What does a newborn wear (I know this sounds stupid)?

[Minstrelle]

So, I am starting to think about what to buy and I've looked online and in some shops and I'm a bit confused by what's on offer.

There seems to be 3 things (mainly) for newborns - vests (no sleeves, sometimes with poppers under the bum), bodysuits (mostly shortsleeve, with poppers under the bum) and sleepsuits (longsleeve, mostly with feet). But I keep seeing references to babies in babygrows - which of the above (if any?) are these ones?

My second question is, as the thread title suggests, what do they normally wear in the daytime (assuming I don't bother with "proper" outfits) just around the house/out for a walk in the pram/carrycot thing - is it a combination of the above and if so, which? I can see the sleepsuit working (on its own/with something else?), but what do they wear on their bottom half if they're in a body suit? Presumably for nighttime, it's a sleepsuit - do they normally wear something underneath this?

Sorry if this sounds ridiculous - this is my first, and I've never really had to think about this before! All advice much appreciated!

Newborns should bd placed in a short sleeves vest, a long sleeved baby grow with feet and built in scratch mite, a nice woolen cardigan and a cotton hat. And also a nice shawl for swaddling xx

You just need it translating.
Sleep suit= babygro
Bodysuit= vest

Mine wore (in winter) long sleeve vest (with poppers), tights and babygro over the top.

When mine were little, they wore a short-sleeved vest/bodysuit underneath a sleepsuit (which is what I would call a babygrow). I'm guessing they have been renamed sleepsuits to put people off using them in the daytime - I know when I was a baby myself I wore babygrows in the daytime, and nighties at night, as did my brothers.
I always used a vest underneath a babygrow, day and night - when it was hotter they slept in just a long-sleeved vest, with bare legs, rather than just a babygrow

When mine were about 4 or 5 months old, I switched to a short/long sleeved bodysuit with soft trousers, leggings or dungarees on top in the daytime, or a shortsleeved romper when it was hot, which is like a babygrow but without feet.

But it's your baby, and you can dress them however you want! Though I would say hoods can be a bit annoying and bunchy round their neck when they are lying down all the time, and poppers on the back seem similarly uncomfortable for a baby lying on its back.

Mine wore a vest, which is the same thing as a bodysuit, and a sleepsuit most of the time. Out and about, they were in a vest with an all in one over the top, same thing as a sleepsuit just without feet, and socks.

hmm, I always though sleepsuit=sleepsuit, babygro=vest (i.e. a babygro doesn't have legs, but can have no sleeves, short sleeves or long sleeves.

Anyway, DD wore a vest (sleeves dependent on temperature, she was born in a snowy midwinter plus our house is freezing so we had lots of long-sleeved vests) and a sleepsuit, and a cardie if very cold. She wore the same thing all day - I mean I didn't differentiate between day and night wear till she was much older, at least 4 months. IMO of both her and friends' and relatives' babies, they hate getting dressed and undressed so the idea of forcing on an 'outfit' just seemed really mean!

Mine wore a sleepsuit (babygro) with a vest under (short or long sleeves dependent on the temp) and a cardie over (again depending on the temp). He really didn't wear anything like an outfit until he was 2.5/3 months old, just a sleepsuit at night and a clean sleepsuit during the day It keeps it all easy!

Vests and bodysuits are the same thing. They come in no sleeves, short sleeves and long sleeves. These are basically babies underwear.

Sleepsuits, babygrows and onsies are all basically the same thing too. Sleepsuits/ babygrows are long sleeve, long leg with feet and onsies are the same without feet. This is the equivalent of baby's T-shirt and trousers layer.

So baby will wear nappy, bodysuit, sleepsuits whilst inside. Then cardigan, hat and mitts can be added for outside, weather dependant.

Tbh babies don't need any outfits (trousers/t-shirts etc), just bodysuits and sleepsuits.

RiverTam I would say that a sleepsuit is a babygro and the legless things are vests (they come in sleeveless, short sleeve or long sleeve options).

OP, as others have said, use a vest (bodysuit), sleeves of your choice, with a babygro (sleepsuit) over the top. Add a cardigan if it's chilly. Outdoors, we used snowsuits (the big puffa-like all in one things). I also used socks or tights under the babygro if it was v cold as I felt bad that DD often had cold feet.

As others have said, vests are body suits that can be sleeveless, short sleeved and long sleeved and have poppers under the bum. Sleepsuits/babygrows are long sleeved and have feet and poppers. You can then have cardigans if it's cooler and mittens, snowsuits and hats for outside in the pram (I used a blanket too as ds was a Winter baby). We only really had one "outfit" for ds when he was new born (a lovely pair of really soft dungarees) but he was mainly in sleepsuits all day! I did have more brightly coloured ones for daytime though- not sure why! probably because he's pfb.

