How many clothes does a baby need?

[firsttimemum090]

I'm trying to work out what exactly my baby needs. If I didn't receive a single gift, what would I need to purchase for my baby for the first 3-6 months? How many sleepsuits, babygrows, vests, hats, pramsuits, blankets, muslins? Do I need socks? If the baby needs a nappy change 10 times per day, do I need 10 outfits per day?

You definitely don’t need 10 outfits a day, changing a baby that often would be torture, for both of you!

What makes you think that you won’t receive any gifts either..

Congratulations!

Is it likely you won’t get gifts? For the first 6 months I bought 3 each of vests and babygrows in ‘newborn’ (which are unworn as he was huge!), and the same in 0-3. Everything else clothes wise was presents or hand-me-downs!

I also got 12 muslins (super useful: my boobs were leaky and he was sicky), 2 cellular blankets, a 2.5 tog sleeping bag.

You’re definitely not likely to need 10 outfits a day, though getting some dribble bibs is great for keeping tops/babygrows going longer.

I’d start with a few essentials (so set of vests and babygrows, hat, blanket, muslins) then buy once baby’s here and you know the size you need, and what suits you.

Plus somewhere for baby to sleep, car seat if you have a car, and a bouncy chair is really helpful so you can get a few minutes hands free to have a wash/make a cuppa.

I currently have maybe 4 sleepsuits, 6 long sleeved vests, 6 short sleeved vests, maybe 4 trousers and a couple of socks (theyre stretchy legging trousers for boys) so super easy to mix and match, he changes outfits once a day, unless he poops up his back or sicks which is rare, mainly very clean baby (3 months). I have a TON of bibs and muslin cloths, super handy keeping the outfits clean etc etc. I have 2 sleeping bags, one thick and one thin. Buy as you need, it's easy to go OTT on clothing buying then they never wear them x

Babies are different sizes at birth and grow at different rates. I would start off with about 6-8 sleep suits, 6-8 short-sleeved vests, 2 cardigans and 2 cotton hats in newborn size, and the same in size 0-3 months (except the hats). You may end up needing more if you have a baby who is sick a lot or is prone to explosive nappies. It may help to buy either everything in white or everything in strong colours, so that you can bung them all in the wash together (there will be lots of washing!)

Start of with one pack of muslins (again you may end up needing more) and maybe 3-4 lightweight cellular blankets that can be layered if necessary. Plus of course, at least 3-4 cotton sheets for your cot or moses basket. If the baby is born in the winter, you will need a couple of warm hats and some warmer blankets for going out in the pram, or a pram suit if you prefer (though it can be difficult to wrestle a newborn into one!).

Proper outfits aren't very practical for newborns, and will be outgrown in a few weeks, so are best left until the baby is a bit older.

I’d say 2 baby grows and 2 vests per day so that you don’t have to panic wash anything if you’ve ran out and can stick a load on at the end of the week of baby stuff. A few cotton hats and mittens if baby grows don’t have integrated mits. 2 coats/pram suits and 2 blankets. Loads of muslin cloths, so useful! Second hand stuff is great, outfits for tiny baby’s really aren’t necessary or comfortable at all.

I would say buy 6 vests and 6 sleepsuits in size up to 1 month. Newborn size clothes are a waste of money IMO. 0-3 you can get a bit more but honestly don't buy loads. Much better to save the money and buy as you need once baby is here. You do needs newborn hats. I would say buy some socks in 0-3 months but again you could easily buy them once baby is here. And get a few blankets and a sleeping bag. Oh and a fair few muslins and dribble bibs. Congratulations

While you certainly won't need 10 outfits every day, I had a refluxy baby who managed 8 outfits a day several times! Assuming that your baby will be wearing vests and sleepsuits most of the time, I'd advise getting at least 10 of each.

I also disagree about hats - my DD hated them and barely wore them. When it was necessary to cover her head, we used hooded jackets instead. Get a couple of hats and see how you go before buying more.

