If your twinnies were born early, it might feel stressful trying to find clothes that actually fit them (so they stay warm and snug). So we’re sharing tips on where to find the best preemie baby clothes for your little ones!
One of the joys of twin parenthood is having the chance to buy those cute little onesies and imagining your newborn twinnies wearing them. Like the identical matching outfits (cause they’re twins after all) or in the classic pairs ( ketchup and mustard, thing 1 thing 2, etc). And of course, then posing for those sweet pictures.
Your family can’t resist the pull too! Even before your twinnies arrive, you’ve got a nice stash of fun pajamas, coordinating outfits, and more.
And it’s all well and good until your babies come super early, and you’ve got to figure out what on Earth to dress them in. Because even those newborn onesies will drown your little preemies.
My twins were born just in time for Christmas and weighed under 5lbs. My MIL had bought them each a Santa onesie sack which was so sweet. Both those onesies were huge! So, I can attest that there’s definitely quite a difference between preemie and newborn sizes.
But unfortunately, lots of in-person retail stores don’t carry that many preemie sizes if any at all). And if you happen to find a stray preemie outfit, will they have another for the second twin?
It’s a bit frazzling not being able to find the right size for your tiny twinnies. Especially since the chances of a multiple birth being earlier than scheduled is much higher than a singleton.
That’s why we want to make sure you’re equipped with all the insights on where to find the best preemie clothes!
But first, what is a preemie size?
As you’ve likely experienced even with your own adult clothing, not all brands are sized equally.
When it comes to preemie baby clothes, the sizing is based on weight and length. But each brand uses slightly different cutoff thresholds for what they consider to be “preemie size.”
If you want to see for yourself, Dreft has a list of common baby clothing brands with their sizing parameters charted out. Most of the charts say preemie size is up to 5 lbs (up to 17”), whereas newborn size is between 5-8 lbs (up to 20”). You’ll notice some brands even have preemie sizing go up to 6 lbs.
And some preemie baby clothes brands even have sizes that go below preemie size. These are teeny preemie (up to 4 pounds) and micro preemie (up to 3 pounds).
What if my twins are in the NICU?
If your babies spend time in the NICU, it’s a good idea to ask the nurses what they need as far as clothing goes. Depending on your babies’ particular medical needs, their medical team may have preferences and guidelines for how you dress them.
Being hooked up to all those wires and a breathing or feeding tube can definitely make dressing your preemie twinnies more challenging (but not impossible!).
Also, many NICUs have a stash of preemie clothes that they will let your twinnies use free of charge. So depending on the length of your stay, you might not even need to go out and buy preemie clothes.
My personal NICU experience as a mom to preemies was “don’t bring anything,” which was nice. Our hospital clothed them, bathed them, and their NICU pods were heated.
So again, definitely ask your NICU nurses what clothing would be helpful logistically. Then you can save money on what preemie baby clothes you buy and go with only what you really need.
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And take a look at the two websites below for preemie clothes that are made with NICU babies in mind!
Best preemie clothes for NICU babies
This site is dedicated to preemie baby clothes, and you can filter by size or style, which is super helpful!
Most of the time, your NICU babies will have monitors on them. So if your hospital requires you to provide clothes, it’s best to have something with more flexibility than a single zip up.
What’s also great about Perfectly Preemie, is they also have sizes smaller than preemie: micro and teeny, each with weight limits next to the names.
Another online retailer with the best preemie clothes is Preemie Store. This e-commerce shop sells multiple different preemie clothing brands (including Perfectly Preemie). Since preemies are their specialty, they have micro and teeny options with plenty of options suitable for the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and PICU (pediatric intensive care unit).
Outside of these NICU preemie stores (which are still a great option for non-NICU preemies), there are more mainstream brands that have preemie baby clothes too.
Mainstream brands with preemie sizes
1. Carters:
When searching on Carter’s actual brand site, you can apply filters for “preemie” to sort for that specific size.
Personally, I found zippers to be easier than snaps, especially when you’re bleary eyed at 2:00am and not knowing if you’re placing the diaper the right way on. We’ve definitely woken up a few mornings with the buttons not quite lining up (whoops!).
And Carter’s has sleep & play outfits with a 2-way zipper, which is always a win! They even have a dedicated section for NICU-friendly preemie baby clothes.
2. Gerber:
Of all the baby branding, Gerber is a household staple. They have a variety of options for preemie baby clothes, along with accessories fitting preemies.
Did I mention occasional sales?
3. Little Me
You’ll notice many of the kids in your neighborhood or circle will wear the same big name brands. But if you want to stand out from the crowd with something more ‘boutique,’ Little Me has an array of preemie sizes.
Another great brand you’ll see around is Monica + Andy. Their clothes are super cute and they have preemie options for a lot of items!
On top of that, if you have the fear of mixing up your identical twins, on their site, you can opt to get your onesies personalized so you or your family member will always know who they’re holding. For our skin sensitive babies, this line of preemie baby clothes has options made in organic cotton.
5. Target:
For the all-in-one shoppers, good ol’ Target has your back with preemie baby clothes. While you may find some preemie sizes inside the store, you’re better off checking out the app ahead of time to see what’s actually in stock! Or go with items they have online that can be delivered to you.
6. Amazon
I’ve done so much of my baby clothing shopping here, but who can argue with the convenience! It’s a registry-friendly shopping spot, and many of the best preemie clothes brands live under their roof.
For example, Perfectly Preemie, Gerber, Hudson, and even Huggies have their preemie sizes here. Although, I would suggest taking a look at the original brand’s site first to see if they have better deals or discount codes you can use!
If you’re anything like me, once you start shopping for preemie baby clothes, you’re really going to have a hard time stopping. The little rompers, sleep sacks, etc. are all so cute!!! Who doesn’t want their babies to have little teddy bear ears on their head matching their teddy bear onesies? Am I right?
Also keep in mind that if you’re trying to save money, you can look up your local Twin’s Club or connect with other preemie parents in your local community (lots of towns have Facebook groups for parents). So many families out there are happy to pass off their preemie clothes to other parents in need!
Lastly, if you’re in for a NICU stay, before you hit “add to cart,” have a solid plan from your NICU team first before you go preemie clothing shopping.
Happy shopping, and wishing you so much joy on your twin parenting journey! Those preemies of yours won’t be teeny tiny for long, so take it all in.
Looking for more articles related to preemie twins or NICU resources? Check out these too!
- 20 Must-Have Items for the NICU
- You Know You’re a Parent of Preemies When…
- When Did Your Preemies Hit Developmental Milestones?
Stephanie Miller is the proud mom of twin cyclones Zach and Carter. Every day in the Miller house, you’ll find rooms turned over, floors covered in bits of Lego and puzzle pieces (mind your step), and the sound of “Brown Bear Brown Bear” read over and over, and over again. You’ll typically find her being used as the seat to reading time for the two bookworms, covered in bubble solution as they try to excel in their Bubble Wand skills, or being the voice to command Alexa for their favorite tunes. She and her husband are working on their traveling skills cause she can’t wait to show them the amazing world that is out there for them.
