What size baby clothing to take to hospital?

[AliceMay]

First off - I am always worrying I'm posting in the wrong place. If someone knows a better spot to post this, please just let me know!

Just came back from the store and feeling confused. Went to get some clothing to take to hospital for the baby to wear.4 weeks left so feel I should be getting ready!  For gifts we received a lot of 0-3 month clothing, which is great, but I'm guessing would swamp a newborn. I know they grow quickly so it is wise not to invest in much newborn clothing, but I wanted to have a few things to put on the baby that would not be massive.

Have been told the baby could be in the 8 pound range. (this was after an ultrasound I received at 32 weeks because I was measuring small....then they decided that inside the small bump is a fairly big baby...not sure how much faith to put in this, but that is another story.) I don't know what it is, but the sizing for newborn where I was shopping seemed to indicate: 7lbs (which was labeled preemie) and the next size was 10lbs (which was labeled 1 month). I don't know if the 7lbs is "round about" or "up to" or what. 

I bought a little set in each size, but left feeling like I didn't know what I was doing. Obviously best to have some of each size, and bigger is better since baby will grow,  but does anybody have any thoughts on this? (still can't really believe, looking at the 7 pound clothing, that something would come out of me that would be TOO BIG to fit into that outfit, but maybe that's just my nerves....;))

thanks!

[Monarchgrrl]

I had a 7lb 2oz baby at home (expected to be over 8lbs) and all of the newborn clothes were HUGE on her. She was pretty skinny. So DW went out and bought two premie onesies. Those fit for about a week or two and then the newborn clothes weren't as huge. We had mostly 0-3 month clothes so we went out and bought some more newborn clothes. She was in newborn size until around 6 weeks. Then she was in 0-3 month clothes until about 4 months. And then 3-6 months clothes until now...5 months. Because of her fluffy cloth-diapered butt she can wear 6 month clothes now, too. But still wears plenty of 3-6 months, too.

I'm sure YMMV. Some babies are chunky but short, or long and skinny or...I think it all depends on your baby. If I had to choose one or two special outfits as the first outfit to come home in, I personally, being the planner I am, would bring a premie outfit and a newborn outfit. A friend of mine had a 10+lb baby and fit into the 0-3 mo at birth, but if you're not expecting that then I would start with the newborn size.

[Narmowen]

I brought newborn clothes with me, and my chunkette didn't fit them.  Nor did she fit into the newborn diapers.  She was 8 11 oz and was in 0-3 right away...

[AliceMay]

So perhaps the store I was shopping at was the cause of my confusion. There was nothing labeled "newborn" - just the 7lb preemie and 10lb 1 month. Do either of those strike you as sounding like a newborn size?? I don't really care much about a "special outfit" (I've actually had a hard time finding things that are PLAIN!) but the things I just bought include a onesie, sleeper, hat and pants, which seemed like a good deal and made me feel like I was covering all the bases. I was figuring on bringing a range of sizes, which from your observations is a good idea! No disasters, obviously - this is just another one of those occasions where I am trying to feel organized and ready, to make up for all the ways that we can't "organize" birth!

Maybe I should go again to a second hand place and pick up some cheap "newborn" things, if I can find some. For a May baby, what items do you advice? (short sleeve onesie, sleeper....)

[Marissamom]

I would say what you already got should be fine, but take both. it's hard to say which should fit because I've never seen those sizes, but I would guess that one will. 

[SynEpona]

Also, once you pre-wash those, you may find they shrink just a little & look more suited to a NB! Brand new, hanging sort of flat on a hanger, is a really hard way to judge size. My son was 7lb11oz and came home at 33hours old in a preemie sweater over a NB onesie & NB pants, and that combo was a pretty good fit for him that day.

[AliceMay]

Ah yes, I didn't think of that. Thanks. And you should pre-wash things, right? I was planning to do that anyway, especially since I have some things second hand. The only reason I wasn't going to wash the 7 lb one was because if it turned out to be too small we could return it....but realistically, when would we be finding time or inclination to do that after baby is born! ;) 

[Beauchamp]

My DD was 8lb 3 oz at birth, and wore a Carter's brand newborn outfit home. It was footed pants with a kimono-snap style long sleeve top. It was a bit roomy, but was totally fine.

