One of the more common questions that new moms have is “what clothes should I buy for a newborn?”. Having a baby is exciting and you might be tempted to buy any and every outfit that you see, but keep in mind that babies grow fast… like really fast, so don’t overdo it.
Before jumping in headfirst and spending a small fortune on clothes for your baby, here are a few things you should think about.
Laundry
How often are you planning on doing laundry?
You might need more or fewer clothes for your baby if your laundry routine is different than others. If you plan on doing laundry once per week, you’ll want to double the clothing listed below. If you wash every day, you can cut the numbers in half.
Sizing
As mentioned above, new babies grow really fast. Most babies will outgrow newborn outfits within a few weeks to a month. You should also know that most newborn sizes cap out at around 8 lbs, so if you have a bigger baby, she might not even fit into newborn outfits.
When considering which clothes to buy, it’s recommended to pick out a few newborn items and then put most of your budget toward 0-3 month sizes. These outfits will fit babies up to 12-13 lbs.
Seasonal Wear
You’ll also need to consider when you are going to have your baby. If it is in the middle of summer, you might not need sweaters, sweatshirts or pants. You’ll probably want to substitute those things with summer outfits and vice versa if you are having her in the winter months.
These things said, here’s a pretty good guide on what type of clothing to buy for your baby.
2-4 Infant Gowns
Infant gowns are probably the best thing you can dress your baby in until their cord stump falls off. It’s the very best way to keep their cord stump clean and not irritated. These gowns also make it really easy to change diapers during the day and in the evening. Our knot baby gowns are a great option here.
4-8 Bodysuits or Onesies
Bodysuits and onesies are an easy, no-fuss outfit in the summer or a basic layer during the cold winter months. When shopping for these, make sure to buy the ones that have wide head openings and loose legs. This makes putting them on and taking them off of baby easy and seamless. Our favorite bodysuits are the good, old fashioned Gerber onesies. You can get them here for a pretty good price.
3-5 Pants
Really, babies don’t need to wear pants, but having a few on hand makes it really easy to pull over a onesie or bodysuit to keep baby’s legs warm when it starts to get cold outside, or when you’re blasting the A/C during the hot summer months. The Simple Joy pants by Carters are some of our faves. You can get them here.
4-8 Undershirts
Undershirts are very similar to a onesie, but the bottom half is missing. As mentioned above, make sure to look for the ones that have a wide head for the opening. Like above, we really like the Simple Joy side-snap shirts. You can get them here.
4-8 One-Piece Footie Pajamas
We grew up wearing one-piece footie pajamas and they are just as popular today as they were 30 years ago. In the summer months, you can go with a nice cotton material and in the winter, fleece is a great option. We really like the Burt’s Bees footie pajamas. You can get them here.
2-3 Blanket Sleepers
Blanket sleepers are definitely safer than traditional blankets at night time. Make sure to avoid anything with drawstrings. Our favorite blanket sleeper is the Halo Sleepsack, which you can buy here.
1-3 Seaters, Sweatshirts or Jackets
In the cooler months, you’re going to want to make sure to stock up on sweaters, sweatshirts or cute jackets. If you go with sweatshirts or sweaters, make sure they button or zip on the front. Babies hate when things are pulled over their heads, especially big, bulky items.
1-3 Rompers or Other Dress Up Outfits
If you’re one for getting your baby all dolled up each day, then you’re going to need a few cute rompers or other outfits. Some of our favorite rompers we’ve seen can be purchased at Rags.
5-7 Pairs of Socks
Most new parents don’t even realize that babies don’t need shoes until they start walking. This said, get some cute and comfortable socks that she can lounge in during the day and while sleeping at night. We’d recommend picking up a few packs at Target or Old Navy.
2-3 Hats
When shopping for hats, you should at least get your little one a broad-brimmed sun hat and a soft cap that goes over baby’s ears in the wintertime. You might also add in a fun ball cap if baby is a boy. If you’re into ball caps, you might check out Jack & Winn.
2-3 Swaddles
Swaddles aren’t really clothes, but many babies spent a ton of time in them. For the first few months after birth, babies really like being wrapped uptight, so you’ll find most newborns either wrapped up tight with a blanket or with a swaddle. If you’re looking for some super cute swaddles, you should check out Milkmaid Goods.
2-3 Lightweight Blankets
Small, lightweight blankets are always great to have around the house to wrap baby up with or to lay on the floor for your baby to lay on. Two or three is probably enough, but if your baby spits up a lot, you might want a few extra so you have enough if they get soiled quickly. For these, we’d also recommend heading over to Target to pick some up.
Mittens
Guess what, even in the summertime you are probably going to want to get some mittens for your baby. Mittens not only help keep baby’s hands warm, but they will also keep them from scratching themselves when their nails start to grow. Obviously, you won’t want to put on winter mittens in the summer, so get a nice pair of cotton mittens so you don’t cook their hands. You can get some really inexpensive ones here.
Bunting Bag or Fleece Suit
Winter babies need to stay warm when outside, so you’ll want to purchase bunting bag (this is like a sleeping bag) or a full-body suit that goes over baby’s clothes. JJ Cole has a really awesome Bunting bag that you’ll want to check out here.
Here are also some general tips to consider when looking at different clothing options:
Fabrics: Always lean toward soft, breathable fabrics like cotton. Fleece is a great choice for colder months. It’s also a good idea to avoid (or remove!) bulky and scratchy tags that could irritate your baby’s skin.
Fasteners: When shopping for clothes, make sure to look for fasteners that close easily. Nothing is more annoying in the middle of the night than not being able to put things back together and get back to bed.
Prewash: It’s always a good idea to wash new clothes before your little one wears them. This will make sure that she doesn’t develop a minor rash or skin irritation. Baby’s skin can be so sensitive for the first little bit, so do her a favor and wash everything.
So there you have it! Do you feel a little more prepared? You can do it! If you think we missed anything or have any other ideas or tips, please feel free to share in the comments below.
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