Baby clothes... what will I need for October baby?

[LadyoftheLake123]

Currently 26wks with DC1, due early October. I've been holding off buying any baby stuff until now but can't wait anymore! Thinking of taking advantage of some of the sales and getting a few clothing items.

But I am a bit clueless about what I will need!! I've found some gorgeous tops / baby leggings etc but realistically will I use those, or should I just stick to babygros etc? What would you all suggest for an early October baby? Planned c section at 39 wks due to pre existing medical condition so that's the latest he'll arrive. He's measuring fine on scans at the moment but I guess cos he'll be a bit early he's not likely to be big?

Vests and baby grows (that have the fold over bits to cover their hands. My ds is a mid October baby. Make it easy on yourself and comfortable for your baby. Baby grows are the way to go! You can get so many lovely patterns now. My ds lived in them or short leg rompers for the 1st year. Don't bother with big thick pramsuits or coats either. They shouldnt be worn in car seats and are too bulky for new borns. Layers and fleece wraps are fab. Congrats on your impending little one

I don't think a week or two early will make any noticeable difference to his size - the "normal" range is so big. Mine was born in late September and I put him in short sleeved vests and baby grows mainly. I think I moved to long sleeved vests in the winter. I had cardigans for when it was colder and he was in the sling. I used a coat when he was in the buggy but that was rare (lived in a flat with no lift and used lots of public transport so sling was much easier).

I'm due end of September and I have just been buying dresses that she can wear thick tights with and cardigans if it's cold! But also can be worn if the weather is warmer! Hard to buy this time of year for later in the year babies as most things are summer clothes atm!

My baby is due in early November and have started making a proper shopping list today :)

Main things are all in one sleepsuits, which is what they will mainly be in in the first 3 months or so. Then short sleeve body suits to layer up underneath, some cardigans to layer on top if it's cold (easier than jumpers for a newborn). A warm hat and a pram suit for outside, some scratch mits and maybe some booties.

Also get a range of little blankets, Muslins, fleece and cellular to layer up. Can also get sleeping bags for bed time. HTH!

Also it's completely down to personal preference but I and most people I know wouldn't recommend fiddly outfits with different parts for small babies, you want something soft and comfy that can be changes easily, and I'M their little bodies aren't the right shape for say, baby jeans and t shirts or dresses and tights at that age, especially when they have little control over their limba. Give it a couple of months!

Babygros for the first 3 months. Get 0-3 months in Next, they're big and you'll probably get a fourth month out of them.

Cardigans are bloody useful, particularly the rather ugly misshapen woollen ones Nana's make. They tend to be warmer than shop ones.

And I found a Star Wrap indispensable. Fleece and easy to manoeuvre a very small baby into for the car or pram. Those bulky snow suits are a massive pain.

I'm also 26 weeks with DC1 at the moment and was thinking about this recently so definitely watching this thread! I've got a few babygrows (neutral as we're not finding out the sex) and lots of people have said to me to get babygrows that popper all the way down the front rather than just the legs if that makes sense as apparently these are much easier for changing? We haven't gone with snow suits (as cute as they are!) as we figure they'd literally get a few weeks use out of them before needing a bigger size. It's all very exciting and slightly overwhelming at the same time isn't it!

Oh yes, the ones with the big picture on the front are a right pain. You soon learn they're not worth it. The ones with the poppers only under the crotch are the worst.

As well as babygros, I got a lot of use out of soft, comfy, knitted cotton cardigans, even better if they have a hood. Widely available, but my fave one ever was from mamas and papas - expensive but lasted DD ages, as it was quite long and stretchy, so fitted her for most of the first year. If you look for 100% cotton you can put it in a hot wash. H&M, Gap and the supermarkets are good bets.

Lots of babygros, and muslins. But also, stretchy baby pjs like you can get at gap are great, as you can just pull the bottom half off for changing nappies in the middle of the night. I used baby tops and leggings a lot too. With leggings, you need cosy baby socks. But the advantage is the baby won't grow out of them as fast because the feet aren't connected.

(But baby will soon learn to throw the socks out of the buggy :o)

BTW I had a planned C-section at 39 weeks. DD came 2 days BEFORE the planned section and was huge! (Don't worry I still got the section.)

Oh and also 100% cotton baby blankets for the same reason, easy to wash. We had a great one from Tesco.

We had a January baby so was a bit colder but for the first few months he lived in a short sleeved vest under a babygrow. We had a couple of blankets and a pair of furry booties for using in the sling where his legs were poking out the bottom and a couple of hats. Never bought a snowsuit as can't be used in the car or sling so much easier just to throw a blanket over them in the pram. From about 3 months we moved to leggings and t shirts and babygrows at night.

