Newborn baby clothes for July baby - what do I actually need?

[VerityClinch]

Baby due half way through July. Just diagnised with placenta covering os, so am now trying to get organised early in case I spend the last trimester either in hospital or in bed.

But am completely confused by romper suits, sleep suits, body suits (no arms, short arms, long arms)... will baby need a hat in summer? I know I need socks and mittens (although, if the rompers have feet, then I don't need socks?) and I am quite taken with the grobags and swaddling wraps for sleeping in, but bejeezus, every time I start looking at everything I get overwhelmed and just need to shut the computer down.

Can someone just give me a list of what will get me through the first three months (by which time I hope to have a modicum of common sense where baby is concerned... although I am well aware there are no guarantees here...)

Thank you!

ok, dd was born july 07 so here goes.
She wore sleepsuits day and night for the first couple of months, asda first size go upto 9lb as do next 1 month.
she had a hat which hospital insisted she wore and which i put on her when outside.
she had lots of mittens, very useful,
then in newborn size she had some rompers with no feet in, which i sometimes put socks/soft shoes with.
she had no sleeve vests and short sleeve vests which she wore dresses/ shorts and tshirts etc over the top.
dd only has long sleeve vests in winter.
she had a thin cardigan.
she slept in a moses basket swaddled in a thin flat sheet. she went into a grobag at 3 months when it got cooler.
HTH

To start with, just get 7 sleep suits and 7 vests. John Lewis do sleep suits where you can turn the cuffs over if you need to - but DS hated that. Hot = sleepsuit v hot= vest, cool = vest and sleepsuit

A little soft hat.

Nothing else needed in terms of clothes - you can add a blanket to the pram, or wrap them in your arms if it seems chilly, so no cardigans needed.

You don't need socks to begin with, and if you keep to simple, snuggly stuff life is much easier

Forget fancy outfits - too much hassle on a newborn, and you'll prob get some as gifts anyway. Suggest that you get:

sleepsuits (all in ones with long sleeves and feet) in newborn size and 0-3 size.
short sleeved vests (can be worn on own if hot or under sleepsuits if cold.
cotton hat
a couple of blankets or swaddling grobag

x post with cmot, but glad to see that we're in agreement

My DD was born July '04 in a heat wave (probably the last one we had actually!!) Don't forget a little parasol-thingy for the buggy as the sun can be very hot.

Hi, most mums I know liked different things, found some stuff more useful than others etc, so this is just my opinion, I have a 3 year old and a one year old.

I love grobags, you'll need 2 so you can be washing 1 whist using one, smallest size, summer weight (1tog). You do not need to use any blankets when using a grobag.

I found I needed loads of short sleaved vests, they'll constantly be getting covered in poo, wee and sick so you'll need enough for them to be changed a couple of times a day. Guess it depends how often you want to be putting the washing machine on.

Personally I find all the poppers on romper suits annoying, especially when changing a dirty nappy at 2pm. I like those long sleeved nighties with the drawstring bottom at night, long sleeved t-shirts and comfy elasticated waisted trousers during the day, both worn over short sleeved vest. If it's a warm day you can just remove the long sleeved t-shirt.

As for a hat, guess it depends on the weather. If at all chilly I would put a hat on a newborn, and if sunny you need to protect with a hat, or better stil keep in the shade.

I never bothered with shoes, they don't stay on and apparently are bad for their feet, little socks will do. Would avoid stuff with built in feet, it saves on losing socks but they grow out of them much faster.

You'll need a couple of cardigans easier to put on and off than jumpers.

I never bothered with outdoor coats/all in one suits, unlikely you'll need them in summer and far easier to wrap a newborn in lots of blankets that you can easily add or remove when going in and out of shops etc.

I had one of those cosy little covers for the baby carrier.

I would also buy loads of muslin squares, can be used as burp cloth, to wipe up spills, makeshift bib, very useful.

So, in list form:

10 short sleaved vests
5 trousers
5 long sleaved t-shirts
5 pairs of socks
3 drawstring nighties
2 grobags
4 baby blankets
10 muslin squares
3 cardigans
1 hat

Hope that helps, sure you'll get lots of conflicting advise.

Good luck Sxx

I know this is a stupid question (but that's OK, I am used to being a dumb new mum to be) - what does baby wear under a grobag? Other than a nappy, obviously (dumb, but not THAT dumb).

It depends on the room temperature. The grobags come with a little thermometer card that tells you how much they need to wear at different temps

Depends on the weather and temperature in the house, but generally treat it just as bedding so usually a vest with sleep suit over. If warm leave of the vest. Their little arms and shoulders are generally uncovered, so unless very hot would need a long sleeved sleepsuit on.

Depends on room temperature, the grobags that are actually by 'grobag' rather than another make, (does that make sense?)come with a little room thermometer and a list on the back showing you what to dress them in depending on temperature. In summer you'd normaly just need a vest. xx

Thank you everyone. Very much appreciated. Now I feel like I can S.H.O.P.

So exciting.

I'm due in April and have just bought three baby gros. For one thing you don't know how big the baby is going to be and I intend to send DH to buy anything else that we desperately need. I think it's easy to waste loads of money.

See here - Baby Clothing, Baby Towels and Baby Bodysuits.