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Original poster

Please can you help me with baby clothes sizes

19 replies

SianFirstTimeMum · 26/05/2011 18:56

Hi you ladies seem really helpful, I have had a lot of advice from my first topic (about nappy brands) so I was wondering if you can help a stressed-first-time-mum-to-be on what clothes to buy.

I don't know what sex my baby is. I don't want to buy too much gender-neutral stuff but want to have enough to get me through the first few days. I am thinking just a cardigan, bodysuits and sleep-suits rather than actual outfits. Does this sound enough? Is it worth getting in newborn sizes or will 0-3 be OK? I see 0-3 go up to approximately 12lbs. If my baby is, say, 8lbs, will 0-3 be far too big or will it be OK? How many bodysuits and sleep-suits should I get?

Lastly, do I need bibs for a newborn??

Sorry for all of the questions, getting quite stressed.

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Indith · 26/05/2011 19:01

It really depends on how much you care. Generally, if you have a fairly average sized baby then 0-3 may look a bit big for a while but your baby isn't going to care! You say you don't want too much neutral stuff but on the other hand clothes shopping is not going to be all that high on your priority list for a while! You can find some really fab, bright, gender neutral clothing. Check out Sainsbury for Gruffalo and Hungry Caterpillar clothes. You don't need much at all for a while though, around 8 sleepsuits and vests and a couple of cardis will be fine (remember that you can get through 3 or 4 a day with sick and exploding poos). You don't really need bibs for a newborn but no harm in buying a few, if you have a sicky baby you will use them but if not you will want them anyway when all the drooling starts with teething :).

Snarfle · 26/05/2011 19:04

My ds was 9 pound and we had him in some newborn and some 0-3. we only had sleepsuits and vests and not many of them. We bought more once ds was born (we didn't find out the sex before). Also, for the first few weeks I didnt dress him in anything but body suits so all newborn outfits were pretty much too small by the time I got around to wanting to dress him in them.

Re bibs - I berastfed at first and didn't really need them but with bottle feeding I get through loads and loads of them each day. Muslin clothes are really handy for burping / posseting etc...

hth

LittleB · 26/05/2011 20:30

My dc's were 6lb10 and 7lb so were both in newborn clothes for a month or so, had some lovely gender neutral stuff (bright animals, and multicoloured stars etc that they've both worn, I would also stick to sleepsuits and vests. We got bought little outfits for both of them by the relatives once they'd been born. If you're not too fussy you can pick up some lovely hardly used newborn clothes in charity shops or second hand. I used muslins rather than bibs for burping etc, only used bibs once I started weaning.

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sweetuphoria · 26/05/2011 20:38

Personally I would get some bibs as you may have a sicky baby (mine was at first), and yes muslin cloths are handy.

As for sleep suits I would get a few in newborn size to dress baby in when first born.0-3 will prob be too big unless you have a 10lb baby. My DD was 8lb 6oz and was in newborn clothes for 2 weeks so she ended up getting a lot of wear from the few newborn things that she had.

InmaculadaConcepcion · 26/05/2011 20:42

What the others said re sleepsuits - I don't think we dressed DD in anything else until she was at least four months old. DD was a bit prem and small, so even newborn stuff was big on her, but having stuff that's a little on the large side is not big deal - they soon grow into and out of them!

Muslins are less faff than bibs for newborns IMO, no messing about trying to tie them on, you just sort of drape them over the baby and tuck between head and shoulders. Muslins are the mother's best friend! Get a goodly bundle, they won't let you down and can be put to all sorts of uses.

Good luck!!

ChunkyPickle · 26/05/2011 20:47

Mine was an expert at being sick around the bib so I gave in and just changed his baby grow when it got icky - we had one newborn sleepsuit which he fitted for a week, then he was in plain white 0-3 babygrows (and some stuff we'd been given as gifts for about the next 3 months (summer baby, so he didn't really need much in the warm weather). He was (and still is) a straight down the middle, average sized baby.

ChunkyPickle · 26/05/2011 20:48

Oh, and being a cheapskate I didn't buy muslins, but got a load of ikea teatowels and the super cheap hand towels for 50p each...

I like white because you can oxy/bleach/boil it when the yellow poo gets on it :S

springbokscantjump · 26/05/2011 20:51

Ah the joys of deciding what to get. We bought a lot of newborn stuff and some 0-3 things. When my ds was born at 9lb 9oz I had to send my dh back to the house to get the 0-3 stuff as he didn't fit (comfortably) in the newborn stuff. Luckily my mom had bought us the biggest range of gender neutral stuff in all sizes so it didn't matter too much (although I hope my next dc is a bit smaller so I get some wear out of the little clothes) - we even had 6-9 month stuff!

I would have a few bibs to hand in case you need it but buy lots and lots of muslin clothes. I was all about them but really they are very useful. What you could do is put some money aside, get a few bits and bobs and when your dc has arrived, send dp or friend to sainsburys/asda to buy the multipacks.

Sirzy · 26/05/2011 21:03

DS was 6lb15 born, he needed tiny baby/early baby clothes when he was born and was 4 months before the 0-3 clothes went near him!

I would buy a few newborn and 0-3 and take it from there. DS ended up with LOADS of 0-3 and 3-6 clothes as people gave them to him as presents.

