How much clothes and what sizes to start with?

[cmdc]

Okay this is my first baby and I am just wondering how many outfits I need to start off with. I know they grow fast so I don't want to have too much in one size but I also know they need several outfits a day? Also does everyone think you should have a lot of clothes in the 0-3 sizes or just buy more in 3-6. Thank you ladies!!

cc

[Rachels]

I'm not so great at the how many outfits part of this question-- that STILL stumps me. I found that Abigail sometimes would stay in one outfit all day, and sometimes we'd go through four. I didn't want to have to do laundry every five minutes, though, and still don't, so I think she has more clothes than she maybe needs.

What I WOULD recommend is having some newborn stuff on hand. Abigail didn't fit into the 3-6 size until she was five months old. We would have been up the creek with no newborn stuff, and as it was, we had to run out and buy preemie outfits when she was three days old. (She wasn't a preemie.) I'd definitely say get some newborn sizes, especially in stuff like onesies and gowns, which tend to last a long time. It's also worth buying a few preemie outfits at BRU or Baby Gap, both of which have good return policies. Leave the tags on and keep the receipts, but it will give you something to put on the baby if you have a little peanut like I did. It wasn't so fun to HAVE to go shopping.

You'll also get piles of clothes in the mail after you have your baby. :)

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[amp]

I wouldn't buy too much in any one size until your child is born. We had several newborn (0-3 mth) outfits, but my son was born at 10 lbs 9 oz! Most 0-3 mth clothes fit up to 11 lbs. He only fit into those clothes for a couple of weeks. Most of the clothes barely look worn! Luckily, most people waited until after he was born to send clothes and they bought larger sizes that were more appropriate for him to grow into. Also, we had 2 pkgs. of newborn size diapers and those got exchanged by grandparents before we even left the hospital!

I would just have a few outfits on hand until you know how big or small your child is. You may get to use newborn stuff for days, months or weeks. And once the baby comes, you will want to buy more cute stuff anyway!

HTH!:)

[mom2kandj]

Both times, we had wayyyy too many cute clothes that we didn't get to wear because our kids grew too fast. My kids were 7lbs6oz and 8lbs2oz at birth and both were out of 0-3 by 8 weeks. Then they stayed closer to size for their age. We had some clothes in 0-3, more in 3-6, but the bulk in 6-12. We found that our kids were in sleepers, coveralls, and cute onesies that were easy to put on and take off until about 5-6 months old. As the kids get older, the clothes are cuter, but sometimes a PITA to put on.

FWIW - Our ped's rule of thumb is that your child will double their birth weight by 4 months and triple their birthweight around one year. Keep in mind that all kids are different and will grow at different rates, but my kids were within ounces at the two milestones. HTH!

Rose
mom 2 Katie (31 months)
& Jack (15 months)

[votre_ami03]

I too am a 1st timer. I went with roughly 5 outfits per size/season. Plus, enough onsies (plain & decorated) to wear for a week +. I assumed early on my son will be big (est. size 9lbs), so I bought less in 0-3 & more 3-6 mos. I assume he will be in that at about 2 mos.

Christy
EDD - 7/26
Boy! Nolan

[peanut4us]

It kind of depends on what you want to do. if you don't mind doing laundry every other day, then 5 outfits per size will probably do you. I found that when DD was first born, I had to do laundry that often because of how fast we went through burp cloths, changing pads, and blankets!

Also, I would have at least 2 newborn outfits. DD was 8 lbs 4 oz and the newborn stuff was too big on her for about 2 weeks, then ok for one week, but she was out of it by 1 month. She lived in Target onsies (Circo brand) the first 2.5 months. It was beyond my ability and energy level to worry about anything else. The onsies they have their are only $4 and have finished edges, so they look more like an outfit then undies!

For the rest, I would generally invest more in 3-6 months. I was worries she would shoot right through that size, but she's slowed down her growth considerably.

[em_jon98]

My DD was 8# 14 oz at birth and the 0-3 month sizes were big on her, but not too big. She was in 3-6 month sizes by 1 month. We had an outfit in each gender, a few onesizes, and 2-3 sleepers in 0-3, and gowns (since they pretty much only come 0-3, unless you order from Land's End). That was a nice stash to get us through the stage she was wearing that size, and until she could wear some of the 3-6 m sizes without swimming in them.

That being said, every baby is a different size to begin with and therefore grows at a different rate. You may find you need 0-3 month sizes for a while if your baby is a peanut. My dear friends have a DD three weeks younger than mine and she was TINY at first and she sent DH out to buy a few preemie sized outfits to a few things that would actually fit. Now, she is the same size as Lindsey.

I would buy a few things in 0-3 and 3-6. Sleepers and onesizes usually fit a tad longer than their similar sized outfits. Baby Gap/Old Navy and Land's End take things back with no time limit (save your receipt to get the price you paid) and Gymboree withing six months. I think everyone else is pretty much 90 days, but BRU usually isn't too fussy about current items.

HTH

[mamagoosie]

I was another one with a smallish full-term baby. My 6lb dd wore preemie outfits for the first 6 weeks (we also did the mad dash to the mall to buy preemie clothes). That being said, my friend followed my advice to buy preemie outfits, then had a 10lb girl and never wore them.

Here's the thing though, unless your baby is small, she won't be wearing many "real" outfits in 0-3. For the first couple of months, little babies are much more comfortable in sleepers. Here's what I would do:

Get 1-2 preemie sleepers just in case (keep tags/receipts)
Get 5-6 0-3 sleepers and see how the laundry goes
Get 3-4 3-6 sleepers to start, and more later if you need them.

By the time my daughter fit into her 3-6 month clothes (around 5 mo) she was only wearing sleepers to sleep. So 3-4 was more than enough.

hth -

Alex