Exactly how many newborn clothes do I really need?
When building your baby's first wardrobe, it can be tricky to know where to start. In fact, when I was due with my first, I remember Googling, “What’s the difference between a sleepsuit and a bodysuit?”. Plenty, it turns out, and yes, you do need both.
Newborn clothing comes with a completely different lexicon and set of rules, but, don’t worry, that’s where we come in.
Read on for the full lowdown of what to consider, and where to find the comfiest and cutest newborn clothing sets for your little bundle.
Best newborn clothing sets 2025
Newborn clothing buying guide
Here's what you need to bear in mind before you add to basket.
Fabric: Newborn babies' skin is oh-so-delicate, so we recommend dressing them in natural fibres, such as organic cotton. You’ll be doing a lot of cuddling in those early days, so this will be a treat for you too!
Features: You’ll be changing lots (and lots!) of nappies in the early days, sometimes in the middle of the night, so choose clothing that makes your life easy. Look out for all-in-one outfits with front-fastening poppers (to avoid having to turn them over and supporting their fragile necks), or even better, two-way zippers! These can be undone from the neck or foot, keeping their top half toasty while you change their nappy.
If you're dressing them in leggings, make sure the waistband is soft and elasticated. Built-in mitts are also handy to ensure they don’t accidentally scratch themselves, and hospitals recommend a soft cotton hat for all newborns, as a large portion of heat loss occurs through their head.
Sleepsuits: The name is somewhat misleading, as most newborns will wear a sleepsuit day and night for the first few weeks (or even months!) of their life. The all-in-one design may feature colour-coded poppers or handy double-way zippers, and you'll probably find yourself going through multiple changes a day. Therefore, we think it's worth buying a few multipacks to get you started, or pick and choose between the various prints, colours and patterns available.
Bodysuits: Bodysuits can be long, short, or sleeveless vests and, depending on the temperature, they can be worn under sleepsuits (above), day and night. Again, multipacks are your best bet here, and we suggest buying a selection to last you more than one season.
Winter newborn essentials: If your baby is due in the chillier, winter months, in addition to plenty of long sleeve body and sleepsuits, you’ll also need a knitted hat, warm mittens and booties, as well as a pramsuit and knitwear to keep them snug when you're out of the house. A pram suit is like a coat for your baby, but with enclosed feet, and there's often a hood and built-in mittens.
Summer newborn essentials: For babies born from May to around September, you may want to consider a sun hat, light knitwear and a lightweight pramsuit.
How many newborn clothes do I really need?
It goes without saying that you’ll want to feel prepared for the arrival of your little one. However, when deciding exactly how many items of clothing your baby will need, it's a balancing act between having enough for the multiple outfit changes you’ll inevitably get through (due to spit-up and nappy leaks) and not spending too much on items they'll grow out of quickly.
Depending on how often you fancy putting a wash on and the time of year your baby is due (weather is a factor!) we suggest the following:
7 x long-sleeved bodysuits
7 x sleepsuits
4-5 x leggings if using
2 x lightweight cardigans
1 x more special occasion outfit (this might be a romper, or multi-piece set)
2 x soft cotton hats
7 x socks
2 x booties
1 x pramsuit (this may be lightweight or padded, depending on the time of year)
2-3 x lightweight blankets or swaddles (also sometimes referred to as a “receiving blanket”). Look for cellular styles, made with super soft, natural fibres. You’ll use them to swaddle your newborn and for general daily snuggles.
Read on for the best newborn clothing sets to get your started.
Bear Hug Teddy Starter Set
This unisex set includes two sleepsuits, a short-sleeved vest, and a soft hat with cute ears! They're all in the same neutral colour palate for easily interchangeable outfits (giving sleep-deprived parents, one less thing to think about).
Ultra soft and comfortable, they’re made from breathable cotton, so we think it's the perfect coming home collection for those very first days together.
Newborn Hospital Pack
Get your hospital bag ready in one click with this pack of essentials from Purebaby. Everything is made from lovely organic cotton and the set includes a sleeping bag, sleepsuit, sleeveless vest, hat, bib and blanket.
Organic Cotton Little Elephant Gift Set
This gift set includes a sleepsuit and jacket made from organic cotton, as well as an elephant rattle for your new arrival. It’s presented in a cute keepsake trunk, and the unisex print features elephants and rainbows.
Ribbed Clever Zip Sleepsuit 4 Pack
Mori do THE best sleepsuits on the market. Not only are they made from the softest organic cotton and bamboo, and come in a range of lovely, muted shades, but they also feature a very clever two-way zipper.
Pricey, yes, but when you’re changing the umpteenth nappy at 3am, you’ll thank yourself for making the investment.
Baby Animal Printed Cotton Sleepsuits
Next is fantastic for baby multipacks. This one comes in neutral mix-and-match shades, can be purchased as a four or seven-pack, and there’s coordinating long, short and sleeveless vests available, for your baby's capsule wardrobe.
Bodysuit and Trousers Set
Likewise, H&M is great for affordable newborn clothing sets. If you’re keen on including some leggings in your tiny tastemaker's first wardrobe, these are some of the most comfortable we’ve found, thanks to the fold-over waist panel and loose fit.
The wrap-over bodysuits are also nice and simple for dressing your baby, and this two-piece set includes a soft knit if you’re looking for an extra layer.
Buzzy Bee Muslin Gift Set
Frugi makes clothes from soft organic cotton and includes clever touches, such as a colour-coordinated popper to ensure everything is lined up correctly (which is harder than it sounds if you’ve not dressed a newborn before!).
Even better, this five-piece set is presented in a giftable letterbox-friendly package, ready for sending straight to new parents. Hint, hint.
Baby Organic Cotton Outfit Set
This four-piece set includes a wrap bodysuit (for easy dressing), with matching hat, leggings and handy bib, all in a sweet unisex dog print. It’s made from soft organic cotton too, so you know it will be gentle on baby’s delicate skin.
And smartest of all, the bodysuit has two rows of poppers, so it can grow with your baby.
Baby Oranges Romper and T-Shirt Set
If you’re looking for something that feels a little more special, John Lewis does a range of simple, yet stylish outfits for your newborn. With its breathable cotton fabric and juicy orange design, we think this one is perfect for the warmer weather ahead.
Welcome Little Baby Cotton Set
The Little Tailor’s gift set is packed with useful baby essentials, including a long sleeve cotton bodysuit, sleepsuit, blanket and a matching hat, all made from beautifully soft cotton. There's even a card for a sweet message, and a gift bag, ready for you to hand over to the new parents (they've really thought of everything!).
We love the whimsical woodland print, and the quality is so good that they’ll be able to pass the set down to future siblings once outgrown.
My First Welcome Gift Set
While stocking up on newborn essentials, such as nappies and bottles, you may want to consider adding this well-priced six-piece set from Mothercare to your basket.
It includes a unisex sleepsuit, top and trousers, soft hat and scratch mittens, and a lightweight blanket and bag to store everything in — ideal for slipping into the hospital bag.
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