Ah this is making more sense now. Would have made life much easier if they'd just kept calling them babygrows - I wouldn't have looked quite so clueless in the shop!

So, in that case, for an April baby, I think from what you've all said, that I need to buy bodysuits (short and long sleeve) and sleepsuits and they generally wear both at the same time during the day and during the night, unless very hot, in which case ditch one or the other.

If really cold, add cardigan/hat/tights if necessary. If outside, think about snowsuit thingy, although prob likely that being tucked up in a pram with bodysuit + sleepsuit + hat + cardigan + blankets will probably be enough.

Yes, don't bother with outfits in the first few months, unless for special occasions. It's so much easier to put them in a vest with a sleep suit/babygro on top whether day or night.

Mine was a terrible posseter and could go through a dozen changes a day, so we just had two plastic boxes in the bedroom, one for vests and one for suits, and grabbed one of each when we needed! You will be doing loadsof laundry, and it's a great deal easier if you can just bundle a big load of white suits and vests all in together with a bit of Napisan to take the baby vom/poo stains out :)

You've got it, OP! Stick to sleepsuits/babygros with a vest underneath. "Outfits" for young babies are the work of the devil. They are so much faff, when what you need is maximum ease of access for nappy changes etc.

An April baby probably wouldn't need long sleeved vests unless it's unseasonably cold, I'd probably just get short sleeved ones and a cardie (i.e. 1 cardie rather than a pack of 5 long sleeved vests). And very unlikely to need a snowsuit/pramsuit, especially if you have a cocoon or footmuff on the pram/buggy.

With my first I was dumb enough to go with outfits. This time I've stick with babygros and it's been a lot easier.

I did buy 'nicer' babygros for the daytime but that's just me being vain!!

If you want a soft 'outfit' H&M do leggings with feet and I've put these with cute t-shits with a long sleeved vest underneath. Just a cute alternative if you want it but just as easy to do nappies etc.

This has been so useful - thanks! So, more short sleeve than long sleeve is probably best. Also, thanks toddler for mentioning Napisan - had just thought our usual Persil non-bio would be ok. So much to learn!!

DD is 4 months (but wearing size 6-9 months) and still wears vest (long sleeved) + sleepsuit day and night. White sleepsuits for night, pretty ones for the day.

Don't faff with outfits.

Nothing more umptious than a baby in a pristine white sleepsuit.

mine were always dressed in a short sleeved bodysuit with a sleepsuit over the top. Babygrows are sleep suits.

All these English terms mean nothing to me anyway. :P

Another ftm here and have found this very helpful! Thanks everyone (and OP) for posting

I would try and buy the sleep suits with in built scratch mits. Useful for when their nails get long and also at night when their hands get cold. Separate scratch mits just fall off. Think the mother care standard 3 packs of babygros have inbuilt ones.
I think 'babygro' is a trade mark like 'Hoover' hence the confusing names!

Well done OP, found this a really useful post if I could add a question? There are newborn clothes and 0-3months on things I understand it depends on size of baby but when does a newborn become 0-3months clothing wise?

Don't forget the best advice ever, baby vests have envelope necks so if there is a poo explosion you can remove vest down the way instead of trying to get poo covered vest over baby's head.

Depends on the weight of the baby really. I think my 7 pounder wore tiny baby size for about 10 days then went to new born for a few weeks. Different brands are different sizes too. Primark run small whereas John Lewis are huge.

Given yours an April baby you won't need a pram suit. I didn't with DD1 who is a spring baby. Just blankets and hats and cardigans. And yes to only short sleeved vests. I also like the H&M vest + leggings outfit if you are that way inclined. It's nice and soft for the baby and easy to change nappies in.

DD2 is an autumn baby and she has pram suit, fleece suits, fleece jacket, and fleece babygros. It's just so much more expensive than spring babies!

Newborn and 0-3mo sizes depends on the baby. I think the sizing also will indicate weight/height. All the brands say different things. I think for example marks & spencer has 0-1mo. Mine is tiny and lived in newborn for just over a month and has just moved onto 3-6mo clothes at 4mo.

I have a 10 week old who is still in newborn size at 8lb 11oz. I would not buy too much- you can always buy more. We sent my mum out to get some tiny baby stuff when he was first born- it's easy enough to get hold of with 24 hr supermarkets.