Buying baby clothes

[Heaven]

I'm confused!!!!! So, DH and I bought some baby stuff on the weekend, the first things we bought coz we're starting to get excited now and believing it might actually be real, YAY!!
But I don't know what sizes to buy!! We bought some 0000's and 000's. But then we also bought some bigger stuff coz we thought, well ppl will give us heaps of newborn clothes so maybe we should buy some in bigger sizes for later. But then, how do I know how big they will be in what seasons???????
Baby will be born end of november, so getting pretty hot, so do I buy mainly short sleeved little stuff? Then how do I know what size they will be when it starts getting cooler, ahhhhh......too confusing, lol.

I found this on a website, would you say it's about right??

Clothing
When it comes to baby sizing, here's a general guide. For newborns it's best to get a mixture of 0000 and 000's but don't buy too much, people will give clothing as gifts and babies grow so fast, you'll struggle to use everything.
0000 ? Newborns birth to three months
000 ? Babies three months to six months
00 ? Babies six months to nine months
0 ? Babies nine months to 12 months
1 ? Babies 12 months+ In the early days, most mums swear by all-in-one baby suits with press studs down the front. Try Bond's Wondersuits which can be picked up for under $10. It's best to buy natural and easily washable fabrics.

[Arimeh]

I'd agree basically with that if you have an average sized baby. DS was a long baby - and still is - so he would be fine in some things, and then need the next size up in others because it was too short in the legs or body etc. They seem to have their baby clothes sizes done like womens clothes too - all over the bloody place...
I found the bonds suits great for night time, however, with a long baby, you will need the next size up.
I found that we were given HEAPS of stuff, and not just newborn stuff, but other sizes as well, and we would just buy outfits as we needed them. Between the 3 big stores (Kmart, Target and Big W) someone is always having a sale on baby clothes nearly every week.

[Astrid]

It is hard to work out, especially since they stock the clothes seasonally like adult clothes. So if you want winter gear, you need to start looking late summer/autumn. Got stuck once trying to get some tracksuit pants in the middle of winter, ended up having to look on ebay, as the spring/summer stock was already out. Have certainly made some bad purchases estimating sizes and seasons.

All you can really do it buy small amounts of different types and see what works, then go out shopping and hope they are stocking what you need. There were some outfits I really hated and others I got a lot of use out of.

[Nicambhar]

I have bought 6 singlets and 6 wondersuits in 000 but am going to be buying 00 mostly.
I remember buying 0000 for all 3 of my kids outfits to come home from hospital in and that was the first and last time they wore it because they just grew so quickly.

[Heaven]

Thanks for your help girls!! Feeling less confused now!

[Cally]

Just remember that when they are really little (esp the first 6 weeks) they will mainly be in pj's (we used the Bonds nighties which are great) and they really don't need clothes as such except for the occasional trip to the clinic. We were given heaps of 000 and 00 clothes and only now am I having to buy her 0 clothes for winter.

[morgan78]

Just wanted to add - our 3 month old is starting to mainly wear 00's. We found we only really needed 000's to begin with and 00's will last her now for a good 3 months or more.
We found the all in one suits from Target (100% cotton $8) were really good for sleeping in as long as the nights weren't too hot

[Kitt3n]

dont buy too much! you will be amazed as to how many great things people give you, and then you end up feeling guilty that it wasnt used enough.

DD was in 000's from the moment she was born, she was long. and she was in 6 month + socks, so non stretchy body suits just didnt work unless they were 00's!

i dont really think there is a need for 0000's - maybe just one or two 000's and see how big bubs is. DD was given a couple of gorgeous 0000 outfits and they were never worn.

[~Kim~]

I don't know how hot it will be for you guys in summer. We live in the middle of no-where and singlets/short suits and nappies will be what our bub wears for the first wee while.
Darcy wore 00000's for a few weeks and 0000for about 10 weeks and she was average. I had to send my mum to get some stuff ofr her while I was in hossy. Then she did this huge growth thing and nothing long or with feet fitted her, so even tohugh you estimate they throw you.
The basics are failry cheap though so have a ocuple on hand and then grab what you need.
Remember Bonds anything you need to upsize one size.

[aussienic]

I was just as confused this time round as my dd was born in summer November 20) where my boys were born in cooler months.. anyways.. I bought a few bonds or all inones for those days spent in AC, I used short sleeved rompers either with just buttoned between the legs or had short legs..

The weather we had this summer was very odd as most of the cute tiny summer outfits didn't get worn as I felt it was to cool for a newborn to wear them.. So in my opinion buy some basics and then wait and see what else you need after bub is here.. but have enough to keep you going for at least a week as the last thing you will feel like doing is shopping (maybe) I always enjoyed going shopping after bub was here lol...

[KatieRabbit]

My tip is to buy things (Bonds singlets, suities etc) from Big W or Kmart in sizes 0000 and 000. Then when bub is born and you find that you may not need the 0000, just return them. Keep the receipt with them and don't cut tags and there is generally no time limit on returns. That's what I did. I also bought a mix of boy and girl stuff and then returned the boy stuff as we have DD. Don't buy far ahead though- we have gone from 0000 to 000 to 00 and now buying 0 in 4 months. And people give you heaps!

[Pandora]

from my experience people tend to buy you bigger sizes not newborn - most of the stuff I was given was 00 and 0.
DS went straight in to 000, and I had always expected to have a larger bub (he was 10lb4oz) so I'd never bought anything smaller than that anyway. If you need a smaller size you can always go get it but if you buy too small you may not get to use it at all.
He was in 00 by 8 weeks, went to an 0 by about 4-5 months then stayed in size 0 until he was about 14 months old.

I definitely agree with the seasons thing, though, at least in Melb, I find things like hoodies can be worn on all but the hottest of summer days, and you can always put a long sleeved top under a tshirt if its cold. Its mainly shorts and jumpers (wool ones) that are seasonal.

[myboysmumma]

I would buy at least 8 outfits in each size, personally. That way you are not constantly washing (well, less constantly washing to keep up with demands of tiny bubs. Little did I know I would have a 'chucker' lol who needed 74656473489302002 bibs a day lol. I highly recommend disposable bibs for the nappy bag for in case of emergency purposes too.

BIBS!

As your bub will be born in summer, there is prob less you will need to get in terms of jackets etc, but I would recommend you get heaps of singlets as they come in handy and bub can easily wear a singlet and a nappy at home when really hot.

Good luck!

BTW bub was 9 pound 12 and a half and fit into 0000 for about 4 weeks, but not the Bonds wondersuits for some reason. Went straight into 000 with them.

[Pandora]

bonds wondersuits are notoriously small. DS always went up a size in those first.