Is it worth buying newborn size?

[Strawberry06]

Trying to buy a first born outfit for our baby and wondering if its newborn size I need to get?

We are having a boy and something tells me they are going to be big! Me and my husband are both tall and he was 10lbs when he was born. Very long limbs from what we can see on the scan!

I wouldn't want to get newborn and it be absolutely tiny but in all honesty I have no idea!

There isn’t an answer to this! I’m tall, so is my DH. Both my babies have spent time in tiny baby size, before newborn, then 0-1 (ie the smallest sizes for their first few weeks) and barely ever been in 0-3 as they’ve suddenly grown. To give an idea: my ds was in 0-1 until 8 weeks, but 3-6 by 3 months!! Predicted weights offer some guidance but are often wrong!

But babies don’t need that much so if it worry’s you, get 2 nice bits in newborn and 0-3 and then a preloved bundle?

There's also a lot to contend with with hugely variable sizings! My husband and I were holding 0-3, 3-6 and 6-9 against each other and thinking how the fuck are they supposed y be different!

@thecatsthecats that's so true! I ordered some 3-6 bits from H&M and they looked absolutely tiny! I had to return them. But I don't know if I'm just being completely ignorant as to how small babies can be!

Hi @Strawberry06
I didn't get newborn clothes but got 0-3 months. Not sure why i done that! But it was good i did as she could wear the clothes for a while. Congratulations on your pregnancy! x

Ooh, this is a tricky one OP.

With DD, I was measuring ahead by 2 weeks from about 28 weeks or so so was expecting her to be a big baby. She ended up being just 6lb 7oz - her newborn clothes were huge on her and we had to buy tiny baby vests and sleepsuits for her for the first couple of weeks. She's still quite wee now - wearing 12-18 month clothes and she'll be 2 at the end of November!
I'd say to get the newborn ones, but shop around and check the sizing guides as some will be more generous than others. Also get 0-3 month ones if you feel he'll be on the big side though.

Look at weights/lengths not just the names of sizes.

Mine were 7.5lb and 8lb at birth and wore the up to 10lb clothes for the first two months. (This size was sometimes called newborn or sometimes up to 1 month). Other "newborn" clothing says 7lb on it!

Many of us have access to online shopping and 24hr supermarkets so if you do need more of something it is very easy to obtain.

I would just get a couple of things in newborn. You'll probably find they're either a bit big or fit well at first but won't last very long once they start growing.
It's hard to know though as my son was 5lb 3 at 33 weeks and my niece wasn't much more than that at full term!
I just think with newborn it'll probably fit even if they are on the big side.

I would get some newborn if you are able to.
All growth scans showed our girl measuring big, we had a scan at 38 weeks and her estimated weight was 9lbs! I packed some upto 7.8lbs just in case she was a little smaller but took mainly bigger sizes to the hospital.

She was born at 38+4 weighing only 5lbs, miles off what they predicted!
She was long but so so tiny, my mum went out once she was born and bought tiny baby clothes which were far too big for her, if i had another baby i will pack a few bits of smaller sizes just in case 🙂

I've just got a pack each of supermarket sleepsuits and vests in newborn, for the hospital bag. Not expensive so no biggy if they don't need them or grow out of them quickly.

All of my babies were 8lbs when born, so not small at all. And they all wore newborn clothes for a good few weeks, if not at least 2 months for one of them.

I'd get mostly 0-3 months, then maybe one pack of newborn or 0-1 months if M&S still do them to take into hospital. My eldest was only 9.3 lb but long and never fitted in newborn clothes. If yours is premature or unexpectedly small you can always get some smaller ones from a supermarket.

It's so, so variable - both on baby weight, length, and where the clothes come from.
My 7lb baby didn't fit into newborn. He was, and still is, skinny with long legs.
My 8lb one fitted in the newborn tho as he is a more typical shape!

I'd get a small amount of both. You can pick up (or have delivered) more when you know what fits.

We were told not to bother with newborn so got 0-3 month, had to rush out and try to find newborn stuff! As DD wasn’t the large baby they suggested she was. My advice would be get a multibuy of sleepsuits in newborn, up to 1 month, then return unused for bigger sizes if not need. I found it harder to handle baby if clothes too big.

Next or John Lewis own brands are fab.

I was getting 0-3m but then suddenly they had to bring DD out at 37w so I had to get whatever tiny baby clothes I could get easiest in nearest supermarket. I wouldn't get too much in advance as once your baby is here and you know his size you or your DH can get more.

My baby is 7 weeks and only just going into 0-3 month clothes, some of which are still too big, but she has now grown out of the newborn or 0-1 month bits, but that is all she has worn since birth (born weighing 7lbs4oz).
I was lucky and was handed down a load of newborn white vests and babygrows which is what she wore most of the time to be honest. The pretty bits that were gifts she has only worn once or twice before growing out of them. So I would recommended to look on vinted for newborn bundles rather than buy everything new!

We got a few newborn bits which lasted 1-2 weeks as both my babies were tall. Then on to 0-3 but that was the size most people bought us as presents. 3-6 seemed to be the size we didn't have much of.

You will probably need some at first - and bear in mind they sometimes lose weight after the birth (mine lost a lot and fitted in 'tiny baby' clothes for a couple of weeks).

Just get some cheap basics.

Yes get it although newborn was too big for my six pounder.

Yes my DC1 was like this. DH is tall, I'm average height, I was a large baby at birth though and he was average sized. DC2 was predicted by scans to be about the same petite size as DC1. That was completely wrong and he was quite big, in newborn sizing at birth for about a fortnight! But then his growth massively slowed down 6months+ and at almost 2 he's now roughly the same height as DC1 was at the same age, so fairly dinky. You can never tell, I'd just buy a few outfits in each size (small baby, newborn, 0-3) and then get more once they're born in the right sizes.

My babies were supposed to be 'huge'
They weighed 8lbs and i had to go buy newborn as 0-3 swamped them!
I'd buy a few bits just incase op.

One of mine was 10lb 1 at birth. He was still in newborn to start with. They tend to be quite scrunched up for a while which makes them look smaller too

Just goes to show. Mine was 10lbs, long and fat. Went straight into 3months.

The advice I got (and how I did it!) was:

• Buy plenty of 0-3m and wash it in advance. Put a few in the hospital bag.
• Buy one pack of newborn sleep suits and one pack of newborn vests. Do not wash them or open the pack! Leave at home
• When baby arrives, put in 0-3m. See how well they fill it! If clearly too big, when DH goes home he washes the newborn bits then brings some into hospital next day.
• If baby is good in 0-3m, sell the newborn packs on Vinted as unopened/with tags etc. You’ll get far closer to their value if you haven’t opened or washed them.
• Alternatively buy the newborn bits close enough to your due date that you can return if unworn. I never managed that though as I’m a chronic planner (slash shopper 😂)

Also I remember a very wise MNer (can’t remember who sorry!) telling me re clothes being too big for a newborn - “So what if they’re too long? It’s hardly like they’re going to be walking around tripping over the feet” 😁

Check the sizing charts. Some newborn is very similar to up to 1 month in some places. When I was looking M&S, Sainsburys, Next and Asda were newborn up to 9/10lb. Whereas I think H&M were smaller. I got newborn in the bigger sizes as DD was predicted to be a big baby (she wasn’t).

Even if they are the right length and weight the clothes will still look too big to begin with though because they’re so scrunched up.

DS was long and a winter baby and wore 0-3 months even though it was baggy. Babygros with feet aren’t very forgiving for longer babies. Newborn never fit him - we had to donate his clothes to the hospital