What size baby clothes did you all buy / need?

[Babysaurus]

Today we bought the first baby clothes from Mothercare, some baby gro's and a cardie. I got size 0 to 3 months rather than 'new baby' as I worked on the basis that at least they'll grow into them if they are too big at first, (and they are unlikely to shrink if they are a size too small!) However, opening the packet of babygro's they look HUGE! (Admittedly, everything other than the premature baby stuff looks huge to me at the moment as I've got to get the bugger out!)

We have got friends giving us weeny sizes if we need them, and I realise babies also grow ridiculously fast so I am stocking up on bigger instead of very small to start off with - hopefully we'll end up with enough to last us if the baby is smaller than we are being led to believe it will be (btw all scans so far show the baby to be right in the middle of the growth graph so evidence, other than me being diabetic, is pointing towards 'normal' size at this stage (28 weeks.))

All this has got me thinking two things - firstly, what sizes did you all need for your babies first clothes, and secondly, if your blood sugar control is excellent, why can you still end up with a whopper? Is it the amount of insulin you're injecting or, er, what...?

Bx

 

[Cate]

DD had a few newborn bits, but was 9lbs 8oz at birth despite HBa1c of 5.2% throughout pregnancy. We mostly had 0-3m stuff for her, but did need a few newborn bits as the bigger stuff drowned her to start with.

Have a look on freecycle or ebay or local FB groups, or check your local NCT sales as there's a massive market in barely-worn baby clothes, they grow so quick!

DS was 9 weeks early (unrelated to diabetes!) and weighed 3lbs 8oz, he was in no clothes at all when incubated, then early baby and tiny baby before newborn - by the time he got there we thought he was massive

 

[Mark T]

We had a 6oz (one week late too) although my wife isn't diabetic and it seems that there might have been a cord issue since he had been normal up to that point. We also had feeding issues at the start, but once we got past that he ate like anything and put on weight.

We inherited some clothes from relatives, but did end up with going to mothercare to get some more at the start. I'd recommend NCT as well - but it can be hit and miss. Just plan for your other half to go baby clothes shopping within a week of birth 🙂 if they give you a c-section you definitely won't be going anywhere for a month.

Our biggest problem was finding nappies that fitted. Not all (disposable) nappies from all manufacturers are the same shape or size 😱

Fortunately with our little boy almost at 3 years old, we are almost at the stage where we wave goodbye to nappies (he only wears pull-ups overnight now, but he doesn't really need them)

 

[Babysaurus]

Thanks both for your replies.
Cate - is there a chance your son would have been bigg-ish regardless, or do you think it's definitely related to you being diabetic? My last HBA1C was 5.1, and previous was 5.3 so hearing things like that makes me nervous!!

 

[Babysaurus]

Ps we are planning to get the bulk of our stuff, well to fill the gaps left from what we've been given or leant, from Ebay and similar; I don't think any baby fits anything for long enough to wear it out!

 

[Ellie Jones]

I wasn't diabetic when I had my oldest daughter and she weighed 10 lb 10 oz, the 0-3 months clothes, so a swift purchase of some larger clothes...

My youngest two I was diabetic...

My son was 10lb 12 1/2oz's, and went into 3-6 months clothing,

My youngest daughter was a whooping 11lb 13oz's and went straight into 12 month old clothing, thankfully I did have something nice to take her home, as one of my sister never buys newborn clothing as a present, but always buys something for a 1 year old..

In my case I was predisposed to big babies, the weight difference between my 3 is just over a 1lb, so can't put their size down to diabetes. As I wasn't a diabetic when I had my oldest daughter

 

[Babysaurus]

Thanks Ellie - that's reassuring to know! Do you know if you were big when you were born? I was small (5lb 4oz) so hoping that might swing in my favour (grasping at straws I know!!)

 

[Ellie Jones]

Yep I was big, 8lb 9, and my twin sister was 6lb 8

 

[Medusa]

gosh that is big for a twin aye, i would get a few new born bits and a few 0-3 month bits, babies often lose upto ten percent of the birthweight my son was in 0-3 and was a tight fit but got loose

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Hi Babysaurus,
have you thought about looking in charity shops as well?

 

[Babysaurus]

Sue, yes I have - am only starting to think of the shopping side of things as neccessary really, ie there will be an actual baby soon that will require clothes! Realise how ridiculous that sounds!

Ellie as a twin you were HUGE! Goodness!

Medusa, it didn't occur to me that they would end up with stuff being looser on them due to losing birthweight, thanks!

