How many baby clothes do you need in each size?

The short answer

For 0–3 months, the NHS newborn list is a good guide: at least six sleepsuits, four to six bodysuits and two cardigans. After that, most families need a similar number of everyday pieces per size, with more daytime sets once babies start to crawl and play. Buy one size at a time where you can.

A starting plan for each size

These are starting points, not rules. If you wash every day you need fewer; if you wash once a week, add a few.

• 0–3 months: 6 sleepsuits, 4–6 bodysuits, 2 cardigans, a hat and socks (the NHS list).
• 3–6 months: 5–6 sleepsuits or rompers, 4–6 bodysuits, and 2–3 two-piece sets.
• 6–12 months: 4–6 bodysuits, 3–4 sleepsuits for nights, and 3–4 two-piece sets for busy days.
• 12–18 and 18–24 months: 4–6 two-piece sets, 3–4 sleepsuits or pyjama sets, and warm layers for winter.

Plan sizes around the seasons

Babies wear each size for a few months, so think about the weather while they are in it. In Pakistan, and anywhere else where winter falls around December to February, a baby born in October is in 3–6 months from about January to April and in 6–12 months through the summer, so those pieces should be mostly light cotton. Their second winter falls in 12–18 months, which is the size to buy warm sets in.

Buy for their size, not their age

Babies grow at different speeds. Check their height and weight against the size chart, and size up when they are near the top of a range or you need room for winter layers.

Quick answers