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How many baby clothes to buy

Pick the season your baby arrives, the sizes you want to stock up on, and how often you'll do laundry. The counts come from 11 published baby clothing checklists.

How many to buy

Typical counts from 11 published baby clothing checklists, adjusted to your answers.

How far ahead are you shopping?

Your call. Some parents buy the first size and shop as baby grows; others stock up a year out. Babies grow at their own pace, so keep tags and receipts on later sizes in case you need to swap.

How often do you do laundry?

No washer at home, or a trip to the laundromat? Pick about once a week.

How we count
  • Each number is the typical (middle) count across the checklists. Most give one total for the newborn stage, so Newborn and 0–3 months share one number.
  • The counts assume laundry every 2–3 days. About once a week roughly doubles it (Babylist, Nurture&). A winter baby gets 2 extra pairs of socks (Babylist).
  • Each size is worn for about 3 months starting from the due month. Snowsuits, mittens and outerwear count only for sizes worn in fall or winter; sun hats and swimwear only in spring or summer.