What do babies wear???

[catwoman101]

First pregnancy, 31+2, went shopping for baby things for the first time this weekend and realised I don't know anything...

Do new babies spend all their time in all in one babygrows with a vest underneath or are you supposed to get 'proper clothes' for them? All the outfits that were NOT babygrows seemed to start at 3 to 6 months.

Also, there are 'new baby' size babygrows and '0-3 months.' Can I get away with just buying '0-3 month' size and make do that they will be a little bit big at first. Thought buying the new baby size was a waste of money. Or am I being cheap?

Advice please!

they wear whatever you like, BUT I've learnt all in ones are the easiest, handling a newborn dd in a dress was awkward!

so all in one over a vest or the legins/joggers and long sleeve tees if you want something a bit more outfit like.

wrt to sizes, my dc were 6lb3 and 7lb6 so i had to get new baby, then newborn then 0-3 around 2mnths.

I've always had newborns in babygrows until about 3 months - they need something comfy they can nap in during the day as that is what they spend a lot of their time doing!

Cotton is most definitely best but don't spend a ridiculous amount because they will be vomited on/pooed on a lot.

I did go for a few in newborn size as mine have all been early but not ridiculous amounts.

Good tip is if people are buying you baby presents ask them for clothes in a range of sizes - otherwise you end up with thousands of things in one size and don't get to wear all of them before they don't fit.

I'm 34 weeks and have done the same thing. I totally panicked! I think it's totally up to you what you put them in from birth but the bodysuits seem much easier. I've bought vests and all in one bodysuits in new baby/newborn size, you can get some really cute patterned ones. Most of our presents from others have been 'proper' clothes from 3 months right up to a year.

The sizes should also have a weight with them, for example mothercare new baby stuff goes up to about 10lbs I think so if you have a little one and they're in 0-3 stuff it may well be huge and get tangled etc. My friend recently had a baby who is now 3 months (and pretty big) and he's only just out of some of the newborn sizes (John Lewis ones)

Yes, babies just wear a vest & babygro (depending on how hot the weather is and if their granny's spent years knitting lovely little cardigans) to start with. Bigger babeis might go straight into 0-3 months but most will start off in newborn - you can skip this but they can look a little lost.

You might also find a fair bit of variation in what different shops call 0-3 months, etc, Tesco always seemed to fit fat babies, Mothercare long babies, and M&S babies with short little legs in my experience. You'd have thought they'd be the same but there you go.

As others have said either babygrows or trousers/top combo. Dc1 was born in the winter and we had lots of clothes given to us, I found it easier to do trousers top in the daytime and babygrows for night. I did this for two reasons to help her realise it was night and sleep time. Also If she was sick or nappy leaked I could often get away with changing either just top or bottoms = a little less washing. But either if fine.

Oh trousers tops were usually a little thicker therefore a little warmer than babygrows.

Thanks all, much appreciated

Don't buy anything that needs ironing. You'll get plenty of this sort of stuff which you will use once and then rarely if ever put on the child again (bearing in mind you'll get circa 2hrs out of it if you are lucky)
Don't buy anything made of denim - gap jeans for newborns anyone? Murder to put on and not very soft. Quite tricky with boys as you'll get loads of denim as presents. Exchange for a bigger size, it will be fine when they are 6-12 months and you'll want it for the crawling stage.
Don't buy anything with buttons down the back - you will have to plant the child face down in order to do it up and take it off.
Don't buy anything which only has poppers at nappy level. Whatever about getting it on, try to imagine getting it off when it has been involved in a poo explosion
Be practical - if you receive something you hate, or is going to be the right size in the wrong season, be gentle and ask (or not) if you can exchange it.
Babies don't really have a neck - just rolls of fat to collect milk in. Don't buy rollneck jumpers/dresses/tops. Gap do the sweetest stuff but it's only really suitable when they reach toddler stage.
Light colours are your friend (yours and the baby's) - shows up less milky baby puke spit. I lived in white t-shirts and a cream wrap cardigan.
Before you buy anything, assess it's practicality by thinking about dressing a cat in it

John Lewis is expensive comparatively speaking but good quality and washes and tumble dries well without shrinking. Also doesn't dry as hard as a board if you don't have a tumble drier.
Gap baby clothes imo are quite a small size and not very stretchy. 0-3 months lasted sub 8 weeks. Fine lengthways but not enough sideways stretch to get on and off without difficulty. I put 3-6 month stuff away and broke it out at 3 months to find it was already too small :( Not an unusually large child either.
H&M do mid sizes - not great quality but 2-4 months is quite a handy size when the 0-3 are getting too tight and the 3-6 look gigantic on
Mothercare/Tesco/Sainsbury's do quite decent vests and basics. Didn't try anywhere else.

Finally, if you plan to breastfeed, buy or sort out some bf friendly clothes to do it in before the baby arrives. Buttons down the front, looser tops that you can push up one handed etc. It's a bit of a head wrecker to have to find suitable clothes when you are tight for time, even worse if you have to go out and shop for them with a newborn.

Terrific post oscarwilde!

OP unless you have a teeny baby or preemie then Newborn sizes will last about 2-4 weeks if that. Poss less if it's all in one so you can't just go with socks and the three quarter length look :) It's a bit harsh to squash them into legs which are too short - nice bandy legged look!
It is nice to have a couple of newborn outfits that fit well for some photos but two weeks in, the 0-3 will look fine. My experience is based on a 7lb 6 baby, the 8lbs and above don't generally get near newborn sizes as far as I know.
Cheers imustbepatient :)