really stupid question about hospital bag

[potas]

Hi
I really need some help - I'm trying to get together my hospital bag but i am a first time mum and have no experience of babies. (oops) what clothes etc do I need to take for the baby. I have looked online at previous responses and people have replied bodysuits and babygros but I have no idea how these differ from each other. I know this makes me sound really thick. then people mention vests - I guess these have no bottom half? I'm worried I won't take the right stuff. Or know what I should put on the baby and when.
If any nice person can post a ink to what I need I would be very grateful.
Thanks

Great question. I'm still mystified as to the difference between sleep suits, romper suits, all in ones and baby gros! Think vests have no legs or sleeves but I've also heard mention of long sleeved vests! Also what do we need in terms of blankets, towels, nappies etc or do they provide baby stuff at the hospital for us to use?

A bodysuit is the same as a vest, you can get sleeveless, short sleeve or long sleeve, these go on as underwear over the nappy. The you'll need a babygro/sleep suit/all in one (all the same thing) that goes over the top of a the vest. Then either a cardigan or blanket to wrap baby in. The rule of thumb most mums use is that babies need one more layer than what you are warm in. X

baby vests

or sleeveless baby vests

bodysuits aka sleepsuits or babygros

baby will need to wear at least two layers at first - vest and baby gro. they can get cold easily at first so little hats are also good. and another layer (cardigan/jacket) for going outside when you go home.

www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/labourandbirth/planningyourbabysbirth/whattopack/

Here's one!

And if it helps, I share your confusion and have thus filled the suitcase with about 20 different variations on baby clothes including 2 different sizes (newborn and 0-3months) and choices of sleepsuits, babygrows with and without arms, vest tops, a pair of trousers, booties and hats. Bearing in mind this is really simply to get him/her from hospital to home, it probably counts as overkill!

Great thread, you don't sound thick at all! Thank you potas for asking, and thank you hambles for answering! Phew!

A vest/bodysuit is like a leotard - they have poppers at the crotch and can be sleeveless, short sleeved or long sleeved. Over the top a baby wears a sleep suit, which is an all in one with long sleeves, legs and feet and poppers all the way up the middle. I would take half a dozen of each and unless you're bring induced early or you know the baby is small, buy 0-3 months or the baby will outgrow them in no time. If baby is small get tiny baby or new born (dd was six ten and needed tiny baby). Take baby a hat too, hospital likes them to wear them in first few hours.

Thank you Hambles - things are a lot clearer now! and nice to know I am not the only one. And like coops all I have to work out now is what sizes to take. Fortunately there is a massive 24hr tesco next to the hospital so emergency buying can occur if I get it totally wrong

Babygros and sleepsuits are the same thing body, arms, legs.

Bodysuit, also known as a poppered vest These come in sleeveless, short and long sleeve. They have no legs.

When your baby is born, you will need a nappy, a vest (whichever sleeves depend on the weather/time of year) and a sleepsuit/babygro and a little hat. You can buy newborn starter sets like this for the first day or two if you like. Its probably cheaper to buy a pack of bodysuits, a pack of sleepsuits and a couple of hats separately as you will get more for your money.

Remember, the supermarket is your friend with this stuff. Its easy to get more quickly and its cheap.

DS was 7lb 6oz and actually he needed some small baby stuff. They do just swim in it all at first.

I took one of these m.marksandspencer.com/mt/www.marksandspencer.com/Petit-Bebe-Cotton-Assorted-Starter/dp/B002V5RZI2?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_18&nodeId=72343031&sr=1-18&qid=1339230349&pf_rd_r=0B87VR1Y3VGW4MVYSNZ1&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=72343031&pf_rd_p=215570647&pf_rd_s=related-items-3 and a couple of hats with me. I had all bases covered.

I would buy newborn to start with. My ds was 8lb 4oz and my dd was 8lb 3oz, so not small babies and both were in newborn to start with. Don't buy too many to start with though, as mine were only in them for about 3/4 weeks.
If you have a supermarket close you can always send someone out to get tiny baby or 0-3 if baby is particularly big or small

The hospital will have towels and blankets for baby. IME you need to take your own nappies really, but they'll let you have a few. Same with formula if you're not breastfeeding. Good luck all of you!

Oh, and romper suits are sleepsuits/all-in-ones/babygros without feet. They're sometimes like t-shirt and shorts all-in-ones for warm weather.

I bought newborn and 0-3 months but just took newborn into hospital. Both DDs were over 8 lbs and were very long (57 and 54 cms) and filled their newborn babygrows but it took a while before they were in 0-3 month stuff (babies often lose their birthweight soon after birth).

Unless you have been told you are having a big baby (over 10lb) you only need to take newborn size to hospital. I had an almost 8lb baby and even the newborn stuff was big on him to the point that he kept losing his arms and legs into the body part!
You will need nappies, cotton wool, wipes, vests (aka bodysuit) sleepsuit (with feet and built in scratch mitts) a cardigan, jacket or pram suit depending on the season, and a couple of hats. If you are staying overnight at the hospital or longer, you will need several changes of clothes for baby as they vomit up mucus from the birth with amazing regularity and end up all wet and chafed around the neck. the small terry bibs are also great for sick issues.
For you take a couple of pairs of pjs (your boobs may leak and I guarantee your foof will be leaking lots even if you have a section. Get the disposable pants for the first few days and also take loads of maternity towels. Lastly in case you have stitches I can recommend a water bottle with a small top, when you pee you squirt water on your stitches whilst peeing and it doesn't sting as much.
Finally, this is my top tip, have spare clothes for you and baby laid out in the nursery, so that if you run out you can ask your partner to bring more clothes and this will mean he won't turn up with a 6-9 month size sleepsuit for the baby and pre pregnancy jeans, a tight top and heels for you to come home in!