Newborn
What clothes does a newborn need? A checklist for Pakistan
A practical newborn clothes list: how many sleepsuits, bodysuits and cardigans to buy, which size to start with, and what to add for winter or summer.
The short answer
For the first weeks, most babies need about six sleepsuits, four to six bodysuits, two cardigans, a hat, and socks or booties, plus a snowsuit or warm outer layer if it is cold. That is the NHS list for a newborn, and it covers both day and night.
Babies grow quickly, so buy most of it in the first size and only a few pieces in the next one.
The newborn clothes checklist
- At least 6 sleepsuits (all-in-ones). In the first weeks they are day and night wear. Footed sleepsuits keep toes covered without socks that slip off.
- 4 to 6 bodysuits with poppers under the nappy. They are the first layer under everything else.
- 2 cardigans in wool or cotton rather than nylon, to add or take off as the room warms or cools.
- A hat: wool or cotton for the colder months, a sun hat for summer. Take it off indoors.
- Socks or booties, and scratch mittens if their nails are sharp.
- A snowsuit or a warm hooded jumpsuit if you will be outside in the cold.
- Optional: two or three two-piece sets (a top with joggers) for visits and photos. Separates make quick nappy changes easy.
Which size should I buy?
Go by length and weight, not age. At Zoha, 0–3 months fits babies of 56–62 cm and 4–6 kg, and 3–6 months fits 62–68 cm and 6–8 kg. Many newborns are smaller than that at birth, so the first size will be roomy for a few weeks.
If your baby is born on the larger side, buy fewer pieces in 0–3 months and a few more in 3–6 months. Our size guide has the full chart in centimetres and inches.
Adjusting the list for Pakistan’s seasons
- Winter: in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and the north, add warm sleepsuits, a knit set or two, and a hooded jumpsuit or snowsuit for going out, with a wool or cotton hat for outdoors.
- Summer, and Karachi for most of the year: choose light cotton and fewer layers. The NHS notes that lightweight cotton is best in warm weather because it breathes.
- Whatever the season, a good rule of thumb from the NHS is one more layer than you are wearing. Check their temperature by feeling their chest or the back of their neck.
Features that make newborn clothes easier
- Poppers or a zip down the front, so you can change a nappy without undressing them.
- Wide or envelope necklines that go over the head easily.
- Covered feet on sleepsuits, so there are no socks to lose.
- Ribbed cuffs that keep sleeves and legs in place.
Before the first wear
Wash new clothes before your baby wears them, and follow the care label on each piece.
Sources: NHS Best Start in Life, “What to buy for your newborn baby” and “How to dress a newborn baby”.
Quick answers
How many clothes does a newborn need?
About six sleepsuits, four to six bodysuits, two cardigans, a hat and socks or booties, plus a snowsuit if it is cold, following the NHS list. Add a few two-piece sets if you want outfits for visits.
Should I buy newborn or 0–3 months?
At Zoha the first size is 0–3 months, for babies of about 56–62 cm and 4–6 kg, so it will be roomy at first for a small newborn. Buy a few pieces in 3–6 months too, because babies grow quickly.
What should a newborn wear in winter in Pakistan?
A bodysuit, a warm sleepsuit or knit set and a cardigan, with a hat and a snowsuit or hooded jumpsuit for going out. Take the hat and outer layer off indoors, and feel their chest or the back of their neck to check they are not too hot.
Newborn baby ka saman kya kya hota hai?
Kapron ke liye: kam az kam 6 sleepsuits, 4 se 6 bodysuits, 2 cardigans, ek topi, jurabein ya booties, aur sardi ho to ek garam suit ya snowsuit. Pehla size 0–3 months lein, aur kuch kapre 3–6 months mein bhi.