<p>Thanks for the help and ideas for the tiny baby. I went to Kohls and found the best things all on sale! You’re right that they seem to almost be giving things away. Baby Angelique (I thought of her name!) is now well outfitted. ALL the baby clothes the mom received were 3 mos. or larger sizes, except for a few newborn outfits that were too big. </p>
<p>She has five little T-shirt onesies in colors which are OK for now, but we are in the Seattle area and it isn’t always warm here. I found some newborn size one piece suits with open feet so legs can be rolled up, two nightgowns with open bottoms, and a darling knit dress with a tiny jacket and a matching knit blanket. </p>
<p>And katwkittens: of course Angelique also received books from me! I already gave them a pink tote bag filled with all the best board books. I almost always give books for baby presents (former children’s librarian here). You can’t have too many children’s books for a new baby.</p>
<p>OP-you’re right about how cool it can get in Seattle. Did you know that Seattle has the largest Goodwill in the US? The Dearborn St. location has a huge children’s department where you or your friend can find all kinds of new (from Target) or like new baby clothes-much of it major brand name. </p>
<p>Since your friend is such a young mom, perhaps she’d be interested in parenting classes such as offered by Parent Trust or PEPS (Program for Early Parent Support). That’s just a start-in my job I have to refer people to such programs all the time and have a pretty extensive list if you’re interested in passing it on. Young parents really need all the help they can get and Seattle has some excellent resources.</p>
<p>Wow. I feel like such a piker. When my babies were born, all they wore was a diaper and a swaddling blanket for the first few weeks. Clothes? Why bother?</p>
<p>You must live in a very warm area unless you just never left the house, dmd. Two of mine were born in the middle of winter in New England and even though I didn’t work, I certainly went places with them in those first weeks. They’d have frozen to death in just a diaper, plus you need something they can wear in a carseat. My youngest was born in Seattle, where by late October, when she was born, it’s cold and rainy most days. We needed clothes, even indoors. Luckily I have no aversion to second-hand stuff and has 6-months worth of perfectly good onsies, sleepers, two-piece outfits, etc. for pennies on the dollar. You don’t need a LOT, but you do need SOMETHING. Unless you just never go anywhere or do anything.</p>
<p>My D was born here in Seattle area at the end of August. When I went in the hospital it was summer, but by the time I came home (C-section), it was fall! I know it’s summer, but as you know, we still get cool at night and some days too! </p>
<p>Thanks for your suggestions, sseamom, re parenting help. Actually, this young mom is just about as prepared and ready as any young woman could be at age 21. She is the second oldest of 11 children and has done tons of care for her siblings, including infants. Her mom and several aunts live nearby, three older teen sisters, cousins (including two with babies), and she has a very supportive husband who is good with babies and is staying home from work for two weeks to help her adjust! If only all young moms had such a stable situation. I think she will be fine, and they have lots of clothes in larger sizes. Just wasn’t prepared for a smaller baby. She was going to send her H out to get the smaller clothes, but I said wait a minute. Let an experienced mom pick these out for you!</p>
<p>sseamom: my first was born in Boston in July, so yes, it was very warm! She spent a lot of time in a diaper. My second was born in late September in Boston, so still pretty warm. But you have a point–I really didn’t leave the house much for the first month, as I had c-sections with both of them.</p>
<p>Ah, my bias was showing-I come in contact with very young adults who are expecting or have babies and they are not already married off and settling down-they are in crisis. Or, I know young adults like D and her friends who are in college and not in relationships, never mind married. So I assumed-and you know what happens when one ASSumes!</p>
<p>It sounds like this girl has been “in training” to be a mom most of her life and her world is very family oriented. I’m sure that will help. Not that you have to answer, but a person with 11 siblings and married so young already with children of her own-is she from one of those ultra conservative groups where that’s what girls are expected to do while the men “bring home the bacon”? I know there’s a church in Seattle which promotes such. It’s, well, not something I’d want for my Ds.</p>
<p>I guess everyone’s different about how many “outfits” a newborn “needs.”</p>
<p>I had a preemie also - under 4 lbs. I needed preemie diapers and a teeny tiny hat but that was about it. And this was a winter baby. Diaper and tee shirt most of the time. Couple of preemie size footie pajamas (it was so long ago I don’t even remember what we called them) for warmth. The things you’ve already bought for her should really more than do it! and you are a doll for doing the shopping. </p>
<p>A 6 lb baby will be finished with preemie size clothes in the blink of an eye.</p>
<p>Both my nephew and my D need a couple of preemie outfits…we had to take them to funerals (different years) while they were fairly newborn, and although the kids were full size (D was over 7lbs), the preemie clothes fit…and newborn were too big. But a couple of outfits were enough.</p>
<p>Loved those nightgowns with elastic on the bottom. Easy to change, easy to put on the baby.</p>
<p>I worked with premature infants for many years. The moms often purchased doll clothing. It actually comes in a variety of sizes. The nightgowns with elastic bottoms also worked well. Many premature infants have trouble regulating their body temperature, so onesies are sometimes not enough even though they would be for a full term baby. Layering works, even if it just involves swaddling with a lightweight blanket. Good luck!</p>