Would you believe me if I told you I didn’t buy a single baby outfit before L was born?
Madison and I took a beach vacation in late June last year, and my sister stayed at our house with our pets for the week. When we came home, she had organized L’s nursery and filled his dresser with all the essentials – sleep-and-plays, onesies, pants, hats, swaddles, and socks – from newborn to nine months! She and my mom had been slowly collecting outfits from TJMaxx since the day we announced we were pregnant.
It was an incredible gift, especially because I wasn’t super excited about buying baby things. I’m sure it had something to do with the fact that we were building a house and moving right in the middle of my second trimester, and then trying to get settled before L arrived.
In a nutshell, here’s my advice about baby clothes:
- Choose function over fashion, not only for your sanity, but for the short shelf life each size has.
- Spare yourself the hassle of snaps and opt for zippers whenever possible.
- Don’t even bother with onesies until they can hold their head upright on their own.
- Start with mostly newborn and 0-3mo sizes, with a few 3-6mo things in case your baby outgrows a size early.
Function over fashion
Baby clothes are adorable. Who wouldn’t swoon over a newborn in a tiny pair of khakis with a mini Polo and plaid bow tie? But they can also be expensive, and your baby will outgrow them quicker than you think.
Especially in those first 6-8 weeks, you’re going to want outfits that are easy to get on and off. Diaper changes are frequent, and your little love bug won’t have control over their limbs 🙂
Spare the snaps
I don’t know who thought snap fasteners were a good idea for baby clothes, but they were wrong. I mean, snaps are better than buttons, but when zippers exist, why burden yourself with the task of lining each snap up and clipping them together while your baby wiggles and squirms and kicks and cries?
Do yourself a favor and forgo the snaps. This brings me to my next point…
Avoid onesies
As a new mom, I assumed onesies would be the go-to outfit for my newborn for a while. Nothing fancy, just a cotton short- or long-sleeved bodysuit I could buy in a pack of 5 for $12.
The problem with onesies is that you have to pull them over your baby’s head, then thread each arm through the sleeves, then shimmy the fabric over their belly and back while they’re lying flat. It’s A LOT of work when your baby can’t hold their head up or help themselves get their arms through the sleeves.
Sleep-and-plays are so much easier to put on and they function as PJs and outfits. Even better are the ones with a two-way zipper.
Stock a few sizes, then wait
Have newborn and 0-3mo sizes ready when you bring baby home, but wait to buy the bigger sizes. You’ll save some space, and you’ll have time to figure out which outfits fit your baby best. A lot of things come in multiple sizes, so when you find a sleep-and-play that fits really well, you can upsize as your baby grows.
Something that surprised me (but probably shouldn’t have) is that baby clothes sizes aren’t standard across brands. Just like a size 8 pair of jeans from Old Navy will fit differently than a size 8 from The Loft, a size 3-6mo from Nike will fit differently than a size 3-6mo from Carter’s. Similarly, a 3-6mo onesie will fit differently than a 3-6mo sleep-and-play or zip-up hoodie.
Lucien is about to be 7 months old. He wears size 9mo sleep-and-plays, 12mo onesies, and 12mo shorts. Onesies are a lot easier for us now that he’s bigger and has full head control. The weather is getting hotter, so shorts are essential! Having his elbows and knees bare is also beneficial for him as he learns to crawl.
Our favorite baby clothes
- Sleep-and-plays
- Carter’s zip-up hoodie for stroller walks in the fall
- Nike shorts – We found ours at TJ Maxx, but this is the same set (only a different color) at Nordstrom Rack.
- Nike socks – So far, these have fit our little guy the best!
- Bear Paw hat and mittens for winter walks – A family friend gave us this set as a gift, and I’m pretty sure she found them at TJ Maxx. Keep an eye out during the fall and winter months!
- Sun hat for summer fun
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