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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Newborn clothes?

116 replies

Changeythenamey · 31/01/2021 10:10

We’re expecting our first baby in May and I was discussing purchases with a friend.

She couldn’t believe I said I was going to be sticking to sleep suits/ baby grows from super markets and Matalan. She was suggesting I was being a bit tight and expected me to go ‘all out’ on more high end outfits.

Now I’m worried I’ll come across as a skinflint.

We’ve bought some lovely little baby grows from sainaburys and ASDA. My thinking was that the baby will grow so quickly and will be messing them up so regularly that these will be the best solution for the first few months.

Am I being stingy and ‘missing out on dressing her up’? Money isn’t a problem but I do hate to be wasteful.

Also friend was suggesting that we need 20-30 outfits for every age bracket. Is this right?

OP posts:
DappledThings · 31/01/2021 10:11

YANBU and your friend is bonkers.

EssentialHummus · 31/01/2021 10:12

Number of outfits - maybe. Depends how pukey they are/how often you’d like to do laundry. But it’s a hard no from me on “outfits” rather than babygrows - uncomfortable, fiddly, they outgrow them in two minutes, a pain to change... just no.

nimbuscloud · 31/01/2021 10:13

You know you’re not being stingy. Why are you worried about being seen as a skinflint ? Do what suits you and ignore anyone else.
You will probably get lots of clothes as gifts as well.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 31/01/2021 10:13

Supermarkets are fine- I love TU at Sainsbury’s, people tend to gift u the more expensive stuff.
The ages brackets are
Newborn
Up to 1 month
Up the 3 months
3-6 months
6-9 months
9-12 months

So realistically newborn your baby may not fit and if they do they wear stuff for maybe 2 wks. No way do you need that many. If you buy too few stuff buy more on next day delivery so better to buy too few than waste money.

FTEngineerM · 31/01/2021 10:14

Firstly Who is even going to know when they’re on the baby?

Secondly you’re being sensible, they wear them one maybe two times what’s the point in spending loads?!

I got loads second hand on Facebook market place for the first size, gosh aren’t I a peasant Wink

Thesearmsofmine · 31/01/2021 10:14

Sleepsuitsbare perfect when they are tiny, easy to put on, easy to wash and quick to dry and most importantly soft and comfortable for baby. Supermarket stuff is just as good as any other brand.

afinethingindeed · 31/01/2021 10:15

Wow, what would she think of me? We are due our first in May and most of her clothes will be second hand. Money isn't an issue but with so many preloved clothes available to us, why not?!

Do what you want to do and don't worry about anyone else! Smile

SunshineLollipopsRainbow · 31/01/2021 10:15

I had literally 10 sleepsuits at 'up to a month' size and just washed and washed...I figured I'd rather have 10 things worn 10 times each than 50 things worn twice. Mine were from Asda sainsburys and a couple from next because they were cute but hey were the ones that went all bobbly after a couple of washes.
Your friend is being ridiculous...why spend loads of money if you don't need to!
Also 20 to 30 outfits per size is ridiculous! Does your friend not have a washing machine??!!

Willow4987 · 31/01/2021 10:16

We did probably have about 20 or so in the 0-3 range, less so in the smaller sizes as my DC were projected to be big.

In fairness we did use most of them, even if it was just to put them in something new as you’re right they do mess them up and good to have spares etc.

But we like you mainly had supermarket baby grows and sleepsuits as no point spending loads of money and full outfits are a pain when they’re small

MissBaskinIfYoureNasty · 31/01/2021 10:16

Your friend is an idiot. Firstly they grow so quickly it's pointless to spend a fortune on outfits. Secondly newborns should be comfy! They've just come out of the comfiest, warmest place. I hate seeing them shoved in adult style rigid clothing. Sleepsuits and onesies are soft and comfy. Mine stay in them until they're crawling.
You're doing fine.

Godimabitch · 31/01/2021 10:17

I'm doing exactly the same! Baby grows and sleep suits all the way. I've bought some second hand nicer sleepsuits and dungarees, and I've bought some nice leggings, but my baby will spend most of their time in a sleepsuit. They're cute, easy, cheap and comfortable. No headbands, or frilly dresses in this house if babys a girl

sunshineandshowers21 · 31/01/2021 10:18

i’ve got four kids and i’ve only ever bought clothes from matalan, primark, sainsburys, asda. the only ‘expensive’ babygrows i ever buy are next ones! there’s no point spending a fortune when 1) they grow out of them so fast and 2) they get so easily stained with sick/poo/baby food. i normally buy enough babygrows and vests for baby to wear two a day in case of them being sick or having an explosive nappy. i only started dressing my kids in proper outfits when they were about one! until then it was just vest, babygrow, and a knitted cardie.

Zofloratheexplora · 31/01/2021 10:18

Your friend is crazy.

Personally I found Morrisons baby clothes to be really nice and washed well. My eldest was born in the summer and only had 6 vests, 6 baby grows and 2 cardigans which was fine. I bought a few extra when I had DC2 as she was born in the winter and we don't have a tumble dryer so it takes longer to dry the clothes so a few extra were handy.

