Confused about baby clothes!

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

Hi there, I'm a first time mum, and know nothing about babies. I'm starting to think about getting in some basics (for mid-april) but am utterly confused. Research on Mumsnet has told me to not bother with newborn size and go straight to 0-3 but other than that I am clueless!

What is the difference between sleepsuit/bodysuit/romper suit?

I think the difference between these and a vest is that a vest is legless?

Does baby wear a vest underneath things or on its own (with BabyLegs)?

Does it need socks/hat etc

Lots of manuals give you a list but its things like 2 x romper 2x sleep 4x body 4 x vest and that seems a lot of duplication?! And it doesn't tell you what baby actually wears.

I need a simple list of what baby wears at one time, and how much you reckon I need.

Also, do you know of a source of kimono/wrap style vests other than Frugi?

Sorry for such a long first post!

Welcome and congratulations.

Sleepsuit - an all-in-one suit can be cotton or there are fleece ones for winter. Covers feet and some have little gloves you can pull over baby's hands.

Rompers - like above but with open feet and hands

Bodysuit - I call these vests. Longsleeves, short or sleeveless available. Use as first layer you put on baby as nice soft cotton and the poppers fasten underneath nappy and keep everything snug.

What baby wears depends on the temperature.

I had a May baby. As a newborn she wore vest and sleepsuit and a little cardigan if needed at night. That summer was very warm so when she was a few months old she wore little cotton rompers from Next or little t shirt and leggings sets or similar.

My Novemeber baby had layers. Vest, sleepsuit, pj top or similar and cardigan. Our house is cold. Warm leggings, tops sweaters etc when a little older.

HTH

Meant to add depending on size some babies do need Newborn size. My dd1 was 6lb at birth and went down to 5lb10 and was swamped in the 0-3 at first.

I only got 0-3 too, they do swamp them a little bit to begin with, but since dh is tall my babies have always been long.

Baby vests can be sleeveless, short sleeve or long sleeve - mine usually wore the short sleeve and they are worn underneath sleepsuits/rompers/babygroes (all interchangeable terms). In terms of how many, well they wear a minimum of 7 a week but that's not taking into account messy feeds, possetting and explosive poos so I think I had at least 12 in 0-3 and possibly more.

In April it's still chilly enough for babies to need vests, the advice was that babies have one layer of clothes more than we do, unless of course it's really warm, as they spend a lot of time just lying around and don't generate their own heat like we do.

sleepsuits/rompers/babygroes look like this, they can also have short sleeves and legs for the summer like these when it gets really warm.

You nearly always need a vest as the first layer, so get lots of those. I had to send DH out to Sainsbury's for a bulk pack while we were still at the hospital, as we had underestimated the need.

For April I think that for the first while your baby will pretty much be wearing a short sleeved vest plus a sleep suit. This is suitable for day and night at first. Don't bother with 'clothes' except for maybe a little cardigan or other easy-access outers like soft dungarees that you can easily put on over a sleepsuit.

When buying sleepsuits for young babies, do get the ones with feet and turn over scratch mits for their hands. Their hands and feet can get cold, and they will scratch their faces alarmingly. It is hopeless and a bit distressing trying to keep socks or scratch mits on them, as they just fall off. You'll curse the sleepsuits that don't have them.

Vest - a little t-shirt type thing with "envelope style" (no poppers/buttons but also not too tight) neck which also covers the nappy and does up between the legs. They wear these as underwear under everything for the first few months.

Bodysuit - Can be used like a vest, very slight difference in that it does up between the legs, but usually has a round neck with poppers. You usually get these as part of an outfit ie with a dress or dungarees, and they are more often long-sleeved. They wear these instead of a vest with said outfit.

Sleepsuit - Used to be known as babygros. They are all-in-one suits with feet on. Useful as sleepwear and daywear in the early days (pre-crawling) as they are comfy for baby to wear. They wear these over a vest and you can add a cardigan, dungarees or a dress if cold.

Romper - All-in-ones without feet, sometimes short-sleeved, useful when they start crawling or for the summer. Usually worn over a vest unless it is very hot.

