We often go overboard when shopping for our first baby, and end up with a lot more than we need or will ever find use for. Here's help with shopping smart.
Baby clothes
Do not go overboard shopping for baby's clothes, especially for the 0-3 months size. Most of your friends will gift baby clothes, and chances are you will be unable to use all of these before your baby outgrows them - so there's little point in you purchasing many clothes yourself. Instead, pick up a few initially, and then pick up others as you need them, after factoring in presents, and when you get a better idea of what works.
Avoid picking up too many one-piece outfits. Your baby will outgrow clothes that buckle under the crotch far too quickly. Similarly, her legs may become too long to fit into those one-piece rompers much before you expected them to. Mothers tend to carry on forcing babies into rompers even after baby has outgrown them, because the tag says 0-3 months. Doing this will only prevent your baby from kicking around as much, and getting the exercise she needs for speedy development.
Another problem with one-pieces is that if your baby wets it, she will need an entire change of outfit. However, if she wets a skirt, you can simply pull it off and put her in another one. Thus your best bet would be to pick up separate pieces of skirts, pants and tops. Your baby will be able to wear these even beyond the standard 0-3 months. Depending on the style of the top, even if it gets short (but not tight), she can wear it in warmer weather, with her tummy peeking out.
Don't forget to pick up tops that button up in front, so you don't need to keep pulling them up over your baby's head.
Also, remember that for the first couple of months your baby will be wrapped up in sheets and few people will see those adorable designer brands she's wearing. Save those for when she starts going to school, if and when it matters to her.
Nappies
Pick up at least 20 cloth nappies. Slightly padded nappies help keep your baby's clothes and sheets dry as they hold more urine, so it is worth investing in these. These padded nappies are washable.
Diaper holders
Instead of picking up plastic panties with elastic bands, purchase 3-4 plastic diaper holders with Velcro. Line a plastic diaper holder with a cloth nappy instead of with a diaper, and snap up your baby in it. You will not even need safety pins to hold up the nappy, and your baby's clothes and sheets will stay pretty dry.
In the first month or two, make your baby wear only cloth nappies. This will minimise diaper rash. Also, in the first couple of months your baby will possibly pass stools around 7-8 times a day, and diapers are not of much use at this time as they only absorb urine and not stools. Once your baby starts passing stools once a day or once in 2-4 days, you can put her in a diaper at night so you don't need to keep changing her and she stays dry until the morning.
