Clothes for newborn to 6 months, how much do you actually need and what

[calm]

Just wondering about this. At the moment I have 6 pyjamas and that is it. I plan to get some vests in my next online buy because I also need to get some maternity knickers! How much do you you think you actually need for the first 6 months, and how much of each item? What are the essentials for a baby that will be newborn in the autumn? (in my case I will times it by two because of having twins)

 

[laurarebecca1]

Stalking...I'm a clueless first time mummy too!

 

[Xxenssial]

I found with dd1 we just used onesies and beanies (she was a winter baby) I think in total we had 12singlets, and 10onsies with 5beanies.

This time we've got a summer bub so will be grabbing the short sleave onesies with no legs (summer time this time) might have a couple of full onesies incase it's cool at night.

You don't need a massive amount to start with. Best thing is to start small and once bubs is here you'll work out what's best and go grab some more.

Hope that helps.

 

[Rickles]

Personally I think it depends on how often you want to run a wash!

I didn't have enough sleepsuits with DD - had to buy an extra 6... she could explode through 2/3 a day no problem (and we don't have a tumble dryer). Thing to remember (and make it more complicated) is they grow so fast that you want to wash them multiple times to get some use out of them!

So...

I would recommend 10 - 12 vests (short or long sleeved depending on season baby born in).
12 sleepsuits - we only changed DD when it got pooped on plus once a day - some people like to change them for bed... I couldn't really see the point - we'd usually used a couple by that point anyway!!
A couple of cardigans
A couple of hats
Socks - if a winter baby - probably not needed for a summer baby. DD was born in August 2012 (UK) and spent her first 2 weeks in just a nappy thanks to a heatwave.
A jacket / pramsuit
6 Cloth bibs (to protect clothes from spit up)
6 Muslins (it's really worth spending a little more to get some that don't bobble and get really rough really quickly... I bought some from TESCO and some from John Lewis - we are still using the JL ones and will for this baby. TESCO ones are all in the bin - our DD has eczema so we are careful about abrasive stuff).

Blankets are good for adjusting the temperature when you are going in and out shops or out of the house over a long period - e.g. from midday sun to dusk when the temp drops etc. - so we had 4 small cellular blankets which got used continually

Personal preference but I never bothered with shoes / outfits - dresses etc. / headbands until DD was 6 months old - bar one nice outfit for Christmas - which she screamed until it was removed! Lots of my friends did - and their children looked wonderful, I just couldn't face the cost and general destruction of the outfit, usually within an hour!

If you can/will wash daily then you could probably get away with 7/8 sleepsuits and fewer vests but I found it a bit more ecofriendly to run a wash every 3 days. Again personal preference but we have always washed DD clothes separate to our own - including Napisan and with no softener. If you chuck all the family's clothes in together you may wash every other day anyway...

I've rambled - so I've bolded the important bits

 

[george83]

I've had two babies - one summer one winter and they were total opposites as to how sick they were ds1 was sick all the time ds2 is hardly ever sick.

For ds1 I needed loads of outfits I would get through 3 to 4 different sets some days as he would be sick everywhere, he was a summer baby though so had loads of short sleeved vests for day time and full sleeved baby grows for night time.

Ds2 is a winter baby so had loads of long sleeved vests and baby grows. We got carried away a bit buying new clothes for him so he's ended up with millions of outfits plus all the clothes we were given as presents. Luckily he's hardly ever sick but that also means half of these clothes weren't needed and some have only been worn once before he out grew them which was a shame.

We were team yellow but brought a lot of neutral clothes in 0-3 months which I regretted afterwards as i wanted to show off that he was a baby boy and wish I'd just got neutral new born and then waited to buy coloured clothes.

I also agree with pp that to begin with real clothes are a bit wasted, ds2 hardly had any real outfits until he was 2-3 months old. Although I have to say I've never had any problems with tesco clothing and have brought lots of them

 

[Rickles]

I've had two babies - one summer one winter and they were total opposites as to how sick they were ds1 was sick all the time ds2 is hardly ever sick.

