How Many Newborn Baby Clothes Do I Need?

Want to make sure you have enough newborn baby clothes without blowing your budget on dozens of cute outfits you don’t need?

Newborn baby clothes are so adorable it can be difficult to stop yourself from buying everything you spot.

I know that I went way overboard on the number of newborn outfits I bought – because let’s face it they are very cute! 

What adds to the confusion is the variety of sizes and how those can vary between brands. If this is your first baby you will have no idea how rapidly they grow, and no one can predict what weight and length your baby will be at birth. You won’t know if they will spend a week in Newborn size clothes, or a month, before moving on to 0-3month size clothes.

If you need a simple checklist to guide you, then you have come to the right place!

My guide to how many baby clothes you need in each size shows you a realistic number of outfits to buy. These are the basics, so we won’t include fancy outfits, for example a nice dress for a wedding you plan to attend.

This is just the basic wardrobe you need in place before your due date. And don’t forget you will probably get a ton of gifted clothes from your family and friends too.

How many baby clothes of each size?

As a general rule buy four to seven outfits in each size – Newborn and 0-3 months – before your baby is born.

If you are someone who hates doing laundry and would prefer not to have to worry about washing clothes every other day, then you may want to buy a few extra outfits.

Once your baby arrives you may find you need more clothing, as some babies stay in the same onesie all day, and others spit-up regularly or have a poop explosion at least once a day.

Here’s a shopping list showing how many newborn baby clothes you will want to have ready for baby in each size:

Newborn size

• 4x vests
• 4x babygros/sleepsuits (these are the long sleeved, long leg all-in-one outfits. Most cover the feet as well, so you do not need to use socks and some have built-in scratch mits)
• 1x cardigan or jumper
• 3x scratch mits
• 3x hats (soft cotton hats that baby wears indoors to stay snug)

0-3months

• 7x vests
• 7x babygros/sleepsuits
• 2x cardigan or jumpers
• 1x warm coat or snowsuit
• 3x hats
• 3x scratch mits
• 7x bibs
• 2x warm hat (for babies born in winter)
• 1x warm mittens (for winter babies)
• 2x sun hats (for babies born in summer)

The reason this list does not suggest you get more newborn clothes is that most babies will grow out of those very rapidly.

With things like the coat or snowsuit it does not matter if it is a little big. Your baby will grow into them, and they are a little more expensive than babygros so save yourself the cash and size up!

It’s a similar story with the warm hat for going outdoors and the sun hat. It’s OK if these are a little big at first.

What size clothes to buy for baby?

The list above is a good starter kit for a newborn baby and is what you should have ready for when they are born.

The secret to shopping smart for your newborn is to focus on buying 0-3 month size clothes, which you may find your baby fits from day one after being born. 

If you want to get a special occasion outfit for your little one then buying it in size 0-3 months is a safe bet.

You’ll get way more use out of them – depending on the size of your baby of course, some move up to 3-6 months well before they turn 12 weeks.

If your baby is born under the average weight for a new baby then you may need to buy some clothing in Tiny Baby size.

In these circumstances you can buy after the event, and don’t forget most hospitals will have some clothes to help you out for a day or two. 

If you are having twins or more, the weight is likely to be much lower than the average sized newborn. The average size for twins is 5.5lbs at birth. 

So this means you can expect them to be in newborn clothes for a bit longer. Because of this you may want to get a couple of extra newborn sized clothes for your twins. 

Top tip for preparing for a baby: Set up a Baby Wishlist with Amazon and share it with your friends and family so they can gift you with things you need!

Baby clothes size guide

Different baby clothing manufacturers will vary slightly in terms of sizing. However as a general rule this chart will give you a rough idea as to sizing for baby clothes.

Some babies will conform pretty spot on to the 0-3 months, 3-6 months etc sizing brackets, whereas others will grow out of a 0-3 months outfit pretty quickly. It doesn’t just come down to age and weight, length is also a factor to bear in mind.

When your baby arrives and you see what growth centile they are on you will quickly get a good idea of where they sit in terms of sizing and how rapidly they grow.

Size	Weight	Height (inches)
Premature	3-6lbs	17
Tiny	6lbs-7lbs	20
Newborn	7lbs-10lbs	22
0-3 months	10-14lbs	25
3-6 months	14-18lbs	27
6-9 months	21-24lbs	29
9-12 months	21-24lbs	32

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What type of baby clothes are best?

