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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:
misskatamari · 31/01/2021 10:27

Whaaat?? To be honest, I think anyone who spend loads on baby clothes is a bit silly myself, so everyone has different views on this. Supermarket clothes are generally lovely now. My kids live in pretty much supermarket/Matalan/h&m and occasionally the odd thing from next when they were smaller. Babies grow so quickly, and they are always puking in stuff or having explosive nappies. Cheap sleep suits all the way for the first few months!

Dahlietta · 31/01/2021 10:28

YANBU. Trust your instincts - you're going to get a lot of unsolicited advice over the next 18 years or so.

springdale1 · 31/01/2021 10:30

We had the basics from Sainsbury’s and John Lewis, in future I’d probably just stick with John Lewis because they are so much softer. Bonds sleepsuits now she’s older to accommodate cloth nappies.

I did buy lots of outfits but predominantly on eBay, you can get lovely things from Bonpoint, Little White Company, Boden... for a couple of pounds each. They were always excellent condition and quite often still had tags on. Supermarket outfits weren’t really to my taste with writing and cartoons but I didn’t want to spend lots of money.

LolaSmiles · 31/01/2021 10:31

Is your friend usually image-conscious? The people I know who dressed their babies in lots of cute outfits tended to be more stylish themselves and quite image conscious.

I tried to buy as much as I could from preloved groups and second hand baby sales.

LouiseTrees · 31/01/2021 10:31

Tu at Sainsbury’s are great. You wouldn’t even know at times it is from a supermarket

Ileflottante · 31/01/2021 10:31

YANBU but I think you know that. Buy some supermarket stuff, it’ll get washed to death and routinely soiled and grown out of rapidly. But don’t feel you can’t have a few little outfits. It’s fun putting them in them and nice for when going out. If we can ever do that again.

Ileflottante · 31/01/2021 10:32

Incidentally, Tesco has some great things in at the moment.

Rolle · 31/01/2021 10:32

For me personally I see little point in buying loads for newborn and up to 1 month. Vests and sleep suits is all mine wore - nearly all from tesco. They have some lovely ones and quality is decent too as DD is now wearing DSs old ones. We just washed loads.

With constant nappy changes, sleep suits are just so practical so DD will be in those mostly until she is getting on for a year old. I think they look so lovely and comfy.

You sound entirely reasonable to me.

Nobranothanks · 31/01/2021 10:33

I had the opposite problem to most (re. Not being in newborn for long!) I was expecting a big baby and from all the tales told by my mum about how big I was I didn't buyuch newborn, it was all up to 1 month or 0-3...baby arrived at 7lb5 but was Diddy. I very quickly learned that all shops versions of newborn were different and what shops to buy from dependimg on where she was in the size bracket lol. (personally, found tesco and Primark the smallest whilst asda always seemed to Be massive! As for next.... I bought her a summer shirt, age 6-9 months and it's been rolled out every summer since as it still fits, started as a dress and is now a shirt and she's now 3 and a half, it's an institution in our house lol)

MyNameForToday1980 · 31/01/2021 10:34

We went mid range (M&S and John Lewis) not out of any soet of snobbery, just as they were standard places we shopped.

DD wore babygrows/sleep suits until age was 6mo (usually had 20 or so per size), when we migrated to leggings and tops.

She had the occasional fancy item (often a gift) and wore a dress for Christmas day. Aside from that, it was cotton and comfort all the way.

These days she still wears JL and M&S at home with supermarket and H&M bits for nursery.

MaskingForIt · 31/01/2021 10:35

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

You and me both! Everything I have in newborn or 0-3 mo is second hand. I’m not wasting money on clothes that are only going to fit for 5 mins!

hesneverfaraway · 31/01/2021 10:35

I have 6 dc and they all just had asda/Sainsbury’s/primary babygros and a few mothercare from the older dc and most have been passed down and still are fine ! Unless they were really heavily stained they’ve all lasted well. Plus babies like to be comfy and some outfits are just restrictive and fussy

DappledThings · 31/01/2021 10:38

With constant nappy changes, sleep suits are just so practical
I just don't get this. With constant nappy changes pulling down a pair of leggings or dungarees was far less faff to me rather than having to pop legs out of an all in one suit and fold the top bit behind them or taking them out completely.

2020iscancelled · 31/01/2021 10:38

Babies are generally happier in grows. More comfortable and easier for you to change bums and for napping.

Baby outfits are cute of course and most people I know had a few little things for special family days but really they aren’t necessary are they.

We had a few nice bits like soft wool jumper and legging sets, a super soft hoody and bottoms - effectively they aren’t much different to grows but were very cute and nice for photos.

Other than that mine were in grows 99% of the time until they were at least 7/8 months. Once they start crawling or standing then grows can be a bit of a pain because they have no grip on the feet and the knees get all caught up when they crawl.
Then we switched out grows to comfy sets and more “every day” clothes.

