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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...To be panicking about baby clothes?

89 replies

toomanyclothes262 · 21/04/2023 22:29

Very tight budget so running out to buy things last minute/ordering from Amazon is not the best option. Obviously can do so in an emergency but would rather not.

I was initially very laidback about buying baby clothes but as I get closer and closer to due date I'm starting to panic about how expensive everything seems to be and what I'll actually need. I've now got it into my head she's going to throw up everywhere and need changing every 2 hours.

I have acquired a bag of clothing from fb which contains 22 newborn/up to 1 month sleepsuits. Will that be enough sleepsuits? I know I'll need vests/bodysuits as well, how many? Trying to shop the sales/2ndhand as much as possible to keep costings down. Using a range of sales/offers etc. I've got 31 up to 1 month short sleeve bodysuits for £18 and 30 0-3 for £19 (got all the receipts so can return) - is this a good deal?

I know some people have less but wash more, but I won't do a cycle with less than a full load (we can say it's environmental rather than the cost of electricity!)

I have spreadsheets with the stuff I've acquired across the age ranges, and I know predicting the size/rate of growth of baby is kind of like how long is a piece of string, but I'd rather worry about this stuff now rather than trawling FB marketplace/sales/charity shops when she's born.

I also have the problem where I am constantly hormonal at the cuteness of the full price outfits whenever I'm in a shop - and having to tell myself that £16 dresses are definitely not necessary!

If anyone has any advice/numbers then that would be much appreciated.

I feel fine buying clothes for myself because I know I'll get a lot of wear out of them, but kids grow so fast!!

OP posts:
Pottedpalm · 21/04/2023 22:36

I think you have plenty of first size stuff! Try ebay for job lots of larger stuff.

Danikm151 · 21/04/2023 22:37

You won’t need 31 up to one month they will outgrow them pretty quickly.

Inevitably family and friends will buy clothes for baby, of you’re anything like my and my friends you will get handmedowns too. 😊

try not to stress too much.

I had about 14 vests and 14 sleepsuits then around 15 outfits and even more vests that were bought for him.

CryWolf · 21/04/2023 22:40

31 body suits up to one month? I can’t imagine you will even get to put all of those on before they will be too small! Relax, you have loads of stuff. People buy outfits as gifts, supermarket baby grows and outfits are fine and are inexpensive, you will buy as you go along.

Duttercup · 21/04/2023 22:47

have acquired a bag of clothing from fb which contains 22 newborn/up to 1 month sleepsuits. Will that be enough sleepsuits?

Bless you. You've got plenty. I had 5 of everything up to 9-12 months and it was always fine.

Don't buy pretty dresses for your newborn. You won't bother apart from maybe to take a single photo. Or just get one off Vinted from someone else who spent £16 on a single photo!

Bumblebee2022 · 21/04/2023 22:48

I think you have too many vests tbh, especially in the first size. I know you say you don’t want to use the washing machine unless you have a full load, but honestly, the easiest way to deal with clothes caught up in a nappy explosion is to chuck it in the washing machine. I wouldn’t have wanted dirty clothes hanging around for a few days waiting for the machine to fill up. Does your machine have a half load cycle?

22 sleepsuits sounds plenty. You will probably find you are gifted some too when baby arrives.
id return some of the vests and put the money in a safe place, so if you find you need more you have the cash to buy them and if you don’t need them, you can buy the bigger size as you need them.

FinallyFoundIt · 21/04/2023 22:49

I'm sorry to tell you that my newborn went straight into 0-3month clothes as he was too big for newborn / up to 1 month clothes.

Just only buy second hand stuff - Facebook bundles are indeed your friend - and you don't need as many as you've already got. No need to get rid of it now, but sell it on as soon as your LO outgrows it to fund the next size up.

BeastOfBODMAS · 21/04/2023 22:51

That is loads, and you will have plenty of time to trawl eBay for bundles during night wakes.
Remember too that if you sell it on as soon as it’s outgrown you will have a little fund for next size up.
Dont get hung up on planning wash load sizes at this stage, if something’s been proper soiled you won’t want it hanging around festering!