I know this isnt really what you asked but-

I found asda sleepsuits and vests to be just as good as much more expensive brand names and they do some really cute designes. A pack of 5 vests is about a fiver and they wash well. Id also try and avoid the slip over the head sleepsuits and as they're such a faff to get on and off try and get just the front studded ones. Also Cardigans are much easier than jumpers for adding and removing layers but try to avoid ones with a hood- it just gets in the way for a new born. Congratulations

Yes yes yes to babygrows with front poppers! We were given a kind of long nightie that was elasticated at the bottom and that was fab too - easy access for changing his nappies and kept him cosy.

I couldn’t believe how much washing a newborn could produce! Mine were sicky/explosive babies though.
I reckon 8 vests, 8 baby gros and 4 cardigans would do.
I really liked the little soft trousers with feet in as the poppers on babygros used to fox my post natal brain!
Socks are a pain-avoid.
A nice snowsuit type thing is useful for autumn/winter rather than a coat.
But I’m sure you will get loads of presents!

• you can never have enough muslin squares. You’ll want a couple on each room you’re in with you babycplus a couple in the changing bag and pram. You can also place a muslin under their head as they sleep, then if they spit up you just wash thexnyskin rather than change the sheets constantly.

• a jungle play mat- I have a grouch of a baby but she absolutely loves her jungle gym

Enjoy and congratulations!

I bought a little newborn set from m&s which i think had 3 vests, 2 sleepsuits, and a little jacket and a hat. I think I maybe also got a pack from baby shower with 3 more sleepsuits. This was plenty for the hospital and then the presents start rolling in pretty quick.

It makes sense to hold off and see what your baby is like, my son was breast fed and only pooped every 4 days and it only came out the nappy once in his life; the day after jabs. So he barely needed outfit changes. Also every single site says you need 100 muslin cloths and I bought accordingly but they are all still in a packet in the drawer along with unused bibs.

I bought only 0 - 1 mth items (0 to 3 would have swamped her) and loads of muslins (15 or so, not all muslins are equal, next have the best ones) to allow for gifts (not including bottles etc). That normally takes them up to 9/10lbs. She was in them until 5 weeks ish (born at 6lbs 13oz) and even if I had received no gifts I would have had loads of time to buy more clothes.

I got a .5 and 2.5 for bag, 3 cellular blankets, 3 sheets for the next 2 me crib and 3 towels (figured 1 in use, 1 drying and 1 in wash)

You don't really need bibs etc to start with and we were given loads as part of sets. Mitts were pointless, they just came straight off so I had maybe 10 sleep suits with integrated mitts, 10 vests (mix of long, short and no sleeves). I only changed her clothes once a day for the first few weeks as she was hysterical.for the entire process, that's if she wore any due to the 33 degrees in the flat.

She only wore 2 hat's and that was in the hospital and leaving it, but again, she was born middle of June so it was very hot for a long period after that.

I got gifted loads of 0-3 and 3-6 I've not had to buy anything else yet except tights and a couple of pairs of shorts to cover her nappies when wearing dresses.

Other than stocking up of nappy changing and feeding stuff if not bf, if you have what you need for the first month you'll probably be given a lot of gifts for the later months or have time and fun picking out more stuff.

I hope everything goes well.

I got about 6 sleepsuits in up to 1month, 2 newborn and 7 or 8 0-3 months. I'd say get up to 1m as newborn won't fit for long, but dd is 4 weeks old and has still got room in up to 1m (currently 9lb 12oz so not a tiny baby). same with vests, 1 or 2 hats, don't get any socks as you'll most likely be gifted them and I've now got hundreds! And if they are wearing sleepsuits with feet you won't need them anyway. I disagree with most people about outfits for newborn, o like to dress my baby in an outfit most days and change to a sleepsuits at night. tho vs like leggings and toos for girls aren't too stressful to get on, in fact I find them easier than doing up all the poppers. but each to their own. and a few cardies, few blankets

Thank you all I reckon we will get gifts but just trying to get an idea for what the baby might actually need and what not to buy. All of the tiny baby bits are so tempting, want to stop myself before I buy eleventy billion newborn babygrows

Yiu will definitely get gifts and will probably get offered tonnes of hand me downs too. I think I barely bought an item of clothing for at least a year.