help a FTM Mumma out - how much to buy?

[HeyDW96]

As the title says really, I'm 25 weeks now so beginning to gather bits and bobs, I have most big purchases (next to me crib, pram and car seat) as we bought them in the Black Friday sales. Currently struggling with quantities of clothing! I know not to buy too many newborn things as baby may be born not even fitting them, but how much, roughly, do I need? And what are the handiest items you bought?

Thanks!

Baby clothes bundles online!

They’ve been amazing! So many things still with tags because the person had bought too much/the wrong size/ gifted so much.

We’ve maybe spent £30 and have all the essential clothes for the first 9 months, which makes us feel less guilty for buying pretty outfits she will probably only wear once.

Bodysuits and sleepsuits are the best when they are small, I found around 14 of each is enough. Several cardigans and thin blankets for layering if needed.
An outfit or two for if you fancy dressing them up but they're better when they're a big older.

Just buy maybe 8-10 baby grows, same in vests, a few little hats, pram suit, maybe a cardigan or 2 and go from there. If it’s your first child people buy you so much. For my first child I bought 3 baby grows and hats prior to the arrival, nothing else and I didn’t really buy anything until about 4 months old. My mother in law got so carried away with it all I didn’t need to, then after the baby arrived the gifts just kept coming, they were all clothes.

You can quite easily go shopping once the baby arrives if you need more (even now all the supermarkets are open and next has next day click and collect), I don’t understand why people seem to think you can’t shop once the baby has arrived?!

I can second what chelyanne has written. The little outfits are cute but such a faff for changing for the billionth time a day.

I went a bit overboard buying newborn size and DS was 8lb, so it was a bit of a squeeze getting him into them. 0-3 months is currently a much better fit with some growing room.

A lifesaver for us has also been Sleepsuits that have the cuffs that fold over their hands - I think most come with this now? Mits stay on for about 2 mins!

My advice is however many muslins you think you need, double it. I have a refluxy baby, so constantly dealing with sick. I have 35 muslins and honestly that’s not enough 🤣

I have a 3 month old and a toddler. For the most recent baby I bought 10 vests and 10 babygrows, but she grew out of the 0-3 by week 8 😆 you only realistically need 2 or 3 blankets (car, upstairs, downstairs). You need about 4 cot blankets in case baby is a sicky baby, and a water proof cover for the mattress on each cot. I chose to have a cot in the sitting room and then the cot upstairs. As you will be having a baby in late spring into summer you dont need to bother with snow suits, hats etc. Muslins are also a must have, about 20.

A decent monitor is great if you plan to leave the room where baby is. I leave DD sleeping in the sitting room and pop in to do the wash up for 15 mins and bring the monitor. Its obviously good too when they move upstairs for naps when older.

I bought morrisons sleeping bags (2 bags, 2 tog, then 2 lighter ones for summer), 0-6. They dont always fit in them when newborn. Some people like gro bags, or snuggle bags, but they are expensive and baby doesnt always like being swaddled, so maybe just wait and see what baby likes first.

A playmay is good, as is a bouncer as you can bring them with you in the bouncer. One odd thing I use is a baby nail file. Their nails are talons, and I cut my firsg baby with the baby nail scissors. Nightmare. If you plan to formula feed one of those formula storage holders with divided sections is brilliant, as is two 500ml flasks for water.

After that, there really isnt much they need. Babies are pretty basic tbh. Most stuff is just trying to convince parents to part with their money.

We had 10-12 short sleeved vests and 5 sleepsuits in first size, an ebay bundle of first size tshirts and leggings in first size. 5 short sleeved vests in 0-3months plus more hand-me-downs from a friend.

She was 6lb13 when she was born and the first size was a bit big for her, we could have gone into tiny baby but we just put up with them being big but not ludicrously big. After she was born we bought a further 6 sleepsuits in first size and 5 upto 1 month long sleeved vests. She was in the first size and upto 1 month clothes until 8 weeks.
We got mostly 0-3months clothes as gifts so I'm glad we didn't buy much of them in advance. I added a few tshirts and leggings. I like dressing her in either tshirt and leggings or vests and dungarees it helps me separate one day from the next and getting us both dressed each day helps my mood. She is small and still fits in some 0-3months outfits at 6 months so I don't mind the cost of a couple of outfits.

Some thing else to think about is reusable nappies and wipes. We have used cloth nappies since we got home from the hospital and I am so pleased we did. We don't get poonamis as it doesn't escape the wraps, they don't stink like disposables, as well as the cost and environmental advantages!

Thank you all! Sounds like I'm covered with lots of sleepsuits and bodysuits, also some rompers as it will be summer months when baby is in 0-3 months! I'll stop buying now 😂 I've looked on eBay and when we know baby's gender it seems very good for getting full clothes bundles!

This info is so useful thanks ladies!