a celebration. We had our babies with us which was amazing. I wasn’t allowed to stay with either of them so to finally walk out of the door with them - especially ds1 as he nearly died of an infection - was the best thing.

Kanga83 · 09/10/2019 09:56

My first didn't have an outfit- just whatever babygrow hadn't been wrecked in the five days in hospital. She had a hat (December baby) and a woollen cape which doubled as a blanket on the way to the car. My second had a clean babygrow and a bib that said 'little brother' to try get my eldest to warm to him. She wanted to leave him at hospital and wait for a girl baby that didn't cry instead.

Jengle · 09/10/2019 09:56

It was a big thing to me, 13 years ago and I wasn’t on social media.

I knew these pics of baby would be on my parents/ in-laws walls for years so chose a lovely white and lemon outfit - and it’s true, the pics are still on their walls and will be for the 20/30 years! Smile

LaMarschallin · 09/10/2019 09:57

Passthecherrycoke

I hate threads like this where people pretend to be all confused by something they personally haven’t heard of. I think they think they’re being smart but it looks really dim.

To be fair, sometimes people aren't pretending "to be all confused" by something.

I've posted on here saying that it wasn't a particular thing when I had my children and that I thought maybe it was to do with SM.

Maybe I'm dim if I haven't picked up on this, but I certainly have no problem if people want to dress their babies in "cute coming home" outfits.

Sometimes a comment is just a comment.

SinkGirl · 09/10/2019 09:57

I still have the tiny preemie vests my twins wore. And one of the special preemie nappies (unused obviously 😂).

luckygreeneyes · 09/10/2019 09:58

Mine had a white baby gro, cute blanket and hospital issue hat.

That’s how I like babies though so was happy with that for the pictures