For ds1 I needed loads of outfits I would get through 3 to 4 different some days as he would be sick everywhere, he was a summer baby though so had loads of short sleeved vests for day time and full sleeved baby grows for night time.

Ds2 is a winter baby so had loads of long sleeved vests and baby grows. We got carried away a bit buying new clothes for him so he's ended up with millions of outfits plus all the clothes we were given as presents. Luckily he's hardly ever sick but that also means half of these clothes weren't needed and done have only been worn once before he out grew them which was a shame.

We were team yellow but brought a lot of neutral clothes in 0-3 months which I regretted afterwards as i wanted to show off that he was a baby boy and wish I'd just got neutral new born and then waited to buy coloured clothes.

I also agree with pp that to begin with real clothes are a bit wasted, ds2 hardly had any real outfits until he was 2-3 months old. Although I have to say I've never had any problems with tesco clothing and have brought lots of them

Totally agree - the clothes are absolutely fine - it was just the muslins I found a bit thin and bobbled immediately... Didn't mind if anyclothes bobbled as you replace them every couple of months - but the muslins are useful for life!!! (At least it seems that way to me right now )

 

[george83]

I've had two babies - one summer one winter and they were total opposites as to how sick they were ds1 was sick all the time ds2 is hardly ever sick.

For ds1 I needed loads of outfits I would get through 3 to 4 different some days as he would be sick everywhere, he was a summer baby though so had loads of short sleeved vests for day time and full sleeved baby grows for night time.

Ds2 is a winter baby so had loads of long sleeved vests and baby grows. We got carried away a bit buying new clothes for him so he's ended up with millions of outfits plus all the clothes we were given as presents. Luckily he's hardly ever sick but that also means half of these clothes weren't needed and done have only been worn once before he out grew them which was a shame.

We were team yellow but brought a lot of neutral clothes in 0-3 months which I regretted afterwards as i wanted to show off that he was a baby boy and wish I'd just got neutral new born and then waited to buy coloured clothes.

I also agree with pp that to begin with real clothes are a bit wasted, ds2 hardly had any real outfits until he was 2-3 months old. Although I have to say I've never had any problems with tesco clothing and have brought lots of them

Totally agree - the clothes are absolutely fine - it was just the muslins I found a bit thin and bobbled immediately... Didn't mind if anyclothes bobbled as you replace them every couple of months - but the muslins are useful for life!!! (At least it seems that way to me right now )

Very true I also forgot that with ds1 he was sick so often I ran out of muslin cloths, bibs and even hats whilst in the hospital as he covered them each time but ds2 is the total opposite and quite often I even forget to put a bib on to feed him.

 

[NotNic]

I honestly don't really remember! I started with enough for a week, using the mothercare check list as a guide: https://www.mothercare.com/new-baby-essentials/advice-ms-preg-essentials-root,default,pg.html
and added more once I got to grips with how sickly he was (very!) and the weather. Unlike most people I know I've always put my son in outfits. To begin with he had nicer, neutral babygros that were decorated (from John Lewis, Mamas and Papas etc,) that he wore out which obviously werent sleep suits, then from 4/6wks he was in outfits - dungarees, shorts etc. I found separates like dungarees really easy to dress them in and they got loads of wear out of them. From 3mths+ we also bought him a lot of cheap clothes from primark - track suit bottoms, tshirts, elasticated trousers that he wore every day and I kept the more expensive stuff for when we left the house. Boots is great for the under 6mths and their sales are brilliant. They are also by far my favourite place for muslins. Apart from that Id recommend Next and Zara for quality items that wash well and the supermarkets and primark for sleep suits and vests that you might need to bin. H&M also has a few good bits.

 

[BigAl]

I was just pulling out my vast array of 0-3m clothes and wondered how often I changed my ds in a day there is just so much of it!!! Thinking definitely 2-3 sleepsuits a day, if not more. Very sicky baby though, and I'd forgotten all the poo explosions. So yeah it does depend on how often you want to wash, but you need at least 3\4 sets of clothes per day.