Basically you will want a vest or bodysuit for every day, then enough outfits (Just to clarify I am talking about all clothes, including sleepsuits) for a few days as they tend to get sicked on more. Bottoms/vests take the brunt of nappy leaks! What they wear over the vest is up to you, I found tops and trousers easier to deal with because if the baby was sick or a nappy leaked I generally only had to change one half of the outfit, but lots of people on here say that sleepsuits are easier. You will find what is best for you! Does that help?

As well as warmmth and practicality and all that jazz, you need to get at least a few that make you go "aww- supercute!" for the times (hopefully few)when they are hard work and fussy and you are getting a bit stressed. Helps to see their adorable side again, I find.

Yes, I wholeheartedly agree with Ponymum that socks are a waste of time. In fact, I don't think my DS wore socks properly till he was one, as he would not keep them on, I had him in tights for his first autumn/winter (circa 7 months).

Long-sleeved vests are quite good, for colde weather, but I found them a bit better for wearing with dungarees, when DS was a bit older.

Definitely a hat.

Unforunately, there will be a lot of pooing, and it will leak out of the nappies, especially in the early stages, when the baby's legs are still skinny. This is why you need the multiplication (forget about duplication!). Your little one will be wearing one to five sleepsuits and vests a day. The vest might catch the stuff which goes up the back, and spare the sleepsuit, but because vests are legless, anything which comes out of the leg-holes will get the sleep-suit/all-in-one. Or the tights, if you have those on. It just depends what you want to get dirty.

If the constant staining of the clothes is getting on your nerves, you can always dye them. Dylon navy blue is great - a very dark colour which hides all sorts of "crap" (literal and figurative), and shows up the areas which have been posseted on (possets are milk-burps), so you know when to change them. The posseting was actually the reason I ended up dying DS's muslins: it was so difficult to tell whether I was wiping the poor child's face with dried-in posset (white, on white muslin), that I was constantly putting them in the laundry. My dyed muslins, which I did at the same time as vests/suits, didn't require such vigilance!

As for kimono/wrap style vests, I know Green Baby have them, although that is expensive, but try John Lewis, and the online sites of Mothercare and Boots (they might have crossovers there, but not in shop).

Good luck!

GAP do very nice basics including crossover cardigan type tops in cotton and maybe the vests? Their sleepsuits definately have built in scratch mitts.

Congratulations on your pregnancy - how exciting!

The only thing I would is that, while it may seem like a lot of duplication, you'd be suprised at how quickly newborns can get through outfits, especially if your nappy technique takes a while to get established .

I was changing my DD up to five times a day for a few weeks until we managed to contain the poo explosions and she stop posseting so much. You may not have the same problem, but it's better to have a few more vests/babygrows than you think you'll need if you can afford to otherwise trying to keep up on washing and drying everything can get a bit trying. I like wingedvictory's dyeing idea.

I only had 0-3 but they were far, far too big for her. I had to send my dad to mothercare to get 'tiny baby' size (even smaller than newborn).

So I would def take some newborn size next time.

Thank you all for your fast replies! I am feeling a lot more clued up now and am about to go into town to have a look to see what I can get.

I'm going to stick to basics because I think my family and work will be unable to resist getting me the supercute outfits

I'm guessing that what you have told me is for indoor wear. Will baby need many extra layers for outdoors? (when I am eventually brave enough to venture out!)

I am planning on using a sling (Ergo), but I won't be able to fit it under a jacket (like my dad did with me )

Think that I got some crossover vests from Vertbaudet online.

You will probably get given cute little outfits but resist the temptation to buy "proper" clothes as they are a pain on little wriggly babies - babies can wear "sleepsuits" all day and still look cute! If you want to differentiate between day/sleep clothes, avoid things that crease easily as you won't want to be ironing baby clothes.

I used short sleeve bodysuits all year round, as DDs got older I'd buy long sleeve ones to put under short sleeve dresses to extend the wear from summer to autumn.

Ditto Besom's comment, you don't know what size you baby will be, so have a pack of newborn as well. DD2 was swamped by her 0-3 sleepsuit, it was nice to have one pack that fitted. However, make it a cheap plain pack - I bought a beautiful newborn all-in-one from Mamas & Papas to bring DD3 home from hospital in, thinking she'd be like the other two, but the 9lb lump wouldn't fit it!! And I'd already washed it so it became the most expensive outfit ever for DD2's baby doll

Ironically, the 9lb lump turns out to be a very petite 2 year old that still fits in 18-24mths Mamas and Papas stuff...