RedToothBrush · 21/04/2023 22:51

You've lost the plot and got wayyyyyy too much already!

whatthejeffdave · 21/04/2023 22:54

My babies were in newborn/first size for around 7-10 days then straight into 0-3, maybe a tad big but better that than too small. Stock up on your 0-3 more then your newborn/first size, they outgrow it very quickly!! Actual clothes aren't really necessary either, I bought alllllllll the clothes (dresses/tops/cardigans) with my first, very quickly resorted to a clean vest and baby grow change twice a day! Nice and comfy and easy 😄 don't stress, If you don't have what you need when baby is born, you can go get it. As long as you have enough to start with 😊

GlitteryGreen · 21/04/2023 22:58

This is definitely enough 😊 yiu can pick up things you need along the way (we had to buy a few newborn bits because up to 1 month were too big at first, and that's what I'd mainly got).

Definitely use Vinted as well, you can search specifically if you see something you like in a shop...if it's not on there already it will be shortly, and most is barely worn where babies grow so fast. I rarely every buy anything full price.

GlitteryGreen · 21/04/2023 22:59

Also agree about buying actual clothes, mine lived in sleepsuits for the first 8 weeks really. It's just so much easier and comfy for them.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 21/04/2023 23:00

Why do you need 31 sleepsuits to do a full load? Just chuck them in with all the other laundry you do.

BeastOfBODMAS · 21/04/2023 23:00

Also for every person whose baby skipped straight into 0-3 months, there’s someone like me who had to send their mum to 24hr Asda for tiny baby sizes and couldn’t use the newborn size stuff for weeks. It’s impossible to predict

Sleepygrumpyandnothappy · 21/04/2023 23:01

You have more than enough!

Maybe I’m grim, but their stomachs are so small at first it’s often possible to mop up a spit up rather than change their clothes.

Maryandherlamb · 21/04/2023 23:04

I had approx 6 of each thing for each age range (vests, bodysuits, leggings, tops, socks) and that was plenty. Did a wash daily and never needed more than 6 outfits a day!

olderthanyouthink · 21/04/2023 23:04

My pukey AF one had I think 12 short sleeve vests/bodysuits, 3 plain sleepsuits, and a few cardigan plus outfits but mostly lived in the plain white bodysuits a sleepsuits.

We had 27 muslins and we got through them in about 3 days! She threw up all the damn time.

Had puppy pads for the bed because puke.

I took a spare top with me everywhere because puke

22 sleepsuits is LOADS

olderthanyouthink · 21/04/2023 23:05

Sorry 10 plain sleepsuits...

iwasthewalrus · 21/04/2023 23:06

I agree you have enough of the first size.

Going forward is there a local FB group you could post on to ask if anyone is looking to sell/give away baby girl clothes? I find the small sizes don’t sell well because people are given so much, so people don’t bother trying to list it. But there’s bound to be someone locally looking to rehome all their baby clothes. A friend of mine is soon having a baby and I’m not having any more so I’m very excited to have someone to pass my clothes on to. If I didn’t have her I’d be looking for a nice stranger!

olderthanyouthink · 21/04/2023 23:07

And speaking from experience you don't want to leave pukey clothes sat around waiting for enough for a load, it will get mouldy so fast!

Baby clothes go in with adult clothes. Bio detergent is fine!

TheIsleOfTheLost · 21/04/2023 23:10

Everyone likes different things, so don't get too much before and see what you like when the baby arrives. I had one in 0-3 straight away and one in newborn for ages. It was stupidly hot at the time, so he mostly only wore vests.

Dresses and skirts look soooo uncomfortable for babies. You can't even sit up and have all this material trapped in a bunch when you are lying down. Then crawling with skirts getting in the way. Stretchy clothes like onesies, leggings, trackies are much better for a baby.

Jubaju · 21/04/2023 23:11

a spreadsheet for babygrows 😂

Rainbow1901 · 21/04/2023 23:12

Vinted is very good for bundles of clothes and you can sell outgrown clothes as baby grows.

FangedFrisbee · 21/04/2023 23:12

31 body suits is a ridiculous amount. You need more 3-6 or 6-9 months

Snugglemonkey · 21/04/2023 23:18

I have a 5 month old. I think you have too many tbh. My baby never fitted in up to one month as she was a wee heifer 🤣. That was ok as I had a total of 3 sleepsuits, 3 long sleeved vests and 3 shirt sleeved vests in that size.

People will buy you stuff, so I had a limited clothes until I saw what we had. I bought the same in 0-3 months. Baby is 5 months and is provided for in sleepsuits until she is 1 and even then, one packet will do.

You have loads. Even if you have a pukey baby, you have loads. Plus you will quickly see if you are washing too often.

SouthLondonMum22 · 21/04/2023 23:18

You have more than enough! I had less sleepsuits but that's because I liked to get him dressed during the day in outfits, I know some people prefer not to do that until they are bigger.