Found out we're having a baby boy - want to start shopping now and have a few questions!

[MrsMc82]

Hi everyone...
Am nearly 22 weeks and want to start getting some things now we know that i've got a blue bump (mainly to spread the cost out a bit!)

just wondering what size to get babygros in - was thinking of getting stuff that is the up to 3 months size and not bothering with new born size in the hope it'll last but is that just going to swamp the little man when he's just born??

Also want to think about cot bedding etc and am wondering about cot bumpers - think i remember reading somewhere that they're not safe for newborns is this correct??
Thanks ladies x

They will swamp him, even if he is on the large side. Get newborn ones. Lots of places have sales on at the mo (Boots, Mothercare etc)

hi
Congratulations on your news. I just found out today I am having a boy too (it will be my second).

When it comes to buying stuff, I would resist buying too much ... so hard to do in practice ... but really there is very little they need when they are new born and I suspect you will be given a lot of things too, but it is nice to buy things yourself too.

I understand the SIDs advice is not to use cot bumpers, I didn't with my first ... but then again I co-slept most of the time as I was BF and it was easier in the middle of the night so I probably didn't take the SIDs advice on other things.

I skipped newborn and went in 0-3 for both of mine, DS was 8lb 12 and was fine in them, as was 7lb 12 DD. The few newborn ones we got were far too tight on DS but we could put DD in them.

I wouldn't and didn't bother with cot bumpers, I had an Amby Nature Nest so didn't need them.

Baby sleeping bags are good, I found them easier than sheets.

Totally depends on size of bub. DS was only 5lbs so needed tiny baby clothes. A friend of mine delivered her DS well over 10lbs and he was straight into the 0-3 month clothes.
We had to go out and buy the tiny baby clothes after DS was born.

Re. the cot bedding, all I bothered with was cot sheets. DS was then either swaddled and then into his grobag sleeping bags. Even now at the age of 2, he has no additional bedding. And yes, I also heard that cot bumpers were not the safest.

On a side note, I bought lots of newborn stuff in unisex colours...creams etc so they could potentially be worn by other bubs regardless of whether they were boys or girls. Sleepsuits and body suits are essentials.

Hi, congratulations!

Yeah I wouldn't bother buying any newborn size because everyone else will and you'll end up with loads of newborn size which will probably only fit him for a few days, 3 weeks max. And even if no-one buys any newborn either (doubtful!) you can always send your partner out to tesco to grab some after he's born!

Generally 0-3 month babygrows are only a BIT big on a regular sized newborn, and some babies are so long they go straight into 0-3 anyway. Initially all you need is vests, babygrows, a couple of cardigans, little hats, lots of blankets anyway. I wouldn't bother with "proper" clothes for the first couple of months, they're just too floppy and leaky!

Not sure about the cot bumper thing with newborns tbh as I co-slept and/or used a moses basket for the first few months. I don't think they're dangerous though, as long as they're tied on securely.

cot bumpers can cause babys to become over heated so they are not recomended, I use sleeping bags I prefer them to blankets.

I never used cot bumpers. Gro-bags sleeping bags (the real ones or supermarket ones are all good, I got 2.5 tog) are fab and you only need a couple of those (0-6 months) and a cot/crib sheet, saves time and effort and is very safe.

I have had 5 babies varying from 6lbs to 10lbs and newborn suits were best for first few weeks (hardly fit my 10 lber though!!) I would get 3 cheapo newborn suits and a cardi and then everything else in 0-3. Lots of people will probably buy newborn stuff anyway. You can always get more if he is very tiny/huge.

I also have an amby nest (hammock) very expensive but great for fussy babies. DS has been in it from 8 weeks and is still in it at 10 months. I find moses baskets a waste of money, mine went straight in a cot and slept in their prams downstairs.

Congrats, boys are fab

Never used cot bumpers.
Always use a go bag/sleeping bag for them to sleep in with a fitted sheet on mattress. No other bedding needed. A couple of the bags will be enough and a couple of sheets.
My sons both went straight into 0-3 months size but they were both quite big at birth (10 lbs and 11lb +). TBH you only need about half a dozen babygros to start with.

dd was 8lb 14oz. for her i had loads of 'newborn' size stuff. she was too big for it all.

ds is due in a few weeks. for him i have a pack of 3 sleepsuits and 3 vests in size upto 1 month and the same again in size 0-3months. all plain white. that's it. i then have a small bundle of soft dungarees and trousers and t shirt things from ebay, maybe 4 outfits. they're all size 0-3 months.

Make allowances for people buying you gifts,, they'll all get newborn and 0-3

Get lots of nappies now if you're going to use disposables, as its a pita buying big bulky packages with a baby in tow. If you're going to use cloth ones, dont get too many s you never know what will work for you and the bsby until you try.

Dont bother with all the unnecessary stuff like cot bumpers! And like someone else said, baby sleeping bags are so handy.

Congratulations! As others have said, plain white sleepsuits and bodysuits (the vests with poppers - much more comfy for little ones) in newborn are worth having in, as our ds was swamped by the 0-3months until he was about 6-8 weeks. They don't cost much in the scheme of things, and you can pick them up at Fara Kids charity shops very cheaply if you have one near you. Now would be the ideal time to go, as you won't have time to rummage once he arrives!

