What on earth do I dress a new born i... - Pregnancy and Par...

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What on earth do I dress a new born in for a British summer?

glt01 profile image
10 Replies

I'm due start of May and have no idea what sort of clothes to buy for the 0-3 month period. We occasionally have quite hot summers but it's not guaranteed, last summer we had some hot days but some days I was freezing and under a blanket in the evenings. We're in the South of England if that helps anyone!

I've got no idea what clothes to buy for 0-3 months! All the shops I've looked in don't have things like short sleeved t-shirts they're all long sleeved. We're not buying any tiny baby or newborn sized clothes as the human is predicted to be big so just going for 0-3 months. I know in the first 3 months they can't regulate their temperature properly so don't want them to cook or freeze!

Everyone I've spoken to about this has given me conflicting advice... some have said yeah just chuck them in a baby gro and others have said they'll need long sleeves and possibly a jumper. I know it depends on the baby and if they're a hot or cold baby but I don't want to waste money buying stuff I'll never use!

Any help would be appreciated, I'm beginning to realise I know nothing about babies...

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glt01
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10 Replies

I brought only a few bits- short sleeved bodysuits, 6 leggings, 3 T-shirt’s, 3 long sleeved shirts, 3 pairs of shorts, 2 summer hats, 3 romper suits & 3 dresses. Our daughter arrived last June & I was glad I didn’t go over board with summer clothes as it wasn’t a particularly nice summer! Blanklets are so useful too. I brought mostly 0-3 months size & only a few bits in first size, glad we did as she was 8lbs 14oz & hardly in first size! I’d hold off too many clothes in first size until baby’s here. Also bear in mind other people will buy your baby clothes too! Muslim cloths & bibs were a gods send with a newborn baby! All the best with delivery xxx

glt01 profile image
glt01 in reply to

Thank you!xxx

Kyell2 profile image
Kyell2

Hi. I’m due around the same time as you, think we are both from the fertility network. I had the same dilemma.

I’ve not bought too much but got a combo of short and long sleeve vests. I realised that the post Christmas sales got rid of lots of summer stuff so got some cheap romper suits too and a lightweight sleeping bag. You could see if they still have any online.

I’m thinking layering with a baby gro and my sister in law has got me some handmade knitted cardigans (not too thick) that will hopefully be ok xx

My baby was born in Feb 2018 but we had such warm/hot weather starting from April. We dressed her in rompers or long legged but short sleeved tops with a cardigan if needed. Or if still in babygrows which we did use sometimes then without a vest underneath. Just buy the bare minimum and wait until closer to see what the weather is doing

We dressed ours in rompers either with or without a vest depending on how hot it was I used short sleeved vests. Other times was a sleep suit with vest usually. When it was crazy hot we just kept her in her nappy and that was that. At night when weather was crazy hot it was a sleepsuit with or without vest depending on temp then if crazy hot no sleepsuit or a really thin one x

I meant sleep bag not sleepsuit at the end there at night I think was always used a sleepsuit but sometimes not always a sleep bag and if we did it was only a thin one and that was only if really hot

Seb9 profile image
Seb9

I'd say wait till nearer the time when the seasonal stuff comes in. Also I had gestational diabetes and thought our baby would be big and she was 6lb 1oz so was tiny and nothing I got her fit! Our little one lived in sleepsuits for the first few months and she was born in August. I used the long sleeved ones with the hand covers so she couldn't scratch her face. Then if it was chilly I could put a cardigan on or cover her with a blanket.

I've only really started bothering about outfits now she's a bit older, like jeans and tops etc. As newborns poop so much getting her dressed and undressed was so much easier with just a sleepsuit. I just got lots of funky ones.

Also people will buy you tons of clothes, we ended up with so much stuff, I only really need to start buying her clothes now for her 6-9 month stuff.

Good luck 😁

kt_11 profile image
kt_11

My little boy was born in May 2018. It was boiling for the first few months of his life and he spent most of his time in vests. Sometimes he’d sleep just in his nappy & swaddle blanket as our room was about 26 degrees even with the window open 🥵 I was so stressed about him overheating.

I don’t remember it being quite as warm last year though so would maybe wait a bit to see what the weather looks like and I should think more short sleeved clothing will arrive in the shops.

I’d definitely recommend layering up with long and short sleeved vests, sleepsuits and maybe cardigans if needed.

Also, how big is baby expected to be? Mine was estimated quite large. He was born on his due date at 8lb5 so not tiny. I actually then gave away the newborn clothes (which I thought wouldn’t fit) to other members of my NCT group, only for him to lose nearly 10% of his birth weight and all the 0-3 stuff was then way too big! You can get clothes for “up to 1 month” which might prove useful unless baby is genuinely huge.

Agree with the comments about not getting loads of fancy little outfits at this stage. They’re a bit of a faff to change compared with a vest/sleepsuit and they grow out of stuff so fast it’ll get worn once or twice at most.

in reply to kt_11

Same! I was so stressed about LG over heating. Definitely not as hot last year thankfully. I agree as well about clothes “up to 1 month” my LG was 10lb 1 and wore those for a bit before going to 0-3 months x

Nin21996 profile image
Nin21996

Firstly it’s still winter stock in shops, so I’d buy winter clothes in bigger 6-9/9-12 sizes once they go on sale and your bigger purchases like the pram/car seat and cot and get clothes in a few months when the summer stock is out.

I had my son last June, in a heatwave, he just wore little vests or most often than not just his nappy (once he was a month old or so) I recommend getting at least 2 packs of baby vests (they’re going to get pooed and sick on) and a few thin cotton sleep suits in size newborn, 0-3, and 3-6. As well as leggings and a thin cardigan or two. If you’re having a boy there are really cute little rompers, or summer dresses for a girl (though these aren’t really necessary). And plenty of muslins and some cellular blankets, and a few little sun hats. You can always tuck a blanket around baby if it gets a bit chilly. Also I recommend a parasol for your pram, so you can shade your babies face.

Good luck!

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