As a new mom one of the first questions you have as you prepare for your baby is, “How many baby clothes do I need?” I remember hearing all kinds of advice on the topic and in time I realized that there is a lot of variation depending on where you live, what season your child is born in and the simple fact that every child is different.
This post is sponsored by Berrytree but the opinions expressed here are mine.
BABY CLOTHES SHOPPING CONSIDERATIONS
Before you decide how many baby clothes to buy, here are a few considerations :
- What season is your baby being born in? Depending on the season your baby is born in, you may need a few extra clothing pieces like winter baby rompers and hats.
- What type of laundry routine would be most practical for you? An alternate day laundry routine or an everyday wash routine? This can help you decide on the exact number of onesies you would need on hand while the others are in the wash.
- Baby’s birth weight. Most newborn baby clothes last until baby is 12 pounds. I wouldn’t recommend buying too many of these. Its preferable to buy size 0-3 months and fold over the sleeves and pants to make a good fit at the newborn stage.
Comfort and material matters. Newborn skin is soft and delicate, try and choose good quality organic cotton baby clothes in simple designs that don’t itch or scratch on baby skin.
HOW MANY BABY CLOTHES DO I NEED?
To answer your question, not too many. In the first year of baby’s life there is rapid growth and a good chance you won’t get to use many outfits more than once.
Try and keep you baby wardrobe limited to a few essentials to get the most bang for your buck. It is easy to go overboard as you see all the cute baby outfits at the store, but, believe me, most likely your baby won’t even wear those outfits and you end up wasting your money.
Important points about baby clothes to help you decide :
Onesies are comfortable at-home baby clothes. You get these in many styles. Footed onesies can be used for bedtime so baby feels snug and comfy as he sleeps. For day time you can use light vest like onesies or full-sleeved onesies depending on the weather.
Most babies are not very comfortable wearing caps and hats, and there is no need for these at least indoors. Try to buy a baby cap in 2 sizes as I found this one accessory to be a hit or miss mostly due to fitting issues.
Newborns don’t need too many socks and mittens either. This is another clothing item you can keep to a minimum.
Blankets are the most important baby accessory in my experience, we used them in many ways, sometimes as a play mat and sometimes to shield from harsh sunlight.
NEWBORN CLOTHES CHECKLIST
From my experience these are the absolute essentials you need for the first three months of baby’s life.
Summer/Spring
Onesies 6
Footed onesies 3
Baby Vests 6
Caps 2
Baby socks 3
Swaddles 3
Cotton blankets 3
Special outfits 3
Any special additions you love like baby bows, headbands and booties. Buy a few and try to choose colors that go with multiple outfits for most use.
Winter Extras
Baby Jacket 0-3 month 1
Cozy mittens 2
Winter booties 2
Complete winter body suit/rompers 2
Fleece Blankets 2
Check Berrytree organic baby clothes for some cute gender neutral clothing that is made using the softest organic cotton.
Some of my personal favorites are:
Berrytree Organic Onesies for Babies : Elephant
Berrytree Organic Cotton Blue Duckie Onesie
Berrytree Organic Cotton Baby Rompers : Giraffe
Remember, babies grow very fast and you won’t need a lot of outfits. If possible use hand me downs and build a small wardrobe to save money.
Happy Baby Shopping!
We didn’t use that many baby clothes either. Mostly used hand me downs.
Yessss, Every new mom’s question!!
Helpful Blog! Comfort and baby need the two important factors to make a happy shopping.