Please help me clothe my newborn (arriving soon)

[BlanketBlue]

I have got most things now I think, but lastly just need the baby's actual clothes! I don't want any fuss, just a few simple suits / vests or onesies (whatever you call them - sorry - first time Mum!)

Please can you advise on what we actually need to keep a newborn baby clothed and sleeping comfortably? The bare minimum in terms of styles / items, although we are happy to get plenty of duplicates to avoid endless laundry. Baby due soon so clothing needs to be suitable for summer.

Thank you!

Thanks everyone, this is really helpful! I really know nothing so it's great to see these lists!

I am definitely a fan of the simplest / easiest options and not fussed about whether the baby looks cute, on trend or instagram ready! They will look cute regardless! So I think zippy sleepsuits and vests it is until I feel less like a zombie. Plus I will look out for the ones with mittens attached for night time, plus the cellular blankets.

One last question if anyone is still reading. I've read on here that newborns can't use sleeping bags - is this the case? If not, how soon can they use one? I want to avoid lots of blankets in the cot. What are my options there? (Is this what the cellular blanket is for)?

Sleeping bags have a weight limit on them, and the bro-bag ones have poppers under the armpits to ensure they can't slip down into them. Check the fro bag site.

The John Lewis baby gowns (in fact all the ones I had - gap and mothercare too) had built in scratch mitts.

The support pages on Tommee Tippee - must be a minimum of 8lb 13oz and their heads unable to slip through the neck hole.

Has the info about tog rating and what to wear and room temperature on there too.

Personally, I hate seeing newborns in ‘clothes’ - they always look so uncomfortable. Mine wore sleepsuits day and night for the first couple of months - cardigans over the top when it was cooler.

Agree with PP on the jeans - chavvy and awful before about 2.

Prioritise comfort with soft fabrics and not too many poppers, labels etc.

The zippy sleepsuits are often quite a bit more expensive than the popper ones. I found they seemed uncomfortable as the zip makes them rigid down the front, and harder to get on as the fastening is asymmetric meaning there's a whole leg to get in that doesn't come undone. Regular sleep suits are better IMO.

DD lived in short sleeved body suit + sleep suit for the first few months, in summer you'll be better with just a vest (or nothing!) sometimes. I'd get 6-9 of each for each size so you don't worry about laundry and that's it! No outfits esp for 0-3, they're not comfy and a faff. 💁🏻‍♀️

Swaddles are great for newborns as an alternative to sleeping bags. We used one by a company called Summer, which had velcro and were really simple to use.

Zip sleepsuits are fantastic, I recommend the brand Zippy Up. They’re so much easier than fumbling around with poppers in the middle of the night!

Honestly a handful of baby grows and bodysuits plus a few cotton hats and cardigans should suffice. I had a June and an August baby, both just wore a baby grow most of the time. Bundlers are good too, they’re useful for nappy changing.

Vests and onesies. They really don't need all the faff of tiny clothes. Just stuff that can survive the poonamies and is easy to get on and off.

Vests & onesies definitely - I think we had about 15 of each and I was still washing every couple of days! We did have a few trousers and t-shirts and little short sleeved rompers were great for when it's hot.

We used a sleeping bag from birth as DS was big, you just need to check the togs for the different weights. A few cellular blankets would be good to start off with until the weather gets a bit chiller maybe. Our summers are so unpredictable it's hard to know what the weather will be like.

OP, we swaddled until around 4 months I think using Velcro swaddles from Amazon. Bumble something I think they were called, pack of 3 grey pattern.
Wish I'd explored that option with DD1 as they were fab.

When we had hotter evenings we put her straight in the swaddle with just her nappy on.
Thinking back, my best nights sleep were when she was swaddled, she was a dream.