Can someone please explain baby sizes to me?

[H8624]

FTM so apologies in advance for being totally clueless!

I am due in January so plenty of time but since my 20 week scan have gradually started buying bits!

But the clothing for newborns is confusing me! I am coming across different sizes, newborn, upto 1 month, upto 3 months etc!

Can anyone explain roughly what I need and how many of each size I should buy please based on your experiences? (Roughly of course I know there's no set amount but don't want to under/over buy massively!) As I know the littlest clothes they will grow out of quickly! I'm having a boy 😊

Thanks in advance!

I'm due in October and have bought a range of newborn, up to 1 month, and 0-3 months - though mostly 0-3 months.

Most retailers have size guides on their websites which tell you the rough weight of baby the clothes will fit - but will depend how long baby is too! ☺️

Just to add I think most newborn / up to 1 month fits up to around 9 lbs, whereas 0-3 months is usually up to around 13 lbs.

Personally I only bought 0-3 months and no newborn, up to one month etc. I have big babies (8lb+). The 0-3 was a little bit big for a couple of weeks and then fit perfectly. All of mine went into 3-6 months around 2 months old.

I suppose you can look at your/ your partner's build, your family history etc to see if it's likely you'll have larger babies. Closer to the time a growth scan will give an indication too.

Depends on the size of the baby- a 5lber will need newborn or tiny baby, a 9lber will be fine in 0-3 months. You will probably be given lots of baby clothes!

Dd was 8lb 6oz so didn’t fit in newborn 😂

If I were you op I’d just buy lots of white sleep-suits in various sizes.

I bought 20 white body and sleepsuits so I could boil wash them and had plenty spare.

I bought 0-3 and 3-6 months. After then I added some colour and bought actual clothes 😂

DS was 8lbs 9oz. We didn’t try newborn, but up to 1 month fitted him nicely for about 4 weeks. 0-3 were so long, absolutely swamped him.

I found just supermarket or Primark baby grows fine, nice and soft. No point spending a fortune on something baby will only wear for 3-4 weeks.

DS was. 6lbs 13oz and newborn swamped him until about 3/4 weeks then between 4 and 8 weeks he grew loads and ended up in 3-6 months 🙄

Had to buy tiny and small baby clothes for him for that first month which we didn't expect.

I'm having exactly the same dilemma as to what to buy. A couple of things I've bought the same item in new born and up to 1 month so that I can pack both in my hospital bag so I'm prepared for all eventualities!

For the very first few weeks you'll need newborn sizes. Then 0-3

My son was in tiny baby at first he was 8lb. Didn't go into newborn girl a good month and then 0-3 when he was 6-8 weeks and he put on weight fast too. I'd get a few of each but pack tiny baby/newborn for sure.

I'd buy 0-3, and then get some smaller stuff if needed.
My 7lb boy needed 0-3 because he was long. My 8lb boy was fine in smaller.

0-3m you will definitely need eventually either way, so you can get a few of those.

'newborn size' is usually up to 9 or 10lb? I bought a couple as going home outfits. DD2 was 10lb 7oz and they fit her for about a week! But that way you can easily buy more if baby is little.

In my experience with Dc1 you are best avoiding newborn or 0 to 1 month and sticking to 0 to 3 months. If your baby is average to large and a constant feeder they will grow so fast they won't wear half the clothes you bought, it's gutting!

DC1 was under 4lb so wasn't in up to 1 month until about 10 + weeks. DC2 was 6lb 3oz and got plenty of wear out of newborn sizes then largely missed 0-3 months as he's always been at least a size ahead of his age since about 6 weeks. We didn't buy much in advance and just picked up bits once they were here.

I would get a pack of 5 of each - newborn, 0-1/up to one month and 0-3, vests and babygrows. Pack one outfit of each size in your hospital bag, along with hats of different sizes.

People will buy you things anyway and when baby arrives you will know what size they fit in and can dispatch someone to get more if needed.

My first needed newborn sized clothes and a tiny baby hat, I was clueless and had mostly 0-3 that drowned her, only 3 newborn sleep suits and 5 vests. Only Tesco newborn fit her to begin with.

No2 was huge- I’d got a lot more newborn ready this time, which is still in the packets cause she was a few weeks in up to 1 month then into 0-3, her feet were huge and stretched out the up to 1 .

I wish it was easier to understand, the size names and then Asda throw in “first size” just to confuse everything! (It’s broadly the same as up to 1 month IME).

DS was a big baby (10lbs 10oz) and went straight into 0-3. I only bought 0-3 and my mum would have picked up smaller if I needed. Going in now I would pack 1 or 2 outfits in each size because it's not so easy to have people bring you things.

My DD was 6.3 at birth and was in upto 1 month and newborn till around 6 weeks old. All her 0-3 was too big but bits started fitting around 5 weeks+. She's now 9 weeks and in 0-3 all the time now.

Sizes do vary in 0-3 as well so keep in mind that not all 0-3 will be the same size.

I have an 8 mo. My advice? Don't buy too much before your little one is born.

I bought loads and so much went unworn because she outgrow it so quick. other stuff just wasn't practical. Some was the wrong season (trying to be clever, i bought for the year ahead in sales). So she'd outgrown dresses I bought for spring/summer by the end of winter.

She only stayed in newborn for 2-3 weeks!

The key is to look on the labels: the age guidelines typically talley to baby's weight and height. So it all depends how big/long your baby is born and how fast they grow!

Just to confuse things, I find all shops wildly different anyway and sizing can very even in the same shop. Once I bought a multipack of three babygros in one shop. my baby was already almost out of one. The other two were huge.

I've attached sizing from matalan so you can see.

Good luck.

I was in the same position a year ago OP. In the end we bought one pack of plain white newborn size sleep suits, one pack of 0-3 months vests and two packs of 0-3 sleep suits. We didn't find out if we were having a girl or a boy so kept things neutral with the colours. DD was 7lb 13 and wore newborn size for 2 weeks.

Agree with a previous poster that sizes vary across different brands. DD is quite long and we've found that the M&S and John Lewis sleep suits and vests seem to be the most generous in terms of size, making them better value for money.

I have a 5 week old and already have a bag full of newborn clothing that she has never worn because she has outgrown them already! She was 8lb 7 and newborn clothing lasted maybe a week, up to 1 month clothing lasted a few weeks and now she is fitting 0-3 months. Just get a pack of newborn or 1 month vests and sleepsuits (and don't bother with mittens or socks - the sleepsuits have them built in!)

Mine has outgrown everything height wise way before the weight limit. Ie I think m and s 0-3 months said up to 13lb, but he wa alike the hulk at the shoulders squeezed out by 6 weeks.
He’s now almost 4 months and in 6-9 month old clothing. So yep, I would by minimal in small sizes, the. Just get some more as needed.

It really does depend on your baby, some will be in tiny baby or newborn for a couple of months, other will go straight into 0-3. I'd get maybe 6 sets of baby grow and vest in each size, then get more once you know how big baby is. If you want to stock up to spread the cost, get bigger sizes (0-3 amd bigger), then he'll definitely were them at some point.

My baby was 6lbs 10 and grew out of newborn size at 6 weeks, in case helpful

Thank you everyone!

Will take note and get a few of the smaller sizes in preparation! Most of what I've bought so far is 0-3m so he can grow into them :)