Newborn Size Clothes

[kylaskye]

Excuse the FTM question.

Do we really need newborn size clothes?

All I've got are the plain white Gerber onsies in size NB, and they look so tiny. I (right now) can't imagine my babe being that small at term. I understand if I give birth early that's a different story, but I'm hoping I don't. We don't have any newborn size sleepers, but I figure the 0-3 mo. ones we have are small enough. Am I being silly thinking that will work or should I really invest in more NB size stuff?

[bethany42309]

I don't think its really necessary unless your baby is really small.  My daughter out grew all her NB stuff at 10 days old.  Onsies fit her longer but not sleepers...she was too long for them.  They grow so fast!  So I suggest buying more 0-3 mos stuff, you'll get more use out of it most likely.

[SynEpona]

Cate was 20" long, 6lb9oz at birth, and is now 7lb11oz at 12 days old, and still fits nicely in NB stuff, and looks silly in most of her 0-3 stuff. The 0-3 dresses are the worst, they are so wide under the arms that they just really do not fit! She was 10 days early.

If buy some NB stuff, leave the tags on, and just pre-wash it AFTER baby arrives if you need it, or return it if baby is bigger, then at least you won't need to stop at the store but you will have a load of laundry that needs to be done :)

We're not 'homebodies', if we were only going to be at home for a few weeks, I could have lived with the too big 0-3 stuff, and sleep gowns, b/c they fit a larger size range, but we've been out to several appts, to church 2x already, as well as out for dinner & to a family BBQ.

[Baby_Cakes]

I have a few NB things, but nothing too fancy and not a lot.  Most of the outfits are 0-3 for the same reason you said!  I do like to have just a few onesies or so in NB size, just in case.  Nora was 7 lbs when she was born, dropped to 6.7 or so, and was in NB for awhile (maybe 2-3 weeks)?  I think this baby will be bigger but, again, who knows?  And, just a thought, If you're going to cloth diaper from the start, you might want to just start with 0-3 to make up for cloth diaper butt.

[Lynann]

DS was 8lb 7oz at birth but only 19.5 inches. He actually started out in some tiny baby clothes for the first week, then we got about a month from NB before we went to 0-3. However he did loose a lot of weight the first couple of days (went down to 7lb 10oz) and then was very slow to gain weight for several weeks.

I think it really does just depend on the baby. I probably wouldn't buy too many NB things, but then once baby arrives if you need more it is really easy to make a quick trip out for a few sleepers (or better yet get your SO to pop out.)

Also last time for me I didn't have a proper shower and was team green, so we ended up getting a LOT of clothing in the days just after DS was born. We're team green again and I know if its a girl this time the same thing is going to happen.

With this heat though I fully expect that the first few weeks are probably going to be mostly just a diaper and muslin swaddle for this LO.

[StephandOwen]

Originally Posted by Lynann 

I think it really does just depend on the baby. I probably wouldn't buy too many NB things, but then once baby arrives if you need more it is really easy to make a quick trip out for a few sleepers (or better yet get your SO to pop out.)

Popping in from the October DDC. I totally agree with this statement. My ds was born at 8lb 14oz (1 week before his due date). He didn't fit in any of his newborn clothes (that I had taken all the tags off of and washed ). It was a huge waste of money (as well as the newborn diapers that he didn't fit in, but I had opened the package before he was born). This time I have 3 newborn sleepers (bought at a child's re-sale shop so it only cost me less than $1 each) and that's it. I have lots of 0-3 month clothes. If this baby is born small and is just absolutely swimming in the 0-3 month clothes, I'll send dh (and/or MIL) out to get some newborn clothes/diapers.

[FischK]

I agree with everything that has been said, except that I'd even be careful about having too much 0-3 months stuff. DS1 was 9.5 lbs and 20.5 in when he was born. He never wore any newborn clothes and 0-3 mos was too small after about 2 weeks. In fact, he looked ok in 3-6 mos clothing right away. This time around, I have the 0-3 mos clothes that DS1 wore which should get us through the first few days, and if this baby is much smaller, I'm going to add clothes after he is born. 

[Emerging butterfly]

I have some newborn things, all second hand and cute...I don't expect that our buttercup will wear them more than a week. But, they were gifts and soooo tiny that I'll be glad to have them to remember that at one time, she really was that small.

[Peony]

Yep, Totally depends on the baby! I really don't remember back with the girls but DS1 was 8 bs 12ozs but really short, he wore NB clothes for a while. DS2 was 7.12 but much longer. At birth most of our 0-3 month clothing barely fit and at 1.5 weeks now, he has outgrown the few that did.

[earth-mama]

We have a few newborn clothes from DD.  She was 8lbs 1oz at birth and wore NB size for a very short period, like maybe a week (some things fit a little longer).  She grew fast and was out of 0-3 months sized clothes by 6 weeks and into some 6-9 month sized cloths by about 12 weeks.  DS was 8lbs 6oz at birth and is now down to 8lbs 1 oz.  I am sure he is going to start gaining as soon as my milk comes in (probably tomorrow).  Some of the NB sized tops are too small for him and I haven't tried any of the the onesies or one pieces that I have because it is so hot here right now and we are just hanging out at home.  

I agree with PP that it really depends on the baby.  I liked having a few NB size because they fit DD initially, but babies really grow fast.  I would recommend having maybe a few things on hand that were either inexpensive or can be returned and to get more 0-3 and 6-9 month sized clothes.  Then when the baby is born you can ask someone to get more clothes if you need more NB or any other size.  Grandparents and other relatives looove shopping for clothes and it makes them feel helpful .   

[ChemistryClass]

We don't bother with them. But I have large, long children. DD (8lb 8oz  21" at birth)  could wear NB clothes at birth, but DS (9lb4oz 22" at birth) could not. I bought him a really cute NB sleeper, but when I put it on him, he couldn't straighten out his legs at all. He were so cramped!

[JessiFish]

Gerber stuff seems way smaller to me than other brands. DD could be stuffed into nb stuff until about 5 weeks. We brought her home in a 0-3 onesie and she was swimming in it.

[bethany42309]

Originally Posted by JessiFish 

Gerber stuff seems way smaller to me than other brands. DD could be stuffed into nb stuff until about 5 weeks. We brought her home in a 0-3 onesie and she was swimming in it.

Yeah, I agree Gerber stuff is small.