On bedding, swaddling saved our sanity for the first 3 months. We bought a swaddleme wrap and a miracle blanket (both available online or from mothercare). Personally we preferred the swaddleme as it was much easier to put on. You can use a sheet though, so maybe ask somebody to show you how. You will be glad you did if he is a flailer (a lot of them are!).

Wouldn't bother with the cot bumpers, but I would recommend getting a cuddly toy or comforter for him to have in the cot with him once he is a little older and also a simple cot mobile. Our little boy loves the whoozit spiral thingy, but there are loads to choose from.

Best of luck and enjoy this part - it is great fun once you get over the bewildering confusion!

DS was in newborn until 2 months, he was just under 7lbs so not ridiculously tiny. Perhaps get a cheapo white newborn set of vests and babygros and see what you need when the baby arrives. That's what i'll do with number 2.

Both my sons were long, so grew out of newborn babygros after about 2 weeks although they were still baggy. Got some socks, and chopped the toes off the clothes so they could still wear them without being restricted. I had bought mostly 0-3 but was given loads of newborn stuff and it made them last another month.

Second the advice about sleeping bags - the only thing you need is sheets and a couple of bags, best invention ever and you can even get travel ones with holes to put car seat straps through if you think you will be visiting at times when you might want to get the LO ready for bed.

i used cot bumpers with both my boys. No ill effects suffered. If it is a large cot they only come up about a foot so i cant see problem.I would only worry about overheating with SIDs

One thing i did buy when they were newborn was a sleep bag which is like a baby grow but with no legs...i sppose like an elongated nightgown.
Its great for middle of the night, nappy changes as you dont have to disturb them as much when changing their nappy.You havent got to thread and unthread their legs.

Congratulations

I second the recommendation to get a few newborn size bodysuits and sleepsuits (babygros) in - you never can tell what will fit your baby. Mine was 8lb 13oz but pretty long and slender, so 0-3months were too big and flappy. Hardly anyone bought me newborn or 0-3m stuff - they'd all cottoned on to how buying toys is more a sure-fire hit, and buying little outfits for girls from 3-6m is more fun!

ebay is fantastic for bundles of baby clothes - everything I bought for DD until she was about 6 months old was from ebay!

Congratulations....boys are great!

I also recommend a nice grobag/sleeping bag. Preferably a travel sleep bag one if you are having a winter baby. Then if out visiting people you can bring baby home and straight to bed. Also white pillow cases can be used in stead of moses basket undersheets or on top of fitted sheets. Just tuck them in. You prob need to change this alot!!

Stock up on nappies if using disposables but dont buy too many of the same brand/size. You may find you dislike a particular brand or they dont fit baby very well.

George in Asda do some some very reasonable first size baby grows and I would just get a couple of packs. Everyone will give you lots of newborn/ 0-3 clothes. So dont go over board otherwised you find that they got get to wear it as you are too busy dressing them in the gifts.

Get some muslin cloths (again Asda) they are so useful.

Ta for the congrats and advice everyone!
Will get some cheapy newborn stuff now too tho have a feeling he'll a chunky little thing! x

i would avoid getting newborn. i bought a few packs of newborn sleepsuits and vests from m&s. baby was 9lb 3oz so FAR too big (M&S newborn is only up to 7lb6oz). and when i tried to take them back, they'd reduced everything to only £1 in the sale, so would only give me that amount back (which, given they cost £10, was a bit much). if you do decide to buy newborn, keep your receipt and buy nearer the time to ensure you get full price if you do return them.

also, shop around because newborn sizes vary. as said above, m&s only go to 7lb 6oz but mothercare go up to 10lb i think. m&s also do another size which is up to 1 month, which is inbetween newborn and 0-3 months.

finally, my hospital said don't worry about sleepsuits etc in the hospital asthey would wrap the baby in blankets. so you can wait and see what size the baby is and then get someoneto fetch you what you immediately need from the supermarket.

I bought mainly 0 - 3 months for DS .... i figured that even tho they'd be a bit big it wasn't as though the clothes would have tripped him up! ... As it happened good job i went for big as he was 10lb

0-3 looked absolutely ridiculous on my 6lb15oz DS though, he had his legs all squashed up for weeks so the 0-3 sleepsuits would just dangle from his bum. there's definitely a place for newborn clothing!

DS was 8lb 11 and we found 0-3 too big for the first couple of weeks but in hindsight we could have made do for the sake of just a couple of weeks. Just to say as well dont necessarily relie on people buying tiny stuff as for us everyone bought 3-6 or a few 0-3 as "EVERYONE will have bought you newborn" (we didnt have the heart to say that no one had and we could have done with small stuff)

It depends on how big you baby is - if 8lbs or more 0-3 fine, but a 6lb baby will be swamped in 0-3, but buy some some cheapo newborn babygros you can always take them back if he is big when born? My DS weighed 7 14lbs at birth and he worn the M&S up to one month stuff for around 4 weeks until he was around 10lbs.

I didn't buy anything pink for my first DD, and I am really glad I bought all unisex newborn stuff as when DS was born 2 years later I didn't need to buy anything new!

I think you need - babygros (travel one is v practical), vests, cardigans for winter baby, snowsuit for winter baby, a couple of grobags, couple of fitted sheets for cot, couple of cotton cellular blankets for swaddling, muslins. Cot bumpers waste of money!