Should you order an aqiqah outfit before the baby is born?

The short answer

Decide everything that doesn’t depend on the baby before the birth, and leave the parts that do, such as the size and the embroidered name, until after. If your family holds the aqiqah on the seventh day, that leaves very little time once the baby is here, so a two-step plan takes the pressure off.

Some families prefer not to buy anything for a baby before the birth. That is a personal and family choice, and the same plan still works: you can shortlist and ask questions now, and place the order afterwards.

What you can decide before the birth

• The colour. Many families choose white or soft, light colours for an aqiqah, and neutral shades such as oatmeal, cream or sage work whether the baby is a boy or a girl.
• The style. A soft two-piece set, a footed sleepsuit with a special detail, or a light kurta with poppers.
• The season. A baby due in December needs a warmer outfit than one due in June, and you know the due date now.
• The embroidery style: thread colour, where it sits, and whether you want a name, initials or a small motif.
• Who is buying. Grandparents often want to give the aqiqah outfit, so agree this early to avoid two of everything.

What is better left until after

The size is the big unknown. Newborns vary a lot, and a baby who arrives early or small will swim in clothes that suit a larger baby. In our range the first size is 0–3M, which will be roomy for many newborns; check the baby’s actual length and weight against our size guide once they are born.

The name is the other. Many families only settle it at the aqiqah itself, so if you want the name embroidered, the order can only be completed once it is final.

A plan that fits a seventh-day aqiqah

• Before the birth: shortlist one or two ready pieces in a neutral colour, such as the Oatmeal Teddy Ribbed Top & Jogger Set or the Sage Waffle-Knit Henley & Jogger Set.
• Also before the birth: message us about embroidery options for your shortlist. Making times are confirmed when you ask, so you will know what is realistic before the date is set.
• After the birth: send the size, the name or initials and the date of the aqiqah, and confirm the order with a 50% or full advance.
• If the aqiqah is later, on the fourteenth or twenty-first day or months afterwards, you have more room to wait for the baby’s size and settle into a routine first.

If the baby arrives early

Babies don’t always keep to the plan. If the baby comes early or small, the seventh day may arrive while you are still in hospital or only just home. Many families simply use a soft sleepsuit for the aqiqah, with a muslin or light shawl in a festive colour for the photos, and save the special outfit for a later gathering or the first Eid. Nothing about the day depends on the outfit, and a baby in a clean, soft sleepsuit looks lovely in pictures. If you have already bought something in 0–3M, it will be worn within a few weeks anyway.

Why buying months early can backfire

Our exchange window is 7 days, for unused pieces in their original condition with the original bill. If you buy a finished outfit long before the due date and it turns out to be the wrong size, the window may have passed by the time you find out. Buying close to the birth, or ordering once the baby is here, avoids that.

For a longer list of what a newborn needs alongside the aqiqah outfit, see our newborn clothes checklist.

Quick answers