Baby clothes - what do I need?

[Pumpkin20]

How many changes of clothes will my baby need in the first couple of months?

And what about bedding? How many sets?

Please let me know what worked for you.

Many thanks,

Pumpkin x

When is your little one due, Pumpkin? Season makes a big difference.

DS is now 4 months old. i found all in ones the easiest in the first two months. little outfits were just not practical. t-shirt ride up into his armpits. jeans were too tight and pressing on his tummy too much. i had about 6 bodysuits, 6 sleepsuits and 4-5 all in one outfits and dungarees. as for bedding, i only have a few fitted sheets and two grobags.

plus DS was born in early summer and it was so hot that he ended up in just a bodysuit a lot of the time!

Remember people will probably give you lots of lovely newborn clothes. We started off with about 6 sleepsuits, some bodysuits (tops that do up under the bum, but they don't have legs) and soft, elasticated trousers, plus some warm socks and a couple of cardigans (get 100% cotton cardies, as you'll want to chuck them in a normal wash - Gap's are great) and a warm hat and cosy pram blanket for going out. We didn't need anything else becasue people gave us stuff.

Bedding - get at least three of those cotton cellular blankets, plus several plain brushed cotton sheets, and you can make the baby's bed to different warmths for different nights. But I'd also recommend gro-bag style baby sleeping bags - we have two of these, one in use, one in the wash.

The other thing you need is 42 million muslins. It's a pain running out of them, get them cheap (asda or any supermarket) and pile 'em high.

Really sorry for my niavity (sp) but what are the "muslins" for??? If we need millions then they must be important??

Good point Tribpot.

Baby is due in February. I'd just like to know what I should get in advance to get us through the first 8 weeks or so, by which time I hope I'll know what to expect! I'm only planning on getting plain sleepsuits/babygros etc - I'll leave the 'outfits' to the relations.

I just don't know how many I'll need.

Thanks,

P

muslims invaluable for a 'sicky' baby to wipe up sick, to put over bedding so don't need to change every five mins (due to sick), to put under child on sofa when visiting friends (avoid sick on their sofa) use as a comforter 'muzzy' for child who can't now sleep without it (aged 2). Muslims saved my life - I nearly died when mothercare ran out the other week !!!!

Muslins are square pieces of muslin cloth that you use for mopping up the endless baby sick, leaky breast milk, etc. You can fold them over your shoulder to protect your clothes, use them as bibs, use them to wipe the baby's face after feeds etc. Of course you could just use disposable hankies but you would get through a LOT! Having loads of muslins around is really useful in the first few months - and I still use them regularly as bibs, for wiping up etc. though DS is now 16 months. Most baby shops sell them in packs of 4, 6, 10 etc. and they're normally white, but I think mothercare do other colours.

I think we had at least 40 - you tend to leave them behind in cafes...

Oh and that reminds me - bibs. Get some nice colourful ones - Boots do lovely ones - and make sure they are good quality and thick, ideally towelling-backed. This saves you changing the baby's outfit with every vomit!

I reckon for starters I would say get 6 babygro/sleepsuit/all-in-ones, 6 short-sleeved vests, a hooded cardigan, a hat, a couple of pairs of socks.

Also 3 fitted cot/moses basket sheets, 3 flat sheets, 4 or 5 cellular blankets, a fleecy blanket or footmuff for your pram/pushchair and as many muslin squares as you can lay your hands on!

All white is easiest so you can throw them all in the washing machine together.

HTH

Muslins are a must - the other great thing about them is they dry really quickly.

Ds was born in the heatwave of 2005 so basically wore nothing for weeks but I would echo the sentiment opposing 'outfits', just bodysuits/soft trousers/all-in-ones are fine, and a lot less hassle. Forget 'shoes' as well, it always makes me laugh seeing tiny babies in shoes. This would be for all the walking they are getting up to when no-one's looking.

I think for a February baby I'd make sure I had one of those all-in-one snowsuit jobbies, so you can zip the babe up inside and head out, not faff around with jumpers and coats and suchlike everytime you step outside the door. Will need a hat as well of course.

I dunno if this was just me, but I think I would have liked just 1 or 2 t-shirts, so that baby has something to wear that doesn't press down on the umbilical stump for the first few days, anyone else found that?

Thanks guys!!!!!

LOL re shoes tribpot. I love pockets on babies' clothes, for their keys, Oysters, wallet etc.

Yes - pockets are essential. Where else would baby keep its loose change / packet of fags / iPod ...

Thank you!

My shopping list now reads:

Clothes
hat
6x bodysuits
6x sleepsuits
3x t-shirts
3x leggings
3x all-in-one, out-and-about type suit thing (with pockets for mobile, credit card, lippy etc)
socks
snow suit

Bedding
3x fitted sheets
3x flat sheets
3x cellular blankets
2x grobags
pram blanket

plus bibs and 42 million muslins.

What do you think? Is this too much/have I missed something?

Oh! And what about sizes? Is it worth getting newborn or go straight to the next size?

Many, many thanks, again,

P

You've missed a cotton cardie - we used ours all the time, for when you're indoors but want an extra layer. One with a hood is extra useful (if you get a hoodie one, of course it will also need pockets for fags, stolen mobiles and alcopops ).

And you only really nead one winter outdoor suit, or two at the most. In fact we never used these as DS was always too hot in them - instead we layered sleepsuit, cardie and pram blanket for going out. So I'd only get one of those to start with as they're expensive.

Get 0-3 months size, rather than newborn (in most shops there are both which is misleading, but newborn are smaller and may only last a couple of weeks). If you have an unusually small baby he/she woun't mind being in slightly big things for a while.

yep, cardi - added to the list.

Thanks

sorry but rofl at incys "muslims saved my life"

Hee hee, not to mention 'muslims invaluable for wiping up sick'. Oh dear! We knew what you meant though! (Before the fatwa comes to visit MNHQ; Piers Morgan was quite bad enough).

Sorry if this is a stupid question!

Do you need both blankets and grobags?

and do you put vests under bodysuits and sleepsuits in winter?

A grobag should be enough on its own (you can get summer and winter ones) but you might want to add a blanket on top if it's really cold. But also those small cellular blankets are very useful for naps, in the car seat, buggy, moses basket etc or just for snuggling when you're holding the baby. My DP used to take his top off and lie with newborn DS skin-to skin on his chest with a blanket over him, for example.

Baby books and magazines I read seemed to suggest you use a vest under a sleepsuit or bodysuit, but this always made DS too hot - it depends on the baby I think.

Hi, I'm new to all this and new to the board too! (Been lurking for a bit though...
Just wanted to say i've found this thread really helpfull too, my babies due in Feb also.
Just one thing I wondered, what sizes would you buy? New born? 0-3? or mix of both?
Thanks in advance x

tons of body/sleep suits. Its all my baby lived in, and still lives in!

Glad someone else is going through this... I had to wait until my NCT class to ask "what do babies wear?" My DD was born end Nov and she lived in sleepsuits for months - I used to put a cardie on her if I thought she needed to 'dress up'.

I would add that if you're using grobags then flat sheets become pretty redundant - some fitted sheets and cellular blankets will do you.