Confused about babies clothing

[datingthedevil]

Hi all,

Please can you give me some advice. I'm 28 weeks pregnant with my first and am a little lost as to what to buy him clothes wise.

I know he needs the baby grows (is that what they are called?), but does he need the vest ones (sleeveless), short sleeved or long sleeved for when he's first here?

He is due in December.

With regards to bedding, I think I read somewhere he shouldn't have a fleece blanket. Is this right?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Many thanks

C x

For a December baby, I would dress a newborn in a babygro plus short sleeved vest. I would have some long sleeved vests too, for going outside in (as well as the babygro!). Don't see the point of sleeveless vests. And possibly some little jumpers, although a lovely blanket is usually enough for tucking them up when they are asleep during the day in a Moses, or for laying over you when they are asleep on you.

Also a pram suit for going outside.

Bedding: swaddling when little, and a gro bag as soon as possible. You can get cheaper ones than that brand, and TKMaxx often have good ones at a good price, or NCT Nearly New Sales. Or eBay.

Don't know about the fleece blanket thing - never heard of that.

Its confusing, isn't it?

You generally need short-sleeved vests and babygrows, I'd get about a dozen of each because it will amaze you how quickly they can mess them up. I put my January baby in a vest and baby grow all day and night, though if you think your house if very warm at night then just a babygrow, and equally if you think it is nippy put a cardigan on as well. As it will be the middle of winter, I'd buy a few long-sleeved vests as well for those days when it is absolutely freezing, unless your house really does stay very warm.

I think the fleece blanket issue is that they can get really hot under them. A cellular blanket is good, but you may find that you are swaddling the baby instead. You could also look into the grobag/sleeping bag option too, though these really come into their own once the baby starts wriggling around in their sleep.

And don't forget a proper snowsuit and a good hat!

Thank you both. I ordered a supercute snow suit from mothercare earlier, i'm not sure if it is going to be warm enough but it sure looks lovely and snug.

When you say a vest do you mean one of the vests with poppers underneath? Sorry, I am completely clueless!

Thanks again

Yes, definitely one of the vests with poppers underneath. Otherwise they ride up. Actually I'm not even sure if you can get non-popper vests for 0-3 months. They are dead cheap and still 100% cotton from places like the supermarkets or Matalan although probably made by 4 year olds in China.

Re the pram suit being warm enough- you can also lay a blanket over a newborn in a pram even if the newborn is wearing a vest, babygro, cardigan and pram suit - in fact I probably would on a cold December day.

Agree that you definitely need a nice warm hat or two too.

It can get confusing as there are so many names out there for the same items!
I would say all you really need for when he is really small is:

Vests/Bodysuits - with envelope style neck (which makes putting over their head easy!) and poppers between the legs. Probably a mix of long and short sleeved if a december baby.
I wouldn't bother with sleeveless ones until the summer, if at all.

Sleepsuits/babygrows

Hats - cotton and wooly/fleecy

Snowsuit (see you already have!)

Cardigans (some with hoods)

If you want some actual 'clothes' then things like velour trousers with built in feet, little T-shirts with the same envelope opening necks as the vests are good and easy to dress in, or velour all in one suits/soft dungarees. etc.
E.g Here and here

Fleece blankets are fine to use from birth, but worth getting a mix of cellular blankets and sheets and layering them up at bedtime when he's small.
A grobag/sleeping bag is great for when he's a little bit bigger.

Congratulations BTW!

(Sorry for all the links to Mothercare products, just to give you an idea of what I mean!)