I will be the first to admit I was desperate to buy those teeny tiny cute clothes. Shopping took on a whole new level of fun. It didn’t help that I had a John Lewis and a giant Mothercare right by my work. Great for choice, not so great for the bank balance.

Although I desperately wanted to buy everything I saw I did try to be quite restrained as in reality you don’t need as much as you think. These little babies also grow so fast so all those teeny tiny newborn sizes may barely be worn. Having done the newborn shopping twice I thought I would share my list of the newborn clothing essentials that you will need for when baby is born and the month or so afterwards.

When it comes to sizes it is a bit tricky. My suggestion is to opt for a few of everything in Newborn and then a couple more in 0-3 months. You never know how big your baby will be so I think it is safer to go for the majority of clothes in 0-3 to start with. Unless you know that your baby is going to be early you probably won’t need tiny baby. When I found out I was being induced early I went out and bought one pack of vests and sleepsuits in tiny baby size which Molly did wear. In fact most newborn clothes hung off her but within a couple of weeks she was out of the tiny sizes so I’m glad I didn’t go too mad. On the flip side my nephew never got to wear his newborn clothes as he was straight in to 0-3, and they were quite snug!

My advice is that in most cases you will likely have some willing relative or friend who can nip out to the shops (or hit the online stores) and stock up on a few more items if needed so there is no need to panic buy.

My biggest recommendation is to go for practicality. Believe me these newborns are wriggly and you will also want them to be completely comfortable. That little dungaree set may look super cute on the hanger but you will really only want sleepsuits most days. You can always add to your collection of mini clothes once baby has arrived.

Vests

Vests are a staple purchase. In the summer baby can wear just a little vest if it is hot and in the winter you can use them as a layering item.

I recommend 5 vests in Newborn size and up to 10 vests in 0 – 3 months. This may seem a lot but you will be washing them more than you realise.

The season will dictate if you go for long or short sleeved varieties or you can choose to have a mixture. I always used long sleeved when Molly was tiny as it was the middle of winter and freezing but Alice generally spent every day only wearing her short sleeve vest as it was a rather hot summer.

It is always easy to pick up packs of plain white vests like these from Next but the range of patterns and colours out there at the moment is fantastic! It is also worth checking out the supermarkets for some good value basics.

I am in love with this M&S Pelican long sleeve design. So fun and the loveliest spring colours. M&S also have the sweetest little cowboy long sleeved set which features cute illustrations and fun striped designs. This is also available as a sleepsuit.

For short sleeved versions the Little Bird Turtle vests are so bright and fun. These would be perfect for a summer baby as they could easily be worn on their own and still look super stylish.

I also had a few packs of these John Lewis Animal short sleeved vests which were great quality and washed really well.

Sleepsuits

Sleepsuits are honestly the comfiest and easiest thing for your little one. And the choice of patterns and colours around is vast so you won’t be missing out in the style stakes. That said, I don’t think there is anything cuter than a newborn in a white sleepsuit. Practical? Not really. Super sweet? Definitely.

Go for 6 sleepsuits in Newborn and around 9 in 0-3 months. I always favoured the front fastening variety for ease of changing.

Next were my go to for sleepsuits. I found the fabric to be a bit thicker than most and they kept their colour after numerous washes. This modern monochrome set is so much fun and I really like the bold graphic design.

John Lewis has some lovely prints on their sets and you can’t go far wrong with a classic sheep print in this grey and mint combo. Or I do rather like this little apple print in lovely bright shades.

For super strong designs I love the Little Bird Pear sleepsuit. A bit of a retro feel with the orange and green colour combo but I adore it.

Hat

Babies can loose a lot of heat through their head so a little hat is an essential. Grab yourself two in a soft wool or jersey.

This Mothercare teddy hat is so cute and is sure to keep heads warm and toasty. Plus it comes with some little mittens for those chilly days.

Frugi have some super fun designs, like this rainbow and bumble bee, in soft organic cotton and you can always choose to co-ordinate with a sleepsuit too.

Socks

Teeny tiny socks will keep those little toes nice and warm. You will probably only need one pack in newborn and one in 0-3 months.

Scratch Mittens

Grab two pairs of scratch mittens to avoid baby scratching at their fact with those tiny little fingernails.

Cardigan

You will need two cardigans regardless of the season. Go for soft wool, cotton or jersey to avoid irritating that delicate skin.
I would purchase these in 0-3 months as you can roll the sleeves up if it is a bit too big to start with.

M&S have a cute hooded cardigan in soft cotton that is ideal for newborns.

I always favoured the Boden cardigans for the girls as they were the softest wool and washed so well with no bobbling. They have some lovely shades this season to go with all outfits.

This fabulous mustard yellow number from John Lewis looks so cosy and the hood will keep little heads nice and warm.

Molly and Alice spent most of their time wearing a cute mint green jersey cardigan that had belonged to my little sister. Seriously vintage! I just couldn’t find anything the same so I am over the moon that Next have bought out this version of a Jersey cardi available in a variety of soft colours. This really is a great buy.

Jacket and Pramsuit

As with the cardigans buy in 0-3 months as you can always roll the sleeves up and get more wear out of it. A soft jersey or lightweight jacket is a good buy. If you are expecting in the winter you will need a pramsuit too to keep baby warm and cosy when out and about.

This M&S soft cord wadded jacket in grey would be an ideal buy.

You can always rely on The White company for an adorable design and this bear fleece is a winner in my books. Fleece jackets are ideal for cooler winter days but also as a light spring jacket.

Something Special

You may want to follow the traditional route of choosing something cute for baby to leave the hospital. Although, be prepared for that to change. Molly was so tiny she didn’t fit her going home outfit and Alice was born in a heatwave so only went home in a vest! It is, however, really nice to have a couple of ‘special’ outfits for visits and outings. In the early weeks I would still recommend choosing a sleepsuit style outfit but you can splash out on some cute patterns and designs.

The Autograph range at M&S is always worth a peep for lovely outfits and this Duck Sleepsuit is just lovely.

A trip to The White Company for one of their babygros is sure to result in a purchase or two. I really like this velour star trim design.

If you fancy adding a bit of bright in to the mix then take a look at this Bumble Bee design from Next. Too cute.

For something a bit more spendy have a look at Smallable.com for their fabulous designer collection from the likes of Bobo Choses and Stella McCartney Kids. This Billy Bandit Indian print racoon gro is so much fun as is this Hundred Pieces NYC Babygro.

So those are my thoughts on what items you need to buy although going on past experience I am sure you will end up with a lot more! Have you started shopping yet or do any of you lovely lot have any recommendations to share?

Cover image by Little Beanies Photography