preemie vs newborn size clothing

Paradisemoon

Just wondering how many of you ladies actually used preemie size clothes. I have some newborn clothes left over from my other kids but I know that I ended up having to roll the sleeves for a few weeks and the kids were of average size and length. I compared a newborn footed sleeper to a preemie. Holy cow the size difference was amazing, they seemed so SHORT! The onesies didn't seem too bad. I thought maybe I'd get a couple pieces for my girls but now I'm not sure? Should I stick to newborn? My OB said I wont deliver past 37 weeks if that helps. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.

carrotcake06

We had a small selection that was nice to have, but not essential. The boys were born at 34w weighing 5lbs & 5lbs 8oz and came home after a 13 day NICU stay weighing a few oz over birthweight. We used preemie for about 2-3 weeks once they were home.

We got much more wear out of NB. They were in those until 3mo or so.

Paradisemoon

carrotcake06 said:

We had a small selection that was nice to have, but not essential. The boys were born at 34w weighing 5lbs & 5lbs 8oz and came home after a 13 day NICU stay weighing a few oz over birthweight. We used preemie for about 2-3 weeks once they were home. We got much more wear out of NB. They were in those until 3mo or so.

Thank you! This is the exact kind of info I'm looking for!

24karat

I used preemie clothing for one week, even though my guys were born at 37wks weighing 6lbs 1oz and 6lbs 9oz. They each lost more than 10% of their birth weight before we were discharged so that's part of why they fit. They outgrew preemies by length (they're both tall and skinny) rather than width. NB fit length-wise, but the poor kids swam in their clothes for a few weeks. I was able to buy my preemie clothes at a babies' consignment shop in like-new condition. I went with 4 footed PJs, then my sister gave us 4 onesies and 2 pants. It was enough for the length of time we used them.

Slightly related, we used preemie sized diapers till they were almost a month old, and even those were too big and would fall off even when folded/overlapped. Maybe they just had skinnier than normal butts, but I thought I'd mention that just in case.

Paradisemoon

kjkarats03 said:

I used preemie clothing for one week, even though my guys were born at 37wks weighing 6lbs 1oz and 6lbs 9oz. They each lost more than 10% of their birth weight before we were discharged so that's part of why they fit. They outgrew preemies by length (they're both tall and skinny) rather than width. NB fit length-wise, but the poor kids swam in their clothes for a few weeks. I was able to buy my preemie clothes at a babies' consignment shop in like-new condition. I went with 4 footed PJs, then my sister gave us 4 onesies and 2 pants. It was enough for the length of time we used them.

Slightly related, we used preemie sized diapers till they were almost a month old, and even those were too big and would fall off even when folded/overlapped. Maybe they just had skinnier than normal butts, but I thought I'd mention that just in case.

Good point! Thanks for mentioning the diapers. Also, did you find that the onesies lasted longer in terms of length more so than footed sleepers?

Rynleigh

My boys were born at 37w2d. They were 5lbs 15oz and 5lbs 8oz. Jamie did loose enough to drop all the way down to 4lbs 12oz. They still were almost entirely too tall for preemie clothes, and they outgrew them completely within a couple of weeks. I wouldn't spend money on them at all unless they end up coming home very, very small. 

Rynleigh

(note that if you get gowns or separates, they will last longer - regardless of size - than sleepers will)

24karat

Onesies/separates definitely last longer than anything "footed". 

My kids have always gone a size smaller in pants than sleepers and, depending on brand, onesies too. For instance, Carters and Circo are pretty notorious for having "small" sizing. Their stuff runs long and narrow compared to same month/weight size in other brands. Given my kids all have long skinny torsos and never got the uber cute baby pudge, both those brands fit comfortably where I can get the same size in Gymboree, Faded Glory, etc and I can grab handfuls off the sides because they're so baggy when they fit lengthwise. All that to say, brands will differ on sizing even with preemie/NB sizes. It's a tricky thing

Mrs.Guz

Both of mine were in preemie for the first month. But I didn't buy anything full price. I either bought all the preemie on consignment or was gifted them.

pinkmickey24

My boys were born at 37 weeks 5 days and wore newborn. C was 7 pounds 13 pounds and 5 pounds 13 ounces. D weight wise was small enough for preemie but he was too long for the two preemie outfits we were given as gifts. D just wore newborn.

B&K706

carrotcake06 said:

We had a small selection that was nice to have, but not essential. The boys were born at 34w weighing 5lbs & 5lbs 8oz and came home after a 13 day NICU stay weighing a few oz over birthweight. We used preemie for about 2-3 weeks once they were home.

We got much more wear out of NB. They were in those until 3mo or so.

This almost exactly. We mainly used preemie sleepers and stuck with newborn onesies even though they were swimming in them.

Jess63085

My twins were born at 35w,4d weighing 5lbs,10oz and 5lbs,8oz. They were 19 1/4 and 19 2/3 inches long. We didn't have any preemie clothes we had friends and family go out and buy us some because all the NB stuff we had was huge! That being said, they only fit into the preemie clothes for 1-2 weeks, and then it was all too short. They never even got to wear 1/2 of what was bought. I would get a few footed pajamas and onesies in preemie size, but don't go crazy.

megs2011

My girls were born at 34w4d and were super tiny (2lbs9oz 14.5" and 3lbs7oz 15.5") so we were in preemie clothes for almost 2 months. They were also in preemie diapers for 2 months. For me, it was worth getting the preemie clothes. I had newborn stuff that was just huge on them. Also, they always grow out of length first and swam in things width wise (still do). They are almost 13 months old and wearing 9 month clothes (6 months are just starting to get small and 12 month I wear on them even though they are on the BIG side). That being said, don't go crazy would be my advice. Also, when in preemie clothes, we really only used onesies and sleepers. There wasn't a huge selection in Canada when mine were born.. since then Carters Oshkosh here have preemie stuff :@

MrsCali_Bride

We were given one set of preemie sleepers and we bought another set, just in case. I delivered at 37w2d and my twins never used the preemie stuff. They were 7lbs 12 oz and 6lbs 5 oz.

ETA: We did use the Gymboree 'Up To 7 Pounds' size for a while, even on our bigger twin and they both wore those for about a month before moving into more of the newborn and 0-3 month size. Gymboree runs a bit bigger so even if they consider that size to be preemie, it fit more like the newborn sizes of other brands.

Our girl was, and still is, our bigger twin. They are both in the Up To 7 Pounds size here.