 

[Monkey]

C was 10lb 11oz and went straight into 0-3 stuff - that's all we'd bought, altho we had a few bits of newborn that we were given 2nd hand. In honestly, they only fitted a little while.

 

[Cate]

I think DS would have been biggish, yes - the consultant reckoned both mine would be "no more than 8lbs" as my control was so good. Completely neglecting the fact that I was over 8lbs at birth, as was my sister, and my mum isn't diabetic. My sister's babies have all been around the 8lbs mark too, so frankly I was never going to have a tiny one!

Whatever you do, don't panic though - the size of the baby isn't what makes it easy or difficult to birth, it's more the position and how active you are etc. And if it comes down to it, that's what theatre is for. Just keep an open mind, and remember that the main goal is to leave with a healthy baby - ignore all the "perfect birth" stories and birth plan mentalists, go with the flow and you'll be fine.

 

[Bazonian]

The National Childbirth trust is a good organisation to contact. They have sales of lots of nearly new stuff. I have and continue to buy loads of stuff for my son who is now 7 from charity shops. I have found loads of bargains over the years, including a few designer name things.

Brought a whole bagful of stuff on saturday, then took a load of stuff he had grown out of.

Also we found that friends and friends of friends gave us lots of stuff, and members of our church.

 

[newbs]

Both of my DDs were 8lb 3oz at birth (HbA1c 5.2% during first pregnancy and 5.7% during second) so I think I was just going to have good sized babies. I weighed 4lb at birth but was 7 weeks premature so probably would have been a good weight full-term, my DH was 8lb at birth.

Length makes a difference to the clothing size too though as DD1 went straight into 0-3 and filled them length wise as she was (and still is) very long but thinner, DD2 needed tiny baby and newborn as, although she was a good weight, she was very short (she is 2.5 yrs now and still in 18-24 mth trousers as she has tiny legs). We didn?t buy any newborn clothes for DD2 due to DD1 fitting 0-3 so DH had to go and buy some clothes to fit her.

 

[Catwoman76]

Today we bought the first baby clothes from Mothercare, some baby gro's and a cardie. I got size 0 to 3 months rather than 'new baby' as I worked on the basis that at least they'll grow into them if they are too big at first, (and they are unlikely to shrink if they are a size too small!) However, opening the packet of babygro's they look HUGE! (Admittedly, everything other than the premature baby stuff looks huge to me at the moment as I've got to get the bugger out!)

We have got friends giving us weeny sizes if we need them, and I realise babies also grow ridiculously fast so I am stocking up on bigger instead of very small to start off with - hopefully we'll end up with enough to last us if the baby is smaller than we are being led to believe it will be (btw all scans so far show the baby to be right in the middle of the growth graph so evidence, other than me being diabetic, is pointing towards 'normal' size at this stage (28 weeks.))

All this has got me thinking two things - firstly, what sizes did you all need for your babies first clothes, and secondly, if your blood sugar control is excellent, why can you still end up with a whopper? Is it the amount of insulin you're injecting or, er, what...?

Bx

I was only 51b something when I was born and my grown up daughter was
6 1b 1 oz( not diabetic) and I had to be stitched afterwards because I had to be cut as I wasn't big enough and the nurse told me I wouldn't be able to have a larger baby normally. My youngest daughter was premature, 33 weeks, and weighed 41b 7oz( I have type 1) and I did buy some small outfits, 3 to 5 pounds, because I had a feeling the baby wouldn't be on the big side, I still have her tiny little all in one suits,vests and the Wallace and Gromit cardigan I bought from a car boot sale 🙂 My BS were very good throughout the pregancy and I was just taking small amounts of insulin, so it does seem that everyone is so different. Good luck and best wishes Sheena

 

[Sprogladite]

My son was 8lb 11 and born 5 weeks early, although the last 2 weeks of the pregnancy I had a dreadful cold which wreaked havoc with my bgs. Luckily we had bought all 0-3 months. Although saying that, he was out of them very quickly!

 

[Ditto]

Good grief, huge babies! I didn't realise diabetics had huge babies.

My two were usual sized 7 4 and 8 0 but soon became monsters and I always had to buy much bigger clothes. They didn't stay little for long. 🙂 Mothercare clothes are for beanpole kids really I think, not chunkies like our family. My g'niece Tilly is 7 but in at least age 12 wear.

 

[trophywench]

When anyone looks at a babygro at first it always looks huge - because our brains don't automatically add on the seemingly vast amount of room the nappy (disposable or terry) always takes up, in all their garments!