No need to spend a fortune either. But some people do. That’s fine too. Just do what you’re comfortable with, ignore what other people say you “should do”

Annabell80 · 31/01/2021 10:40

My three lived in sleepsuits until they were about 5/6 months old. I did get a few outfits off family so I used to get them properly dressed when we were seeing the person who gave us the clothes.
We're all self isolating at the moment and my 7 month old has just been in sleepsuits (not the same one obviously) for 4 days.
I think sleepsuits look really sweet on babies and all mine are from Asda.
Make the most of buying supermarket outfits because my older two are teenagers and won't wear Asda clothes now!

Aimee1987 · 31/01/2021 10:41

When my son was in 0-3 I bought 1 nice outfit as we were going to a wedding when he was 8 weeks old. It was such a faff getting it on him he lasted about 4 hours in it ( long enough to take some cute photos) and then he went into a baby grow for the evening.
Were in a pandemic so assuming your not going anywhere. Put the child in onesies. One of my favourites was a tiger one from asda and a Harry Potter one from sainsburys.
Your friend is being insane.

2020iscancelled · 31/01/2021 10:41

And yes to the PP who said babies might be heavy but they are tiny.

Same. Both times.

Heavy arsed babies but still fit easily into newborn clothing.

Don’t neglect to get a good few newborn or up to a month items. 0-3 would swamp most newborns. I say MOST, not all

Wanderlust20 · 31/01/2021 10:42

I'm planning on doing the same mostly. I'm also a FTM and due a few months after you Smile Last one to have a baby in my friends group and every single person has said that it's pointless buying lots of fancy outfits and you'll get those as gifts!

Caspianberg · 31/01/2021 10:43

No that’s crazy, buy what you like

0-6 months they grow fast and go through outfits quickly.

Mine now in 6-9 and 9-12 months. I still buy basic sleepsuits, leggings and vests in general, and buy the odd ‘nicer’ ie 100% wool cardigans or dungarees to go with them. Usually buy them slightly bigger and just fold sleeve over at first, so we should get 6 ish months out of them

AliasGrape · 31/01/2021 10:47

Pretty much all our newborn clothes were passed on from a friend. Some barely worn.

DD is 6 months and still mostly in sleepsuits - some with poppers and some zip up ones. I get most from preloved sites and we’ve had quite a bit passed on from a baby group I joined at the church - not able to run now but we’re still in a WhatsApp group and are forever offering clothes/ toys/ bath seats that babies have grown out of or didn’t take to or whatever. We’re also still working through Christmas present clothing plus some of the stuff we were given when she was born but people bought in a bigger size.

We have/ had far more than 20 outfits in each size just because that’s how it’s ended up with gifts and people being desperate to pass stuff on (and I didn’t know anyone who has recently had a baby so was amazed at how much stuff came out of the woodwork).

But the reality is we didn’t need and have never needed anything like that much. She’s not a particularly pukey baby and only poos about every 3 or 4 days. Likewise I bought tons and tons of crib and Moses basket sheets when I was pregnant imagining I’d be forever changing them, but really haven’t needed to (I mean aside from the fact that she only ever sleeps on me anyway Confused ). Another baby might be different though and you’d need lots more.

Also - they’re in newborn for such a very short time if at all, I really don’t see the point of spending a lot.

My sister in law bought her a beautiful dress from a posh brand when she was tiny. I felt I had to dress her in it but it was so awkward to get on and looked so uncomfortable. She’s had a dress on maybe 3 times since she was born - just not practical. People keep buying them though!

LittleBearPad · 31/01/2021 10:47

Sleepsuits are just lovely on babies.

They don’t need outfits when they are tiny.

John Lewis and M&S and Sainsbury’s were all great when mine were tiny.

Couchbettato · 31/01/2021 10:51

I didn't start regularly putting my son in normal day clothes until he was 1. He had a few nice sets I'd seen from newborn to 1, where I thought they'd be nice if we were going somewhere formal, but for lounging around, or going to our baby play group, he just stayed in sleep suits and baby grows.

110APiccadilly · 31/01/2021 10:55

I was just going to say, worth getting a couple of tiny baby ones and putting them in your hospital bag just in case. DD was term and my bump measured a bit big if anything. She arrived - and was under 5lb!!

greeneyedlulu · 31/01/2021 10:57

My kids have lived in Asda stuff since birth, no way would I waste money on more expensive things that they grow out of so quickly!! They look clean and presentable and that all that matters! My 7yo ds is already in 10 yo clothes so his growth in off the chart and he stands a full head and shoulders above some of his class mates, no way am I spending out on Next prices to keep up with that growth!!

QforCucumber · 31/01/2021 11:00

Ds2 is 7.5 months. So far he's worn an outfit 3 or 4 times in his life.