I used bibs when he was little to clean up the milk overflows - but again got given a lot of bibs as parts of presents.

smoggii · 26/05/2011 22:09

bibs bibs bibs - get loads, if you want to protect the clothes fully you can get plastic backed ones.

My DD was 8lb11oz and lost weight in the first few days but then was back up again by the end of the week. She wore first size for the first week only, 0-3 lasted util she was 7 weeks old and 3-6 until she was about 14 weeks, she's now 20 weeks (nearly 5 mths) and wears 6-9 and 9-12!! Go by the weight not by the age - all shops are different.

Maybe just get plain white stuff for the first couple of weeks in first size and 0-3 you don't need too much stuff because even if you're not up to shopping i guarantee you'll get loads of clothes as gifts and the supermarkets sell great stuff so you can pick up a few outfits with the weekly shop.

I found Asda babygrows and vests to be best, nice and soft and good proportions, the tesco ones were a bit weird fitting.

I don't understand people's obsession with muslins. I read in all the books how useful they were so bought 12, i've used 2 about once each to wipe her face i thinkand only because i had them to hand, i can't use them as bibs baby just pulls them off!

Sirzy · 26/05/2011 22:15

I am glad I am not the only one who didn't use muslins!!

I agree about Asda babygrows. DS has been in his 9-12 ones for about 6 months now and they are still in great condition.

sarahtigh · 28/05/2011 22:51

don't take them out of packet till born so if a big baby can take all newborn stuff back to shop and swap for next size

mewkins · 29/05/2011 20:40

Our dd was 8lb 3oz but very long! some newborn stuff was too short but luckily we had some footless babygros! my advice is to borrow what you can before you go into hospital and then see what you need to buy once people have given you presents etc

PurpleCrazyHorse · 31/05/2011 00:07

DD was in sleep suits forever!! We had 0-3 months in the baby bag but DD was only 6lbs, luckily DH had already been shown the baby section in the 24hr Asda and he was promptly sent out for tiny baby sizes. I wouldn't worry too much and certainly don't buy many to start as they grow so fast.

Cardigans are also handy as are short sleeved bodysuits. We would put DD in a body suit and then a sleep suit over the top when it was a bit chilly.

I didn't really use bibs with a newborn (only once DD was a bit bigger) but we did have a few muslins. I would get a small packet and see what you use. We also bought a dummy, which we didn't use (DD didn't like it) but was handy to have as something to try when DD was screaming.

We got loads of small baby stuff as gifts and I'm so pleased we didn't overbuy.

FutureNannyOgg · 31/05/2011 08:36

I firmly believe now that every other baby clothes size is a waste of time, if I had my time again I would start in newborn, then go straight to 3-6, then 9-12, but then DS grew like a weed (started on 50th centile, was off the charts by 8 months, he's in 18 months size now at 9 months). The difference between sizes is fairly small, and babies are fine in slightly big stuff, especially bodies, trousers, t shirts etc.

When he was little, I had him in vest/bodysuits (which are fine oversized) and those nightie things, I can't for the life of me recall what they are called, but they have arms at the top, and then are long with an elasticated bottom for easy nappy changes. He had babygros too, but for the first couple of weeks he lived in them. Also if baby is due in summer, you may find them living in just vests anyhow.

There are also massive variations in size between brands. Mothercare is very generous and Next and Debenhams are tiny.

BellaBearisWideAwake · 31/05/2011 08:44

Isn't it funny about muslins? We have over 30 of them, get through about five a day. DS1 had reflux so bibs and muslins a-go-go, DS2 leaks when he feeds (or I do, I suppose) and then possets, and the cloths get smelly quickly so I change often.
I would have 6-8 babygros and 6-8 vests in newborn, but jut supermarket white ones and then get more interesting ones for 0-3 months.

FutureNannyOgg · 31/05/2011 10:58

I used to use loads of muslins, I have about 30 too, and there were times we seemed to be running low. DS possetted after pretty much every feed up until about 6 months, and it used to run out of the bottom corner of his mouth when nursing too. For months I always had to have a muslin to hand.

TootTootLick · 31/05/2011 14:02

They vary so much. I would get newborn and some 0-3 in case you have a bigger baby. Babygrows/sleepsuits are just fine and the most comfy thing for them. People say that they grow out of them so fast etc but mind didn't as I had little babies so got plenty of wear out of everything to the point where we had to replace things with the same size as they were getting tatty. One of mine was only 4.5lb so had to get Tiny baby size.

I think that unless you know you are having a big baby or a small baby or they are likely to be very long (if you or DP are) just get newborn and 0-3 and then see how you go.

LifeOfKate · 31/05/2011 21:52

I am another fan of muslins, there has not been a bodily fluid experience they have not been able to handle :o On the other hand, I never used the tiny newborn bibs, got several as presents. DS was sick a lot and it would have gone way beyond the tiny bit of fabric provided by the bib, so it was just mopped up with muslins and babygro changed if it was that bad.
My DS was 8lb 8oz when born, but didn't fit into newborn as he has huge shoulders, courtesy of DH, so it's not just the age/weight/height, it's the shape of the child too! He was then in 0-3 for 6 weeks as he piled weight on (I think 4lb in that time). They were a little baggy in the beginning, but since he didn't really move very much and spent most of his time sleeping, it really didn't matter if they 'fitted'.

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