H&M do the crossover style vests.

I know lots of people say just go for 0-3 but they were mahoosive on ds until about 6 weeks. He was 7lbs 12oz at birth.

You can get plain vests/sleepsuits v v v cheaply so I'd get a few newborn size to start off with.

I agree about the sleepsuits, DD1 was only 6lbs 3ozs so the 0-3 months drowned her.

This time I am getting about 9 plain sleepsuits and vests in newborn size and the same in 0-3 months. Supermarkets do them really cheap and they are good quality.

Am also getting a few cardigans and maybe 3 or 4 wee soft outfits because I cannot resists them.

Remember if it is your first especially you will gets loads of presents, people love buying baby clothes so I would wait a few weeks and then see what you need and what size the baby is.

I am debating a snowsuit but think that might be too much for a May baby even in Scotland so I think I might get a fleecy type jacket, that and being wrapped in a blanket and hat should be warm enough.

Get some scratch mitts as well, Primark do them really cheap as my babies were always sick on them.

my list will be like this
9 sleepsuits
9 vests
3 hats
scratchmitts
fleecy jacket probably 2 (you can get wee quilted trousers with matching jacket which I think would be good for using a sling)
3 cardigans
3-4 outfits, like wee dungarees and tops
socks
5 baby blankets maybe more as I tend to lie the baby on a blanket instead of a sheet in the moses basket as they are always sick so changing a blanket is easier, somewhere like Asda do lovely fleecy blankets

Do you know anyone else with children who might lend you a bag of stuff? I borrowed some tiny baby & newborn sleepsuits and vests from my SIL and lent a bag of newborn stuff to a friend.

That way, you're covered if you do underestimate how much you need in the small sizes but don't waste money buying things you don't need.

I agree having some newborn size is a good idea. DD was 8lb 1oz and she wore newborn for quite a few weeks. Also some shops come up much larger than others. I found that M&S came up big so some newborn stuff from there would probably last a bit longer.

Also even if you don't buy footless suits and socks you will probably get gifts of them. We got a pair of "sock-ons" on the internet which are little elasticated tubes which go over the sock and hold them on. Whilst they don't necessarily add to the look of the sock, they do stop them kicking them off so can be very useful.

One thing which is probably completely obvious to you but was a revelation to me when I was told (perhaps I am very dim) was that the envelope style body suits can be taken off downwards rather than over the head which is really useful in an explosive poo scenario. Plus DD really hates being dressed but seems to mind less when I put her vests on from the bottom up rather than over her head. Obviously if you only get wrap type vests this won't be an issue.

eBay also good for buying "bundles" of baby clothes for next to nothing, many of them brand new, or practically, and if you don't need them they can go straight back on.

My first 2 babies were 7lbers and needed newborn clothes.
When I had my Dc3 I had bought all newborn and he was 10lb 10oz! All the stuff we had was too small, and had to be changed for 0-3!

I would get some of each size and pack one of each in your hospital bag, you never know!

Can I just second about going to the supermarket for your first sets of clothes.

You're baby wont be in them very long (they grow so quickly) so its a bit pointless buying expensive stuff especially if you're on a budget.

You will actually be pleasantly surprised at how good the quality is.

Oh, and forgot to add:

Congratulations!

I must admit I always buy coloured bodysuits but a tonne of plain white vests.

The best baby socks I have found for staying on are Baby Gap expensive but the little terry style ones are very cosy and do actually stay on.

This is my fourth baby but first boy so am very excited about buying blue clothes and will probably go OTT with them.

Totally agree about finding someone who will loan you some baby clothes, they are in them for a matter of weeks especially the newborn size.

I also agree with buying Newborn- all 3 of mine were over 8lbs but swamped by 0-3 stuff. They wore newborn for 6-10 weeks before going into 0-3 stuff (unless it was preworn and shrunk from all the washing/drying). If your baby is smaller than that then you will def need newborn stuff.

My ds was born in March in Chester and never wore vests as he was such a hot baby and the weather was good. He just wore a sleepsut and sleeping bag at night and t-shirt and trousers in the day!