I never bothered with outfits either until he started pulling up (around 7m). It was just easier to change the sleepsuit/vest than to try and coodinate new bits of the outfit that didn't need changing. Plus it seemed comfier for baby, like wearing pjs all day.

I'm planning on a few cardigans, and then using cellular blankets like pp to adjust the temp accordingly.

 

[CastawayBride]

I bought mostly onesies as we will not venture far the first few months. If we do go out I will most likely use a sleep suit.

I bought short sleeved onesies as we have a fireplace and don't want to have a overheated baby. Will use muslin blankets to help keep baby warm and when a bit older a sleep sack...

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

Thanks for this thread Calm! Definitely taking notes

 

[Seoul]

This is definitely a matter of personal preference and what works for you but this is what I have figured comparing myself with other friends. If you have experience with babies and changing and handling them in general you might feel more comfortable changing them more often and you might want to if you are like me and can't get enough of all the cute stuff out there. I have a few friends first time moms that would not dare put anything over the baby's head for the first 3 months therefore they thought the zip up sleepers were the best thing ever even though I personally hate them because you have to undress them completely and make them cold when changing diapers. I would recommend calculating at least 2 different outfits sleepers whatever you want to use for them per baby per day and a pj or just a long sleeve onesie and put them inside a sleep sac and get 10 days worth so you can go a week and a half without washing. If your house is cold in the winter I would make sure the baby always has a onesie and something else on top to make sure they stay warm.

I am also pregnant with twins and am thinking that with all the work and tiredness that comes with 2 kids at the same time and my current toddler I will only change them when necessary or I feel I have the time. But if they are prone to spit up make are you get a ton of bibs and onesies my sister had a reflux baby and she went through between 3 and 6 a day. I will also get enough clothing for 10 days in case I need to change them more frequently but I know my husband and I need to do laundry weekly for ourselves so I know we will be washing weekly.

Also, For the first 2 weeks while they still have the umbilical cord you want to use vests or gowns not onesies to not irritate the belly button. Sorry for the long message just trying to remember the things that worked for me. Oh and get the long sleeve shirts that have the mittens built in that you just fold over those are the best to keep them from scratching

 

[NotNic]

^^ this is why I can't praise dungarees enough! Baby ones have poppers at the bottom like a onesie, so you just undo two sets of poppers and lift the clothes up. Wrestling limbs into an all in one can be a challenge! I also hate being in pjs during the day (I feel grotty) so this is another reason why I liked dressing my son in 'day' and 'going out' outfits, and then sleep suits for night. It also was a way for me to help define 'night time' as part of our bedtime routine for our lo.

 

[Buttercup84]

I went mad with my older dd and she had tons of everything and was in 'proper' outfits really quickly but this time I'll be sticking to sleepsuits for the first few months. I reckon for one baby you'd only actually need about 6 plus vests to go under if you do a wash at least every other day but to have a bit more leeway I'd say 10 of each.

 

[K123]

I'm going to just buy sleepsuits, vests, bibs, lots of muslins and one outfit. With my son we received so many 0-3month outfits as gifts that he barely wore so I'm guessing the same may happen (and if it doesn't I can shop after little one is here as for the first few weeks it'll basically just be sleepsuits anyway)

 

[CastawayBride]

I'm going to just buy sleepsuits, vests, bibs, lots of muslins and one outfit. With my son we received so many 0-3month outfits as gifts that he barely wore so I'm guessing the same may happen (and if it doesn't I can shop after little one is here as for the first few weeks it'll basically just be sleepsuits anyway)

I agree, I have already been given so much clothes b/c we told everyone its a girl recently!

 

[Spiffynoodles]

My DD was 5lbs 7oz at birth and grew very slowly (was always about 10th percentile) so she stayed in newborn/0-3 month clothes for a long time. My DS, however, was born heavier and grew faster, so he was in 3-6 month clothes when he was 2 months old! So a lot will depend on the size of your babies, as far as how much clothes you need in each size.