Don't stress too much! I picked up a four pack of white newborn kimono-snap long sleeve shirts for our new baby at TJ Maxx recently, and I have one newborn sleeper and one 0-3 sleeper. I will probably bring all of these to the hospital. The baby will be swaddled/covered/held by me at the hospital anyway, and one of the two sleepers will fit for going home. If/when he wears the shirts, I will just slip on a pair of Babylegs. (So, long sleeve T-shirt, dipe & babylegs OR sleeper are my options.)

Gifts do tend to roll in for a new baby, and most people get newborn or 0-3 stuff anyway. I buy very few things myself in the way of clothing for the first few weeks for this reason. For the things I do buy, I tend to stick to Carter's (bought at Kohl's or TJ Maxx) because I know how the sizing runs. (As in, Gerber brand onesies run VERY small. Newborn Gerber onesies are way smaller than Carter's onesies...don't they make it EASY?!?

[wombatclay]

My smallest was 9lbs even, my largest 9lbs8oz and they've all been roughly 21 inches... I generally bring a two or three different "outfits" since I'm never sure what the weather will be like for the car trip home (so a long sleeve/long legged sleeper, or a short sleeved onsie and pants... and always a knit cap regardless).  I'm not sure but I think I've always just gone with 0-3... I've noticed that different brands are a bit bigger or smaller, so I pick things that "look" smaller.  But I don't think I've ever had a real wardrobe fail.  :)

[penguintattoo]

I think a lot of it depends on length. My daughter was 8 15 but 22in, she was too long for any newborn sleepers, but she fit in newborn kimono style shirts just fine. I would just bring one outfit of each size.

[AlexisT]

Mine was 8lbs1oz and 21", and the 0-3s were too big, but she grew into them in 2 weeks. My mom got her a couple things in NB and she outgrew them before we could blink. So I still don't regret not buying NB clothes. Irt just looked a little silly. If I thought I were going to have a 6 lb'er, I might break down and buy some newborn stuff.

[Vermillion]

My son was 8.5, 20 inches and was swimming in his 0-3 sleeper I brought!

[tiddle]

One of the first things I learned after DS1's arrival was that the labels on baby clothes are all over the map!  Outfits with weight suggestions are a step in the right direction but still not anywhere near perfect. Case in point: DS2, 8 weeks old, has been in "3-6mo" clothing for a week or two now and is filling it out nicely. Lol. 

So, bring 2 or 3 outfits in varying sizes. Depending on your climate and mode of transport, make sure you have outerwear in the corresponding sizes, too.

Also make sure you have some size 1 diapers at home (if you're using disposables). If your baby is around 8lbs or more, you will probably find that the nb size doesn't last very long.

Edit: If you're using cloth diapers, you can pretty much add 3-6mo onto the size of any clothing article that fits around the diaper area.

[Aliy]

i found the 0-3's were a bit too big. i love the newborn clothing by carters. the fit really nicely.

i'd bring both outfits and see what fits when the baby comes out.

[Amatullah0]

We only used 0-3mo clothes. DS was around 7.5 lbs(isn't it great how I don't remember anymore?) I honestly can't recall if his clothes were loose on him. Some were(like footies, i think) but other pieces were fine (onesies+pants)

But he was usually swaddled, so it didn't really matter anyways ;)

[AliceMay]

Just an update to my original question....

My daughter was born 3 1/2 weeks early, surprising us and catching us a little unprepared. But of course, I learned it doesn't matter! he was 5 lb, 12 oz. I had one 7lb outfit, that was labeled preemie, and I did manage to be organized enough to bring that to the hospital. But what I also learned is that what with all the skin to skin that we wanted to do, clothing was totally not necessary. I just needed something for her to wear to go home. And then once we were home again she spent most of the time in a diaper, wrapped in a blanket or lying skin to skin with me. And my mum went out and bought a few newborn sleepers (still quite large on her). Now she sleeps beside me (instead of on me, as she did the first few nights) so she is wearing sleepers so that she will be warm enough without covers. 

So I guess you never know - you don't know what size baby you will have (or when!) but clothing isn't really one of the things that matters to much, as I am learning!

[tiny_farmer]

DD was 6.15 and 19.5".  She came home in a Gap NB overalls.  However - the Carters NB sleepers were HUGE on her (she woke with and entire shoulder and arm out!).  So on Christmas Eve my dad braved WalMart - he bought a 3-5pound and 5-7 pound sleepers.  She actually wore the 3-5 for the first 2 weeks!