Baby clothes are big business, with so many different types of outfit from jeans to formal dresses and dressing up clothes to hoodies. 

It can be easy to be tempted by all of the pretty outfits, but there are a few facts you need to know about babies and clothes: 

• Nappies leak. Your baby may well poop or wee on their clothes at least once a day. Is it worth wasting your money on super expensive clothes? It’s definitely worth ensuring all clothes for your baby are machine washable.
• Babies vomit. Sometimes they might just spit up a little, and sometimes the whole feed comes out. If you’re lucky they’re wearing a bib that catches it all. 
• Fiddly clothes are not your friend at 2am. The cute top that buttons up at the back is not going to be so cute at 2am when you need to change the baby’s clothes. 
• Shoes are cute but totally unnecessary. Your baby will not be walking until around one year, so save your cash!
• Your friends/family will buy the cute stuff. People cannot resist buying new clothes for new babies. You’ll find a lot of dresses, cute cardigans and top/legging combinations will come from gifts after the baby is born. 

This is by no means a message to not buy any adorable, pretty outfits for your baby. But try to focus on the practical aspects most of all. 

You’ll want clothes that make it easy to reach baby’s nappy for simpler changes, and clothes that you can get off and back on again in a dimly-lit room. 

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Newborn baby clothes checklist 

This newborn baby clothes checklist is completely minimalist! This is the absolute bare minimum baby clothes for a new newborn that will keep you going until your baby is three months old. 

When it comes to the style of babygro that you get, the onesies that fasten up with poppers tend to be cheaper than ones that do up with a zip. But the ones that do up with a zip are much easier to deal with in the middle of the night. 

Consider buying one or two onesies that do up with a zip and have the rest with poppers. 

The numbers here are assuming you will do more than one load of washing per week. 

If you prefer to stick to just a one or two loads of washing a week, and you do not have a tumble dryer to speed up drying the clothes, buy a couple of additional vests and babygros to your list.

I’ve stuck to all-in-one outfits to keep it simple here. This means you don’t need to buy socks for the first few months. Trust me, they tend to just be pulled off of baby’s feet anyway!

• Vests. Also known as a bodysuit, these add an extra layer underneath the babygro. To keep your baby comfortable and at a safe temperature at night, it’s best to use light cotton layers to add or take away warmth. If it’s summer you can get vests without sleeves to keep baby a little cooler.

• Babygros. You can buy fleecey babygros which are fine in really cold environments but there’s a risk baby may get a little too hot in these. Choose cotton fabrics and you can make baby warmer with a vest underneath and layering up blankets on top.

• Hats. Choose light cotton beanie hats. Some come with a knot at the top you can tighten in case your baby is a little small for the hat. Even in summer you may find your baby will need the hats to stay cosy.

• Cardigan/jumper. Choose material and design based on the season when your baby will be born. Some cardigans are really chunky with big fluffy hoodies while others are lighter and more appropriate for the summer.

• Scratch mits. Babies have a tendency to rake their nails down their face and can break the skin. Scratch mits can sometimes be built into babygros so check the ones you buy before picking some up separately.

• Sleeping bags. You can pop your baby into a sleeping bag or sack when they are more than 8lbs in weight. Always double check on the manufacturer’s label to see if it’s suitable for your baby’s size. These are great as you either zip baby in or do up the poppers and your baby won’t be able to wriggle out and get cold in the night.

• Pramsuit. If your baby has reflux after being born where they are being sick frequently, you may want to buy a spare pramsuit just in case. 

• Extras for winter. If your baby is born in the summer you will also need mittens and a warm hat. Pick a warm hat lined with cotton not wool as it’s kinder for baby’s sensitive skin

• Extras for summer. Depending on when your baby is born and how much time you spend outside, you will need a wide-brimmed hat to keep their head safe from the sun!

• One special occasion outfit. Assuming no-one is going to buy you something as a gift, pick out one outfit that would work for your baby at a special occasion!

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What baby clothes to buy

I hope this guide has been useful for you in planning what clothes to buy for your baby.

Remember that exactly how many you need and in what size will depend on how much your baby weighs at birth.

Your own lifestyle and the type of climate you live in will also make a big difference, as if you prefer not to wash clothes too often you will need a few spare items of clothing.

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