Hi friends!
Today I wanted to talk about baby clothes. THERE’S SO MUCH OF IT. I pulled out all the bins of Willow’s hand-me-downs and my gosh, I forgot how much we actually had. It was really overwhelming and I decided to donate a bit of it. Not everything, but we honestly do not need that much the second time around. I know that now.
I am pretty excited to be saving money on this front with another girl because to be honest, a lot of people gifted lots of pink and girly things, which is not usually my style. Plus, I also got a lot passed down from mama friends and I am not about to be picky – saving money is saving money. So I knew going into this pregnancy that I didn’t have too many gender neutral items. So yay for a second girl!
This time around, I made an effort to really cut down and put together a “minimalist” wardrobe for baby girl #2. It still feels like a lot, to be completely honest. But I do know that blowouts happen frequently and I’d rather have more than less on hand.
That being said, I am not buying any new clothes for this sweetheart for a bit and I told friends and family the same. There’s just too much!
I thought I’d share what I did keep and how much I kept. Maybe it’ll help another expecting mama decide what to keep and let go of (why is letting go of kids clothes so hard?)
I split it up between Newborn and 0-3 Months, since NB clothing really only lasts a week or so.
Newborn Size
Willow lasted in NB size for maybe 2 weeks or so, if I remember correctly. And if I needed something else, I just grabbed a 0-3 month piece. So I decided to only keep a few NB pieces.
- 4 zip-up pajamas – one fleece and three cotton, all zip-up because SO much easier than buttons.
- 3 kimono-style long-sleeved bodysuits with cuffed mittens – makes a difference in those first few weeks with long nails! I like kimono-style so you don’t have to go over their little head. Makes changing easier.
- 1 long-sleeved bodysuit with cuffed mittens
- 1 short-sleeved bodysuit – she’ll be born in cooler November, so I really don’t know if we will use this but kept just in case.
Nine pieces, which will probably end up being 10 since I may buy her own coming home pajamas. Maybe, maybe not. We’ll see what I can find at the thrift shop. I decided not to keep any pants because honestly, the 0-3 month pants will be fine for the first few weeks. Not pictured: some hats my mom will knit up!
0-3 Month Size
This is where I kept a good chunk, but in the grand scheme of things, I let go of A LOT. Some of this stuff may not even be used (short-sleeve onesies in the fall around here probably don’t make sense) but I kept just in case.
- 8 long-sleeve pajamas – a blend of zip-up and buttons, because that is what I had. Two fleece and six cotton.
- 2 footless pajamas/bodysuits – comfortable for excursions!
- 3 kimono-style long-sleeve bodysuits – again, just love these.
- 6 pairs of pants – three without feet and three with.
- 5 long-sleeved bodysuits – three patterned and two plain white
- 4 short-sleeved bodysuits – four patterned and two plain white, good for layering under pajamas. I doubt it will be warm enough to wear as in come fall.
- 2 gowns with cuffed mittens – easy to change diapers in the middle of the night.
- 1 cotton hat – my mom also knits a few for us.
- 5 pairs of socks
So about 36 pieces. Not too bad compared to the 50+ I had prior.
I’m sure we will be more than covered with what I kept. I’ll try to do this as she grows in size, as well. As long as you guys are into posts like this? Let me know in the comments. xx bianca
I’m having a little girl mid-December, this was really helpful! Trying to keep the clothes to a minimum but it’s our first and people really like to gift us clothes.
Congrats on your sweet girl! I had the same issue with the first… it is very generous and kind, of course! And so appreciated. But it is hard to keep it to a minimum… hence why I probably had so much to donate this time around. lol!
This was really helpful, and I’d love to hear any updates. I’m expecting a November baby too. I’ve already been given a generous amount of clothes and don’t want to get more than we’ll need, but have no idea how much we will need! So it’s useful to hear from someone who’s been there before.
Congrats on your November babe, Clare! I’m glad this helped a bit. It was the same with my first – everyone gave clothes (and thankfully a lot were secondhand). You definitely go through a lot in the first few months between blowouts, milk dribbling, etc. At one point, I think my daughter was going through at least 3-4 outfits a day! But the laundry really never ends… so I always had something to put her in. I am looking forward to having less this time around. I will try to update as we find our new groove, for sure! xo