Vests & sleepsuits...

[pinsent]

Hi guys!
Just a quick question from a first time mum-to-be. Do I need to buy long sleeved or short sleeved vests for a baby due 15th November? And how many vests & sleepsuits should I get? I am guessing that newborn is the safest bet for size.
The closer I get the more questions I keep coming up with.
Thanks guys.

Short-sleeved (more flexible).
7/10?
Newborn, then 6 months, don't need to buy every size, slightly too big is fine.

Good luck .

Id buy two packs of sleepsuits, two packs short sleeved vests and two packs long sleeved. If I'm honest, I wish I'd got nothing but vests and sleepsuits as anything else is too fiddly on a new baby. Maybe a pack of newborn and a pack of 0-3? My DD is 19 weeks and is only just in 3-6 and she's 16lbs!

Buy loads of vests, short sleeve, you'll need lots if your lo is anything like my new dd (6 wks). I can get through 6+ in a day with her being sick, pooping and weeing all over them. The vests are so cheap in Asda, tesco etc at about £3 a pack they're cheap as chips so stock up.

Agree with above that bodysuits (the ones without legs) and sleepsuits (with long sleeves and feet) are easiest for little babies rather than faff with trousers or dresses which probably aren't as comfy anyway. I mostly just used those for ds and will be doing the same for dd who is due in 3 weeks time. I would get short-sleeved bodysuits and then sleepsuits to go over the top, and recommend 7 of each as babies wet and leak a lot! Everyone told me not to buy newborn clothes for ds as he wouldn't be in them for long, and just to get 0-3 months - but at 7lb 7oz these utterly swamped him and I had to send hubby for an emergency trip to Mothercare to buy some in a newborn size! Even they were rather large but did the job. x

Yes, some of each. I find long-sleeved more useful as a base-layer now she's wearing clothes, so probably some short-sleeved and 7-10 sleepsuits are a good start. Get a few newborn size, some 0-3 and you'll probably be ok.

My bump was very average throughout, as are we both but dd was only 6lb 4oz at birth, then lost weight. DP had to go out on day 2 for 'tiny baby' size, which she wore for about six weeks. She was in plain white sleep suits for most of her first two months. Just fine.

I would buy lots of very cheap vests, like from Asda. At least 10. That way you have plenty for changes, but on bad days when you've had your third poo explosion all the way up to the neck, you can just take a pair of scissors and cut it off and bin it. It feels so satisfying once in a while!

I'd also get one pack of long sleeves. Sometimes I just put dungarees over a long sleeve vest.

If they do "up to 1 month" get those, if not, get newborn. I think 0-3 is massive on newborns, even big ones.

DH accidentally put a long sleeved 12-18 months vest on our slightly-smaller-than-average 3 month old - he thought "it looked a little bit big on him". When I saw it I wondered why I'd bothered buying them in every size

Sleepsuits - get several packs, especially if you're going to use them day and night. I recommend buying them from Next, they are the best quality I've come across. Lovely soft cotton, and they have built-in scratch mitts.

What on earth - why has Asda become a link?

21 short sleeved vests in each size, but only because I change my DS twice a day (morning and evening) . If you are normal two packs of 7 will be fine. About 9 sleepsuits. I hate washing too much too so ignore the large amount of clothes I have purchased!

So exciting buying clothes for your new baby! Agree, my baby lived in shortsleeve vests under sleepsuits for first three months. you need to factor in several changes a day.

everyone told me not to get much newborn size but my ds was normal weight and quite tall, yet still fitted newborn size for first 6 weeks. 0-3 ones swamped him for ages.

shops have v different sizes too - m&s are quite big while mamas and papas are quite snug.

i needed lots more bibs than i had bought aswell and you need little jackets for when you venture out.

happy shopping!

The ikea baby bibs are essential. We have 14 at the last count. The ones with long sleeves have saved many a clothing/food crisis. Bandanna bibs are cute and stop the never ending dribble making clothes and necks get wet. Traditional bibs are good for milk etc but hide all the nice clothes I have bought. First child syndrome. Next baby will have a manky old muslin cloth and mismatching clothes.

Thanks so much for all the advice. Although slightly concerned about the mentions of explosive poo! It sounds a bit scary.
Have got myself about 10 sleepsuits in newborn size that have been donated by friends, but only 1 pack of short sleeved vests so will invest in some more. I have also shown DH where they are in Tescos in case he needs to make an emergency dash. I haven't bothered with little outfits, mainly after reading all the wonderful advice on MN and also we don't know what we are having.
Thanks again for all the advice, I am sure I will be starting another thread soon with yet another first-time-mum question. (don't know what I'd do without MN!) xx

My daughter is due early March and I've bought a mix of long and short sleeved ones, I also have a few with legs in so when I take her out and I can put her in a warmer one with a cardigan on top.

If this is your first baby then you will probably be given loads of clothes anyway. We got given so much for DC1 that he grew up sizes before he could wear everything!

For DC2 I've bought 9 sleep suits in newborn, 0-3 months and 3-6 month sizes, plus she'll have whatever I dig out from the loft this evening. I've only bought 5 newborn vests but I know we have loads in the loft.