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

[EmAreSea]

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?

Having a going home outfit has always been a tradition where I'm from. It was such from when babies were not born at home although even then they had a special outfit worn when first visitors arrived. My DM made or knitted outfits for this purpose for me and my siblings who were born 1955 onwards but it goes back further than that.

Thinking about it my mother made a huge deal out of my daughters ‘coming home outfit’ 22 years ago
I really didn’t care-I kept her first baby gro because that was her first item of clothing she wore but she had a snowsuit over her clothes when we left

I really didn’t get it (and can’t remember what she wore on the ride home much to my mothers horror)

Op, I think it's a lovey thing to do and think about picking outfit that will be treasured forever. I just think there's nothing wrong either you do or not. It's up to you. It's not either or not it is a thing, that you need to think about. It's about what you think.

Taking baby home is a memory that will last a lifetime generally so I guess it’s that, they want a special outfit to mark the occasion. I don’t see a big issue with it.

Taking baby home is a memory that will last a lifetime generally so I guess it’s that, they want a special outfit to mark the occasion.

I remember taking my kids home from hospital. I have no idea what they were wearing. Nor indeed what I was wearing.

Passthecherrycoke

Given that you seem to think that anyone who doesn't know what you know is "dim", would I be wrong in thinking you're dim because you don't know everything I know about chemistry?

I'd think that I wouldn't be polite for thinking that.
Just because someone doesn't know what you know doesn't mean they're dim.

I bought slightly nicer babygros for when I bought my twins homes in the days before social media.

Although i had bought newborn size, the clothes did look ridiculously big. It was a massive stress worrying if the car seat straps could actually be made tight enough for their tiny bodies and the hats I had bought kept flopping down over their eyes.

The second time around when ds came home, I think he was lucky to have whatever was clean out of the hospital bag

I can’t remember what my babies wore. It would have been a baby grow and cardie. I don’t think we have any photos at all of their coming home from hospital. We came back on the bus with the baby in a sling - that’s all I remember!

Don’t worry that’s not dim @LaMarschallin 🤣

How about me, Passthecherrycoke, you think I am dim and pretending?

I don’t know, I don’t remember any of your posts

So, you claim you don't remember any of my post addressed to you, fair enough.

And you talked about my son born half dead, but don't remember, right.

First child: lovely brand new outfit, matching booties, cardigan, gloves and hat. Made a big deal out of it.

Second child: Hand me down baby grow and blanket. Just wanted to get home and didn’t care what she wore.

😂😂😂

@Passthecherrycoke

I don’t know, I don’t remember any of your posts

Oh dear.
That's a bit of a worry because you replied to one of those posts less than an hour ago, viz:

Passthecherrycoke

I’m sorry that you son was born half dead but not really sure what that has to do with it? If you understand the concept of a going home outfit, then my post wasn’t about you

Can you not remember things less than an hour ago?

No I’ve answered ever post addressed to me. I don’t remember what your view is on people who have going home outfits though

@Passthecherrycoke

No I’ve answered ever post addressed to me. I don’t remember what your view is on people who have going home outfits though

Right. My view was that it wasn't a "thing" until I read this thread.
So I've learned something.

I know you answered a post from Everythingseemsfine less than an hour ago.
So I expressed my worry that your memory doesn't extend to an hour.

So I'm not too worried if you feel I'm dim.

It's the implication that people are copying a trend or only doing it for social media, so to 'show off' in a sense, when in fact it is quite a big tradition, that's going to get peoples backs up. It just sounds a bit sneery.

I think no one said having going home clothes was a negative thing. Some simply said it was never heard of, which can be true. At least for me. Problem with you is that you said people who said that is either dim or pretending. It will be well received if you admit your wrong doing.

HalfBloodPrincess
In my experience there's a difference between someone choosing one of their baby grows they've already bought to go home in (fairly normal in my circles) and then having a full on outfit, making a fuss etc.
In my experience the people who go to town on the whole baby coordinated wardrobe, lots of cute outfits, a going home outfit etc do also tend to be people I know who are big into social media.

Yes but you didn’t understand what I was posting did you @LaMarschallin? So no need to worry about my memory.

And what might that difference be Lolasmiles?

But you said you don't remember any of my post. That was what she was addressing, Passthecherrycoke.

@Everythingseemsfine

But you said you don't rememberanyof my post. That was what she was addressing, Passthecherrycoke.

Yes, I was.

Blimey this got a lot more responses than I was expecting!

I didn’t think it was a social media thing as even my MIL has been asking what we’ll be putting baby in and she isn’t into SM in the slightest...