InshAllah soon I would begin shopping for the baby due in April. Just needed some help/suggestions regarding shopping! My apologies if a similar thread already exists, Im a first time mom and dont know many people with small kids to go to for such silly and basic questions
-People living in Canada or other cold countries, for april born would flannel onesies and pj sets be ok? Or would I need something warmer? Would be getting caps, mittens and socks.
-How many new born clothes vs 0-3 months do I need to get?
-How many bodysuits are enough (I intend doing laundry twice a week) and I can use body suits to layer too right?
-Adequate number of blankets/ swaddle me/ receiving blankets?
depending on where you are in canada, the temperature can vary in april. i have seen it snow lightly in april in toronto as well, so i would keep some warm clothes for the baby. the general rule for dressing a baby is putting on one extra layer on them .
i had about 12 onsies and 6 full body suits at first (bought more later) . not a lot but they were enough. i just washed the clothes by hand when they got dirty. i found these fab calvin klein onsies at winners (4 of them) and constantly dressed up my baby in them. best buy ever! he looked so cute in them.
yes you can use body suits as layers. i would dress my child in a onsie then a full body suit on top then swaddle him in his blanket.
i got all my receiving blankets as gifts so i didn’t really buy any. but i did use more than 3. the baby would sometimes leak in his blanket so i needed more than one.
Im in Toronto. And this year, it used to get chilly in May too so thats all im worried about! Im mostly looking at onesies with the foot covered, so how many pair of socks would be sufficient? My biggest confusion when it comes to shopping is NB clothes vs 0-3 months…How many of each should I stock up on?
Havent checked out winners at all…GOOD IDEA! :d Sometimes they carry great stuff
I find that you only need to make your baby super-warm if you’re going outside. Indoors a flannel should be plenty. Plus, many people prefer to use the BundleMe’s in the carseat to keep baby warm outdoors, rather than adding things like heavy sweaters and coats, especially for newborns, as they are just too bulky.
I’d have at least two blankets for swaddling (if baby spits up or leaks on one, you have a back up). Having more doesn’t hurt, but usually 2 for swaddling are enough.
Also the outfits that are full body suits are great and I tend to use them the most. The only problem is that babies grow out of them very quickly (bc the restrict the feet if as the baby grows taller), whereas the separates often last longer. SO wait and see before purchasing lots in one size.
i had about 5 pairs of socks for baby, but none of them fit him well enough. his feet were just too small, so they kept coming off.
i don’t remember buying NB clothes, just the 0-3 month ones. they were a little bigger initially but they fit rather well later. and my kid wore them till he was 4 months old, so it was money well spent. i really liked the full body suits i got for him, but he did outgrow them rather fast.
winners does have nice stuff every now and then, oshkosh carries really nice quality stuff too. they have excellent winter wear for babies.
Another thing, I’ve been finding really cute shoes (not booties) so im guessing if i do end up getting a pair, can I make a 3-6mth old wear them or 6-12 would be better?
Also, v’re looking at getting Baby Jogger Versa…did alot of research and have heard good stuff from the salespeople as well…Hubby is a little more pro the City Mini hehe…Anyone who has used either?
i never actually made my baby wear shoes until he started walking. i don’t think shoes should be a priority for now. if you’re worried about the baby’s feet getting cold outside,you can get rubber booties that are ankle high. I’ve seen babies wear them.
for strollers, hmm i guess other mommies can help you better. when my baby was born i just bought the graco lite rider without thinking too much. it cost a fraction of what other fancy strollers in the market cost but it served its purpose . I’ve taken it a total of 12 times on and off a plane to 5 different countries ; and its still as sturdy as ever. i love it.
We got 2 newborn outfits for my son (he was 7.5 lbs, very average baby) and he fit in them for just over a week. After that we had to use the 0-3. I would suggest not getting them…but if you do…I think 2, max 3 newborn sizes would suffice. We got two 3-pack swaddling/receiving blankets for my son…and that was a good amount cos he seemed to go thru about 3 a day (spit-up). We would wash the 3 at night and let them dry, and still have extras. He had 2 proper warm/knit blankets and those I used for when we went out and I felt the Bundle Me might not be enough (it was always awesome at keeping him warm, I learned later, cos my son would be sweating sometimes when I took him out of the car seat). As for shoes, I didn’t get my son any cos I think they’re restrictive and kinda pointless. We got him proper shoes once he was able to stand on his own.
My friend has the City Mini and it is pretty cool…super-easy to fold + maneuver, and very affordable. I have the JJ Cole Broadway…which I looooooooooveeeeeee. I loved it more in the beginning cos it was so easy to click my son’s car seat in and out using the car seat adapter…now that he’s bigger and mA well above average in height/weight…it seems like he’s outgrowing it too fast! I would still highly recommend it however. Super-easy to use and fold, and it stores small. Price is mid-range expensive, I’d say. Not as expensive as the Bugaboos or Orbit’s though. Oh and it looks great too!
We like the City Mini. Honestly, the stroller decision was overwhelming given all the options, so we went with what seemed simple and reliable.
Baby shoes are adorable and great if you want to dress the baby up for an event. Otherwise they’re pointless. Most of them have been wasted, unfortunately. I wouldn’t purchase them unless you know for sure that you will need them for a specific occasion. Otherwise don’t bother until the baby starts standing.
So wont be getting shoes for now. Will get about 3-4 booties and socks (although most of the outfits Im looking at have the feet covered, but I guess socks wont be a waste as all of them are size 0-6mths so can be worn in summers too?
Another qs, anyone used the swaddle me or halo swaddle sleep sacks? Convenient and warm?
Didnt mean 3-4 booties and socks combined! 3-4 booties and sets of socks seperately What about leggings? the ones which go from the ankle to the thigh?
We got the Swaddle Me…never used it. By the time I remembered we had one, my son had outgrown his. =/ He had a sleep sack that he used when he was about 4 months old…it was for 0-9 months…however, he outgrew it way before that. I don’t think the Swaddle Me is any use…but the sleep sack’s provide peace of mind in knowing the baby will be warm and have no sheets/blankets over him or her when sleeping (SIDS risk etc).
Don’t over heat your baby. Too often parents worry so much about the baby being cold that they end up over heating the baby, that’s isn’t good either. If your baby feels too warm to the touch, let them cool down, remove some layers. Please be mindful of this. A majority of babies I’ve seen who were miserable and seemed to be crying for no reason, I removed socks and mittens and blew gently on their feet and they were immediately happy and giggly.
Receiving blankets, clothes, onesies, etc, are all going to depend on YOUR baby. We had too many receiving blankets and never even used one. We had enough onesies and baby clothes. Unless you’re completely anti social, you will see that all your friends and family will buy you plenty of baby clothes and jammies as presents. We found that we didn’t buy any clothes for our baby for the first year. Play it by ear, the stores don’t all close once the baby comes. Buy things AFTER the baby comes so you know does and doesn’t work for your baby. Buy a few things ahead of time but wait and see what works with your baby.
Thank you Aahmed bhai! Advice is highly appreciated! I guess Im more scared than paranoid lol hence the questions and the concern..You’re right about everyone gifting clothes, this would be the first grandchild from my husbands side (and for my parents as well) so yes everyone is pretty excited and Im sure, would be going over board with everything! I guess I should just get the basics and chill hehehe
What about leggings? the ones which go from the ankle to the thigh?