Help with baby clothes please!

[J78912]

Hello, I am going to be a first time mum in October and feel a bit clueless with what to buy baby in terms of clothing.
I've heard the terms babygros, sleepsuits, vests but am getting a bit confused! How many of each do I need for newborn size? What are they all used for e.g. sleeping/ daytime/ going out? Can the baby stay in babygros or do I need actual outfits as well? Or can outfits come when they are older?

Thank you for any advice!! :) x

I dress my babies in short/long sleeved vests (temperature dependent) with a baby grow over and that is basically their outfit for the first 6 months lol! Cardigan/jacket over the top for going out or one of those all in one snow suit things if it's really cold. Once they become a bit more mobile I find it can be easier for them to wear separates like leggings and a little top, still with a vest under. It is of course totally up to you, I never really did "outfits" for the first few months as I felt they were more comfy in just vests and grows and found them easier to change.
I remember finding the terminology confusing for all the clothes, but I think essentially vests and bodysuits are the same thing, can be short or long sleeved - similarly babygros and sleepsuits are the same thing, usually long sleeved with legs and with feet covered.

Body suits and vests are the same thing likewise baby grows and sleep suits.

We got a mix of Asda first size (6-9lb) and 0-3 months ahead of time. Of all the newborn clothes I found the Asda first size to be the most fool proof for being likely to fit baby in the first few days. I would get 5-8 vests and sleep suits in Asda first size which will get you through the first few days once baby has arrived you can get more. Most tiny baby go up to 7lb and newborn 7-10 lb. My daughter was 6lb13 and the Asda was the perfect size and she was in them until 8 weeks. She wouldn't have got much use out of tiny baby and would have been too small for newborn initially. So we stocked up on more of the Asda clothes. Had she been a bit smaller (under 6.5lb) I would have stocked up on some up to 7lb vests and sleep suits if she has been bigger I would have moved to upto 1 month.

Once out of first size I did leave sleep suits for evening and did leggings and tops for day time as I hated sleep suits, it's a personal preference thing

essentially vests and bodysuits are the same thing, can be short or long sleeved - similarly babygros and sleepsuits are the same thing, usually long sleeved with legs and with feet covered.
This.

Some people love babygros and use them for months. I hated them and found all the poppers a fiddly pain. I much preferred bodysuit plus top plus dungarees from very early on. But it's just preference.

Due October as well.
I’m planning something like this.
size newborn:
5x short sleeve vests (to use under long sleeves or babygros)
10x long sleeve vests
5x pants
5x tights
5x babygros
3x zip up hoodie/sweatshirt
5x socks
same goes for size up to 1m and then up to 3m.
of course this is the minimum I want and will probably have more because baby clothes are just too cute.
Baby will most likely be in tights and a long sleeve vest when home.
Things like pants, sweatshirts and short sleeve will be for going on walks and visiting family.
Once the baby is here you’ll see if they spit up much you’ll most likely need a bit more vests.
Also don’t forget a ton of muslin cloths.

And if your baby ends up hating babygros because of the feet then get them romper suits instead which is basically a babygro without the foot part

Everyone told me my baby would be big due to my bump but he wasn’t, he was only 6lb, he’d just been bunched up in a breech position. So all the baby clothes I’d brought to the hospital were hanging off him. Bring a few sizes just to be sure. The hospital was BOILING (this was in September) so I only had him in short sleeve vests, and covered him with a muslin.

Firstly, as long as you have access to a washing machine you fo not need too many in each size. Depending on how big your baby is at birth you will need one of 3 sizes, not that helpful in I’m afraid, I bought the 56cm size but dd was small so had to get the tiny baby size.

baby gros and sleep suits are the same thing, think sleep suit is American originally. They work for newborns well, you don’t need proper clothes, bodysuits (onesies) are useful to add a layer or use their own in hot weather. I wouldn’t worry about buying much else until baby is here and you know their size!

I found anything newborn size or up to 1 month lasted one wear so would advise getting 0-3 months for clothes (assuming baby isn't too early or on the big side).

I kept mine in sleepsuits (and a cardigan if needed) for the first three months or so. Anything else felt like too much effort. I kept to short sleeved bodysuits/vests for under their sleepsuits as trying to pull the sleepsuits over a long sleeved vest was a pest but that might have just been me!

https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/pregnancy/preparing-for-labour-and-birth/what-to-buy-for-your-newborn-baby/

I found sleepsuits easiest until at least 6 months and generally avoided clothes with a waistline as they are more comfy for a baby who is sleeping lots (in my opinion). Worn with a long sleeve or short sleeve vest underneath. I’d avoid any outfit requiring socks as they are fiddly and fall off all the time.

Mine were in sleepsuits for about the first six months, plus a cardigan or two. Definitely do not get socks or tights.

I’d recommend you get some bodysuits and sleepsuits in newborn/first size and then slightly more in 0-3 months. I had a winter baby so got both long sleeve and short sleeve bodysuits.

I also got a lot of the zip sleepsuits especially for the early days, I found them so much easier during the night changes when half asleep!

My baby is 3 months old and while she still wears mostly sleepsuits, I personally like to put her in little outfits sometimes. Nothing uncomfortable..typically little legging outfits, joggers, casual dresses, shorts. Just felt like we were both in pyjamas all the time the first 1-2 months constantly and it’s refreshing for us both to “dress up” from time to time now 😂

Also, I really underestimated how many muslim cloths i’d use. We go through them so quickly as baby spits up a lot + we use them for different things (wipe spit up, laying her down on the bed, for if anyone wants to hold her, put in her bath to make it less slippery and to cover her so she keeps warm while she’s in there & some people use them for swaddling)

Most places do packs of 5, 7 and 10 for the bodysuits. I love to get them from Asda and M&S. M&S actually have a parent club via their sparks where you get 10% off bodysuits and sleepsuits for a year I think it is

You will probably receive quite a lot from friends and relatives. You said you are a first time mum, are your parents and PIL first time grandparents?

When my niece was born she was the first grandchild and still had 2 great grand mothers alive, you would have thought no one had ever had a baby before.

As for outfits - your baby won't care as long as s/he is fed and warm, but then outfits can be fun for parents and for embarrassing your baby when they are a teen.

I worked with someone who's wife had a baby in October and they spent the first 6 months dressing him as a Halloween pumpkin, or a sparkly Xmas outfit just to take photos.

I would buy as little as possible to start with and then decide more once baby is here.
Mine wore just babygrows for at least 4 months, then I moved onto vests and leggings with a cardigan.
I never put mine in outfits or dresses or tights, and even at 2 she now rarely wears dresses and hasn't ever worn tights! Whereas I have friends who used dresses from a couple of months old. It's all personal preference!
I'm about to have my second and going through the baby clothes now and have actually gotten rid of some of the outfits that were never worn with my first because I know I won't use them!

So unfortunately my mum is no longer with us and no relationship with dad and my in laws similarly to yours can't remember and haven't been much help with the detail I'm asking! Thanks for the reply! :)