JemimaTiggywinkle · 31/01/2021 10:18

Weird that she has such a strong opinion on the clothes you’re buying for your baby.

I’m expecting my first baby too and have just bought sleepsuits/babygros - I just want the baby to be comfy and warm.

Also people might give you “outfits” as gifts... and you can always buy things later if you want to.

Halo1234 · 31/01/2021 10:18

You are doing the right thing. Sleepsuits and baby grows all the way and the supermarkets do lovely ones. You will need cardigans blankets and a hat too for when you go a walk. But you 100% do not need outfits.

Meredithgrey1 · 31/01/2021 10:20

For our DD we got a couple of big bags of second hand 0-3 months clothes from Facebook for a fiver, did the same for 3-6 months.
They were all in fine condition because babies grow so fast they don’t wear them loads, plus we got gifted quite a few nicer clothes.
She’s now 18 months and lives in supermarket clothes.

Noodledoodledoo · 31/01/2021 10:20

We also missed an age range - I think it was 6-9 maybe, as 3-6 lasted for aged and they then fitted into 9-12!

I had a lot as I got a lot of hand me downs, but only high end stuff my babies had were presents!

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 31/01/2021 10:21

Babies aren't dolls. They are wriggly, awkward, they puke, they wee and they do explosive poos up their backs. They need soft, easy to put on clothes.
I had a personal preference for leggings and tops or dungarees instead sleepsuits, but the premise was the same. Soft, comfortable and easy to put on. I just got very frustrated with all the poppers on sleepsuits.

110APiccadilly · 31/01/2021 10:21

I bought two outfits from Morrisons I think, then friends presented me with an enormous bag of stuff theirs had grown out of and I haven't looked back. She wears a short sleeved bodysuit and a babygro. If we go out she wears a jumper, cardigan or pram suit, with a hat. She was given a couple of nice outfits - maybe if we'd been going out more she'd wear them more, but with lockdown she hardly has. I don't think we need more than 10 sets of clothes at the outside but we do do washing pretty frequently.

diversity101 · 31/01/2021 10:21

Yanbu though I did find that the baby didn’t actually mess up her clothes. It’s only know that we are introducing solids that clothes are getting messy and stained.

I was gifted a few nice outfits but we didn’t use them much. Newborns lay around sleeping for so much of the day I didn’t really see the point and felt she was better off being comfy. They where fun for dressing up for photos but with covid it’s not like she had anywhere to go or people to meet!

CertainGecko · 31/01/2021 10:21

Sleepsuits look so cosy on babies anyway. No cutting waistband, no socks falling off, no tops riding up. Just snug and cosy and their little feet kicking in them look adorable.

I lov want to a few nice pieces on an older baby. But not necessarily expensive stuff. When they can sit up and crawl I like bright cute clothes but still mostly from supermarkets. They're still going to get poo, milk, food, sick on. And when they're crawling, the knees take a battering.

hammeringinmyhead · 31/01/2021 10:21

We had DS at 5lb8oz and he was in "tiny baby" for about 6 weeks. We had about 15 babygrows as he was breastfed so there were a lot of squirty incidents when he missed the mark! I think it's nice to have a babygrow or two that's not plain white or yellow for photos - ours were all gifts. But otherwise, I wouldn't buy trousers, shirts, dungarees or dresses in anything under about 6-9 months.

DappledThings · 31/01/2021 10:23

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Babies aren't dolls. They are wriggly, awkward, they puke, they wee and they do explosive poos up their backs. They need soft, easy to put on clothes. I had a personal preference for leggings and tops or dungarees instead sleepsuits, but the premise was the same. Soft, comfortable and easy to put on. I just got very frustrated with all the poppers on sleepsuits.
All this.

I think the 20-30 is bonkers, and supermarket clothes are great. That's what the friend is being bonkers about. Nothing wrong with not wanting to stick to only sleepsuits though. I hated all the poppers on them too and had mine out of them and into bodysuits and dungarees asap. All from supermarkets though and only about 4-5 sets on rotation.

hammeringinmyhead · 31/01/2021 10:23

Oh and yes, Tu at Sainsbury's, Nutmeg at Morrisons, Tesco, and Asda are your friends. DS is 2 and currently wearing a Sainsbury's top and trousers combo. It looks as good as Next to me!

diversity101 · 31/01/2021 10:24

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Babies aren't dolls. They are wriggly, awkward, they puke, they wee and they do explosive poos up their backs. They need soft, easy to put on clothes. I had a personal preference for leggings and tops or dungarees instead sleepsuits, but the premise was the same. Soft, comfortable and easy to put on. I just got very frustrated with all the poppers on sleepsuits.
Oh yes the suits with the poppers are the worse! Ones with zippers are much easier especially for nighttime changes. The ones that zip from both the top and bottom are fantastic and made nighttime changes so much easier