There are also leggings with little feets by Ladybird at Littlewoods. Pack of 3. Bloody handy as socks won't stay on when they're tiny.

Agree with everyone else re babygros for the first few months.

If you want to take advantage of the sales to buy outfits, why not buy some summer stuff in 6-9 or 9-12 months for next year? Pull on shorts, Tshirts, romper suits, leggings with or without feet ( I dressed my boys in leggings too) are all useful at this age.

I have an end of November baby. I loved the next upto 1m sleepsuits, which lasted till he was probably 6/8 weeks. And then the 0-3. Plain White vests in 0-1 and 0-3. Couple of cardigans. Definetly the popper up the front sleepsuits as the side popper ones/over the head ones were too tricky when he was tiny.

A grosnug.

Tuppence & crumble starsnug. Absolutely brilliant. So much easier than pramsuits. I'll be buying the bigger size one come winter. No trying to post tiny baby arms/legs into a pramsuit, and then you can layer up with blankets if needed.

And blankets, I have four or so good velour blankets. Mainly from TK MAXX. Brilliant. Still used.

Clothing wise, I loved the h&m footsy leggings. I'm a fan of tesco for baby clothes too. It all seems to wash well. Frugi is all so lovely, expensive but worthwhile.

DC2 is due in November and DC1 was a June baby so I thinking more about the cold weather stuff as he was just in vests for the first few months.

Basically short sleeved vests and sleepsuits for the first 3 months or so is all I'm getting. I know we'll get given outfits as gifts. After 3 months with DS I did a mix of outfits (vest and leggings usually) and sleepsuits if I couldn't be bothered getting him dressed or it was really cold

I'm 27 weeks and baby due 1st Oct - was thinking about this today. I have just bought a snowsuit from Joules but only because it was reduced from £50 to £13 and I bought it in size 3-6 months. Ds1 was born Feb but was in hospital for 3 months so missed most of the cold weather. I bought loads of cute little outfits for him that hardly got worn. This time I'm planning on vests and babygros for comfort and ease. I have lots of woollen cardigans from first time round that I saved as I loved them.

Wow some great ideas here. I'm due 13 Nov and I've just checked out the starsnug as never heard of it, what a great idea, I'm gonna add that to my list! Thanks.

Haha I did the same with the Starsnug. Their Facebook page says there's 15% off with code starsnug but I can't find where you put the code in!

FYI - the Morrck blanket works on the same principle as star wraps, but (certainly in late 2015 and early 2016) it was the only one on the market to meet certified safety standards. I could never believe how many comments we got when out and about from people about what a good idea they are, but they're right SO much easier to just wrap and unwrap rather than faffing with lots and lots of layers all the time in the colder months.

As PPs said, sleepsuits and short-sleeved vests for the first three months. You'll thank yourself. Leggings with feet are AMAZING when you start using those.

I swear I had a list I sent to a friend of how different brands size but in essence, Next, Mothercare, Sainsbury's and M&S seem to come up on the large side. Gap, Ted Baker, Jasper Conran, Bluezoo, Joules, Boots and H&M are quite true to size. Asda probably average. Tesco are on the small-to-true side. John Lewis and Mamas & Papas are HUGE.

Hello to fellow 26-weekers

You just need vests, babygros, warm soft jacket, blankets

I'd definitely agree with babygrows and vests. Ds2 is almost 7 months old now and still wears a lot of them during the day (especially if we're staying in/just doing the school run).

If you are breastfeeding I recommend a nursing pillow. I love mine so much!

Also agree with others, baby grows and vests will be a lot easier when it comes to nappy changes. It's just so .ugh more convenient. Get a few different sizes as well. Might as well while the sales are on and they grow out of the new born stuff so quickly!

Xx

Thanks so much everyone, this is great advice! Have placed an order for some vests and babygros in a selection of sizes and on the lookout for cotton cardigans And that star wrap is so cute! Wish they came in adult sizes - I'd totally buy one for myself too for watching TV etc - haha.

Baby shopping is so fun! Overwhelming and exciting - and getting very real now! Hooray for autumn babies

Best of luck! The Star Wrap is true to size so if in doubt get the next size up as you probably won't get an extra month out of it and it doesn't matter if it's a bit too big.

Great thread! 27 weeker here and this info is great. I'd never heard of the Star Wrap, looks brilliant (easier to unwrap baby if in and out of shops or they fall asleep in the pram or something