As a mother to be, my favourite part was buying all those 'tiny little things'. I really couldn't believe that there would be a baby that would fit these miniscule clothes!! For more on baby sizes, read our article Baby Clothes Size Guide . For what to buy, read on.

Use a list

Baby stuff builds up fast in any house, so it's a good idea to make a list of all your baby needs while you're pregnant. You won't have the time or inclination to do that with a newborn! Include furniture and clothes and give the list of everything you want to someone and direct anyone who wants to buy for you to them. That way you'll get useful gifts for baby showers and so forth, minimising your outlay which will be substantial.

Buy 0000 and 000

Clothes can be tricky as you have to guess how big your baby might be. My obstetrician had a sonogram machine and guessed my first born at 4.5kg and he was 3kg, so it's far from an exact science. The best tip is to buy a few 0000 and 000 and keep the receipts, so that you can add or exchange for what you need. Expect to make at least one shopping trip in the first couple of weeks at home, or send someone you trust.

Pick a Store

I chose a local department store which has a lot of sets, which are cute, plus Bonds, which I really like. By keeping most of my purchases there, I was able to go and exchange easily. As your baby grows, you'll discover that your regular browse changes to a targetted one stop shop. This will probably involve a feed and nappy change and perhaps food or drink for you, so give yourself plenty of time and prepare a nappy bag and snack.

2-3 changes per day

At first, your baby will need growsuits or nighties (many hospitals request open bottomed gowns for ease of changing) and you'll go through 2 or 3 a day while you are working out how to keep the nappy on and the milk in. It's good to plan for at least 3 or 4 days clothes, to make sure you don't find yourself short. Sleep is far more important than washing!! Then it's good to have a 'going home' outfit, or 2 'going out' outfits, that you can use for visitors. Mind you, most babies sleep a lot and spend their time in bunny rugs, so a nice wrap might do the job.

Buy Cotton

Go for natural fibres where you can. Brushed cotton is a great breathable fabric, use flannelette in winter.

The Essentials

For all of the below you can consider going for half newborn or 0000 size and half 000 size. That way if you have a larger baby you can exchange the smaller sizes.

• 6-8 Button under body suits or singlets (great to keep the nappy in place and 1-2 nice ones are great for hot summer days).
• 8-10 All in ones ones/jumpsuits/bodysuits - get a few plain and a couple of patterned ones for going out or visitors.
  
• Enough nighties to get you through the hospital stay if they request them.
  
• 2-4 Hats - sunhats or beanies are essential for babies who tend to get cold easily in any weather and need maximum sun protection. Hats and bibs need to come off when babies are in their cot and if you need to leave the room.
• 4 Pairs of socks or booties. Good to put under jumpsuits with feet or on feet under nighties. They are hard to keep on, so definitely get clothes with 'feet' in them for cold weather.
• 1-2 outfits in 0000 for going home from hospital and seeing visitors in those early days. Newborns need to be warmly dressed (being used to 37c) so keep that in mind. An outfit with a hat looks great and takes care of one of your hat needs.
• 2-6 Jumpers as the weather dictates.
• 4 Wraps - muslin and cotton are great all year around, soft synthetics are nice for winter. Make sure the baby always had their head out of the wrap.
  
• 2 Pairs cotton gloves. Newborns have sharp little nails and it's really hard to cut them because they're so tiny. Be careful to make sure the cuffs are not tight on the wrist and your baby will keep it's beautiful complexion.
  

Consider Exchanging

You'll find that you'll get all sorts of outfits from friends and family. It's good to think ahead a little when your baby is a month or so old and exchange anything where the size is not likely to fit for the season of the clothing. Kmart is particularly difficult to exchange with as they mark down their out-of-season clothes and you'll find your outfit is worth nothing to exchange if you leave it too long.

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