How Many Sleepsuits Does A Newborn Need?

You may be a first-time mum wondering how many sleepsuits you’ll need for your newborn baby.

Or even a more experienced mum but you honestly can’t recall how many newborn sleepsuits you bought for your older baby(ies). Yes, it’s easy to forget these tiny details from early on.

Today, I’m going to help you decide how many sleepsuits you need to get for your newborn and why you need that number of sleepsuits.

I’ll also explain some factors that will affect the number of newborn baby grows you buy.

But before we get into that, let’s clarify the difference between baby grows and sleepsuits.

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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BABY GROWS AND SLEEPSUITS

A sleepsuit is the same as a baby grow. They are different words used to describe the same baby clothing. So, essentially there is no difference between a sleepsuit and a babygrow.

Wikipedia describes a sleepsuit/babygrow as “a one-piece item of baby clothing with long sleeves and legs used for sleep and everyday wear.”

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HOW MANY SLEEPSUITS DOES A NEWBORN NEED?

The general advice is that you should buy 2 to 3 newborn sleepsuits. This is because newborn babies outgrow baby sleepsuits pretty quickly usually within 2-3 weeks.

However, I feel this advice is too generic and doesn’t cut across the board. So, my answer to this question is it depends.

Depends on what? It depends on several factors.

In my opinion, these factors will influence how many sleepsuits you’ll need. They are:

#1. Your Baby’s Birth Weight

This is a BIG determinant of how many sleepsuits for newborns you’ll use.

According to this report, the average weight of babies is between 3.2 – 3.4kg (7 – 7½ Pounds). So, newborn sleepsuits are usually sized around 3.4kg for the average-sized baby.

If your baby weighs lower than average and depending on if she adds/loses weight in the first few weeks, you may find your baby still wearing baby vests and babygrows 3 – 4 weeks later or even for much longer.

On the other hand, some babies are much bigger than average at birth and can’t fit into sleepsuit for newborns.

Sometimes, at your growth scan, they tell you if your baby is measuring small or big. But often, these measurements vary widely and can’t be trusted completely. They are just a guide. (Read this to see what I mean).

So, I won’t encourage you to buy baby clothes based on your growth scan.

Except if you have gestational diabetes (or some other pregnancy condition), that makes you more likely to have a big baby.

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#2. Giving Birth Early

Sometimes, our babies come early (before 37 weeks).

Most preemies won’t fit into a newborn sleepsuit. Their baby first cloth is called a tiny baby sleepsuit, like these ones here.

You may also need to buy more than the usual 2-3 newborn sleepsuits as that will be the next size up for a premature baby.

Except you already know you are likely to have a premature baby, I don’t suggest you buy tiny baby sleepsuits beforehand.

If your baby is born premature, the hospital will clothe him immediately in preemie clothes. So, you don’t have to worry.

Later on, you can buy some tiny baby clothes. Just note NOT all baby stores sell preemie outfits.

#3. Your Lifestyle and Preferences

As a minimalist, for instance, 1 or 2 sleepsuits in the newborn size might be fine for you.

However, someone who’s fashion-loving might lean towards buying more than that whilst being fully aware that they’ll outgrow them soon.

At the other end of the spectrum, some mums will NOT buy any newborn babygrows as they don’t think they are worth the money given how little they’ll be worn.

I, for one, wasn’t keen on wearing 0-3 month sleepsuits on my newborn. I didn’t like my newborn baby in baggy/oversized clothes. It just wasn’t cute! Call me vain, I’m being honest.

So, I bought about 5 newborn outfits and a couple more baby grows in the 1-month size as well.

So for the first few weeks, my baby wore fitted sleepsuits. Yay! Happy mama!

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#4. Your Use of Social Media

Influencers and people that enjoy sharing on social media, will probably need more than 2-3 baby clothes for their newborn.

It just comes with the territory. You want to present your baby in the best possible light and that will involve wearing cute fitted outfits. Lol!

For influencers, though, they may get sponsored deals with free baby clothing.

HOW MANY NEWBORN VESTS DO I NEED?

You’ll also need to get your baby some vests to wear under the sleepsuits. This is because babies need to wear layers. They can’t regulate their body temperature well at their age.

Again, the number of vests you buy will depend on the factors discussed above but I’ll recommend a minimum of 3 newborn vests at least.

It’s always a good idea to have a few extras in case of spill ups which is common with newborns. You can get a few (3-5 vests) in 1-month sizes as well.

CAN BABIES WEAR SLEEPSUITS IN THE DAY?

You may wonder if sleepsuits are appropriate for daytime. Your baby can wear sleepsuits at any time. Babies can wear sleepsuits in the day, afternoon or at night.

Granted, they are called sleepsuits because they are for sleeping but babies spend so much time sleeping anyway.

SO, HOW MANY NEWBORN SLEEPSUITS DO YOU NEED?

Like I said earlier, how many newborn sleepsuits you buy for your baby will depend on your baby’s weight at birth, your preferences and lifestyle choice and if your baby is born early.

Many retailers sell newborn baby grows in multipacks of threes or fives. You can get a pack or two.

I’ll also recommend you buy some zip sleepsuits for newborns (like these) rather than those that close with snaps. The sleepsuits with zips are easier for changing nappies, especially at night.

I hope this article has helped you to decide on how many sleepsuits for newborns you will need to buy for your baby.

Looking for what to add to your baby registry check out these baby registry essentials.