Clothing sizes

[caroliner]

I am buying our baby's clothes and wondering what sizes to buy. I have heard that they don't wear the 0-3 month very long, so have been avoiding that size for the most part. How much and what items should I buy in that size? My due date is June 25. Thanks for any help.

[suzska]

I think that's another one of those things that how many people you ask, is how many different answers you'll get.

I didn't buy any sleepers/stretchies in 0-3 month size because people said to just get the 3-6 month size and use them. Sure they're only going to fit in the 0-3 month size for 3 months (if you have a small baby like mine, that is--7 lbs 1 oz at birth--probably less if you have a 10 pound baby), but the poor kid was swimming in the 3-6 month size. And since that's pretty much all he wore for the first 3 months, I was pretty tired of looking at them after a while. :-) And we still had 3 more months to go until he was on to the next size!

If I had it to do over again, I would have bought a half dozen (since that's about how many I had anyway--how much laundry do you want to do? is another question) in the 0-3 month size. Someone gave me a 0-3 month outfit for him, and he looked so cute in it because it actually fit him, instead of his hands and feet getting lost.

You don't say where you live, so that has to be factored in, too. If you live somewhere warm, you can probably get by with some t-shirts and not much else during the summer months. That's what my son slept in when it was warm during the summer (when he was 3-6 months). I'm just one of those people that can't let a baby run around with nothing on but a diaper, so I just put a light t-shirt that snapped at the crotch on him. Besides, he likes to play with the velcro on his diaper if it's not covered.

Anyway, the one thing you will probably want to get in the 0-3 month size are some side-snap t-shirts. And, again, probably a half dozen or so, unless you want to be doing laundry every day or two. I didn't put anything that snapped under the crotch on my son until his belly button healed, and had people out searching for more side-snap shirts after the first week or so. The side-snap ones are a little easier, IMO, to get on a newborn than the over-the-head ones.

And of course there's the outfit for bringing the baby home from the hospital. Even though the one I got was 0-3 months, it was still huge on my son! It was a two-piece outfit, and while it was adorable, it didn't fit him very well.

Well, I hope my ramblings have helped, if only a little,

--Sue B.
SAHM to Evan Jeffrey 03-11-01

[TracyA]

As per Denise and Alan's advice, I only purchased 3-6 month size clothes for my daughter before she was born. When we brought her home, she was absolutely swimming in her clothes. She kicked out of the feet immediately, and the arms had to be rolled way up. (She was 7 1/2 pounds). My husband and I went out and bought her four outfits in 0-3 month size, and with what people got us, that worked pretty well. She's grown quickly, and at 2 months fit into her 3-6 month wardrobe. Two things to keep in mind...I didn't have a shower. If you are going to have a shower before you have your baby, you may get a number of 0-3 month outfits then. Also, check the weight and height limits, in addition to the size. My daughter is 24 inches. She wears 3-6 month in Gap, Old Navy and Carters, and 6-12 in Gymboree.

Anyway, if you're not due until June, you have plenty of time. Wait for the gifts!!! Some people take the tags off and you can't tell where to return them to!

Good luck!

Tracy, mom to Rose 11-9-01

[holland2]

You will get plenty of gifts. But in any event I would buy a couple of premiee, 0-3 and 3-6 outfits. You have no idea how big the baby is when it arrives. I was pleasently surprised with a 10lber after the doctors all said about a 7 lbs baby. You can always return what you do not use. My baby lived in 3 onsies (0-3) and bundled in her blanket for the first two weeks. At night she wore the night gowns 3-6. Then she started with one piece outfits 3-6.

Whatever you decide, it is better to have a larger supply at home than less things. You can do laundry everyday and hence toss in new stuff on a as needed basis. And then, have someone run a huge return run for you.

good luck.

[Elaine]

I was very surprised that the newborn/0-3 mos clothes fit my daughter. Like you, I always heard you should never buy that size because it's almost always too small right from the get-go. Maybe manufacturers finally decided to be more accurate in their sizing - ? - but my daughter, who was 8 lbs, 4 ozs and 20" at birth - was swimming in many of her newborn/0-3 mos things. She is now 11 wks old (13 lbs, 23") and is just beginning to fit into some of the 3-6 mos things.

I think a lot of it just depends on your baby's body shape as well as the particular clothing maker. I'd recommend having on hand at least one pack of newborn size Onesies and side-snap shirts as well as two or three sleepers that size.