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How Many Baby Clothes Do I Need?
How Many Baby Clothes Do I Need?
Photo by Photo by @thenaturaldoula @baileyjulio @holyfamilybirthcenter

How Many Baby Clothes Do I Need?

5 bodysuits or 50? Here’s how to figure out the right number of baby clothes to put on your registry.

author-Briana Engelbrecht
By Briana Engelbrecht and Jen LaBracio, CPST
Fact Checked by Shannon Vestal Robson
Updated On
Updated On
Our editors independently test and curate products. If you make a purchase via our links we may earn a commission.
Photo by Photo by @thenaturaldoula @baileyjulio @holyfamilybirthcenter

In This Article

💡 What to Know About Baby Clothing Sizes
👶🏽 How many baby clothes will I need?
Bodysuits or Rompers: 7
Pants: 3 to 5 
Sleepers, Footies or Gowns: 4
Hats: 2
Pairs of Socks: 5
Swaddles: 2 to 3 
Special Occasion Additions
📝 Tips for Building Baby’s Wardrobe
1. Plan for the seasons ahead
2. Stay organized

While it’s common advice to skip baby clothes when building your registry, there’s a reason you hear that: people love to gift baby outfits. Between hand-me-downs, baby showers and impulse buys from friends and family, it’s easy to end up with more tiny clothes than you actually need.

But we get it—it’s hard to resist adding a few sweet sleepers, special outfits or booties to your registry. And the truth is, babies are messy. It’s not unusual to go through two or three outfits in a single day, so having plenty of changes on hand can be helpful. Adding a few wardrobe basics to your registry (or buying the ones you really love) is a smart way to make sure you’ve got a solid starter stash.

But, how many clothes does your baby actually need? We’ll break down each clothing category and demystify how to build an efficient (and adorable) wardrobe for your newborn.

💡 What to Know About Baby Clothing Sizes

Before adding baby clothes to your registry, here are a few things that can help you plan what sizes to add:

  • Newborn and 0–3 sizes aren’t the same. Newborn clothes usually fit up to 8 lbs, while 0–3 months go up to around 12–13 lbs. Most babies grow out of newborn sizes quickly, so it’s smart to grab just a few and focus more on 0–3.

  • Most babies start in 0–3 months. It’s usually the best bet for a first-size fit, especially if your baby is on the larger side.

  • Some babies skip newborn sizing altogether. Bigger babies may go straight into 3–6 months.

  • Clothing sizes vary by brand. Some brands run slim, others roomy. Since you won’t know your baby’s body type yet, register for a mix so you’ll have a few options that work.

  • Planning ahead? Sizes 6–12 months are helpful if you’re thinking about seasonal outfits for later on.

📏 Baby clothes sizing isn't one-size-fits-all. Here's a cheat sheet to help you plan based on weight, not just age.

👶🏽 How many baby clothes will I need?

This list breaks down the key clothing pieces you’ll want on hand for your newborn’s wardrobe, including extras for seasonal needs and special occasions.

One big factor? How often you do laundry. Our list assumes you’re washing a few times a week. If you plan to wash less often or more frequently, just adjust:

  • Doing laundry once a week? Double the numbers below.

  • Washing daily? Cut them in half.

Baby capsule wardrobe infographic.

Bodysuits or Rompers: 7

Bodysuits can serve as an easy, no-fuss outfit in summer or a basic layer in winter and come in both long- and short-sleeve styles. With seven, if you wash a couple of loads a week, you’ll always have clean ones on hand. Tip: Add a kimono-style bodysuit (sometimes also called a side-snap bodysuit) or two for baby to wear until their umbilical cord falls off, usually around one to two weeks after they’re born.

Pants: 3 to 5 

Babies don’t really need to wear pants, but having a few pairs on hand to pull over bodysuits can help keep their legs warm when it’s chilly.

Sleepers, Footies or Gowns: 4

Sleepers and footies are for much more than just sleep—they work for daytime, too. In colder climates, they can also be paired with a swaddle for nighttime. Gowns are great wardrobe additions, especially during those first few months when you want something quick and easy for frequent diaper changes.

Hats: 2

Beanie-style hats are important in the early weeks and months to keep your baby warm. Start with two hats—one for your baby to wear and one for the wash. In colder climates, fleece hats are also nice to have on hand. And a quick reminder: no hats when baby is sleeping or in the car.

Pairs of Socks: 5

Even during the summer, there may be times you want to ensure your baby’s feet are cozy in socks.

Tip: You won't have to match tiny socks if you get them all in one color. And if your baby’s due in winter, add two extra pairs.

Swaddles: 2 to 3 

Swaddles aren’t clothes, per se, but many babies spend a ton of time in them. Why? Many babies like to be swaddled for the first few months—it’s very womblike and helps prevent their startle reflex from waking them up. For newborn sleep time, you may find many nights you just put baby in a diaper and swaddle for sleep. Tip: You can swaddle baby in a blanket (this how-to swaddle video can help), or a two-in-one swaddle that makes things a little simpler.

Special Occasion Additions

With a brand-new baby, you’ll probably have a few occasions to dress up or take some adorable photos. A coming-home outfit is also a sweet addition.

📝 Tips for Building Baby’s Wardrobe

Whether you're expecting a winter baby or one born in the middle of a heat wave, a little planning goes a long way. These tips can help you register for what you’ll actually need in the sizes that make sense for your baby’s first year.

1. Plan for the seasons ahead

Babies grow fast—and they’ll hit different sizes in different seasons. If your baby’s due in January, think ahead to how old they’ll be in summer and register for warmer-weather clothes in the right size (lightweight layers, sun hats, a swimsuit, etc.). If your baby is due in the summer, think ahead to what they’ll need once the temperature starts dipping, like booties, a warm bunting and little mittens.

2. Stay organized

Tiny baby clothes = easy to lose track of. Organize your registry (and future drawers!) by size so you know what fits now and what’s coming up next.

  • If you’re storing most of baby’s clothes in a dresser, drawer dividers are a great investment. They help keep everything in one place (we’re looking at you, tiny baby socks) and can be set up by clothing type, size or any other way you’d like.

  • If you’re using a closet to store your little one’s wardrobe, check out closet dividers. (You can also get them as a part of a larger nursery storage set). These hanging signs separate clothes into sizes (this set goes from newborn through 2T) so you can easily see what you have and are less likely to forget about clothes before they’re too small.

  • And if you don’t want to purchase an extra accessory for organizing, you can designate a dresser drawer to hold a different type of clothing (pants on the bottom left, onesies on the top right) and only house the size your baby is currently in.

One more organizational tip: rotate out clothing items as soon as your baby outgrows them. Staying on top of this onerous task goes a long way in helping you manage your baby’s wardrobe. Keep a storage bin (or two) on hand so you’ll always have somewhere to stash them; then you can decide if you want to hang onto them for the future, pass them on to someone else or donate them with other baby gear you’re looking to rehome.

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