Did we shop too early?

[mixi82]

Expecting baby 16th July so very early to shop but me and DP said we'd be daft not to with the January sales being on. Bought a few essentials yesterday and saved £200, surely that's got to be worth it!! Some friends said I should have waited til after 20wk scan but I'm thinking positivity all the way so no harm in getting a few bits now. What does everyone think?

[wispaxmas]

If you want to, why not?! I would've thought the bigger thing would be to wait until the 12wk scan to make sure it wasn't a mmc. After 12 wks chances of things going wrong are so slim, why wasn't you want so ave money in the sales?

[wispaxmas]

Sorry for the typos. iPad hates me today.

[Flickstar]

I have always thought that shopping is not going to make things go wrong. If something was to happen, then it would regardless of whether you had bought things or not! Like wispa said, the chances if anything going wrong now are very slim but I would like to think that should anything awful happen then the shops would be compassionate about accepting goods back.

Relax and enjoy your bargains, I say!

[MyNameIsWinkly]

Dear me, people love offering opinions where none was sought don't they. What did they expect you to do, take it all back and shop again in 8 weeks time? You'll be fine, consider it good practice in ignoring people :)

[catkind]

In the unlikely event of things going wrong, the things might be sad to look at for a while, but you could always sell them on if it was too sad. Even say you chucked them in the bin if things went wrong, you're trading a miniscule chance of losing money against a large chance of saving. I say go for it. Only reason I didn't is I'm far too disorganised!

[VJONES1985]

I am not buying anything for a long time because I'm scared of jinxing things. But I absolutely know how silly that is and I don't think you're doing any harm. I wanted to wait until 12 weeks but sadly my friend had an mc last week at 13 weeks so that's freaked me out and I don't think I'll buy anything until 20 weeks now. This is so stupid that I can't even buy a maternity bra, despite really needing one.

[AnnaBanana25]

Nah, we are due 23rd June and have taken advantage of sales. In particular some items were down to £60 when originally £100, silly to pass that kind of deal up!! Make savings where you can, and spread the cost over time, thats my rule.

[MyNameIsWinkly]

vjones do your boobs a favour and buy a bra, I boughtone black and one white sports style bras from tesco, £5 each, which are dead comfy and have no underwire, and if it does all go sadly wrong they're cheap enough to fling in the bin and never see again.

(See even I can't help offering unsolicited opinions)

[VJONES1985]

Ha ha! Am going to Asda today so will look for a sports type bra and bite the bullet! My friend told me how massive my nipples looked through my jumper the other day so perhaps it's time...

[greentshirt]

For me it wasnt about being scared of jinxing things but more about the practicality of having to take it back and how hard that would be if anything did happen.

Its a personal choice, for me it took a while to move on from anxiety about things going wrong early on to right come on lets get planning.

There are sales all the time though, I dont think many people buy baby stuff without getting some sort of discount/offer!

[HomeHypno]

If you are planning to have a baby in any case then yourstuff won't go to waste. I know people are superstitious and that but having been through a loss myself, it doesn't feel any better if you haven't got anything ready and there won't be stuff to remind you of your loss at home, so you may as well shop whatever you want and assume things will be fine until told otherwise. Perhaps keep tags on and receipts though, baby retailers are usually quite flexible about returns if you change your mind about colours etc later.

[VJONES1985]

It's an interesting point though - when do I reallt need to start planning things? I'm so busy focusing on being pregnant that we haven't done/talked about anything practical yet. But I am only 9 weeks.

[MyNameIsWinkly]

I'm 16 weeks and have only bought bras and 1 pair of maternity jeans, but we have done some research and know what pram we want. The cot will be bought after the spare room is cleared and painted, maybe at about 25 or so weeks, then I will start picking up small bits after that, vests, babygros etc.

[Justpenny]

I'm only 6 weeks but all my work trousers have started to feel real tight so I've ordered a couple of dresses from ASOS, the maternity sale was far too good to miss! Like HomeHypno said, if you're planning on having a baby anyway, then it won't be a waste in the long run. Don't listen to what other people say....do whatever you feel's right!!!!

[greentshirt]

VJONES I would have started afer the 20 week scan if we hadnt been having loads of work done at home (which I suppose counts as planning though!). I only really started between xmas and new year when I had a massive wobble that I was behind even my own flexible plan. Took a couple of hours, made a list and bashed through loads of it. Have got the big stuff sorted and theres nothing I couldnt get easily and quickly now so feeling much better!

[meditrina]

If you buy big ticket items too far in advance, you can have problems with returns (discretionary returns, that is, not unfit goods).

Yes, plan in advance what you think you'll need and which models of kit you like. But as there are sales and good deals going on frequently (and if you are lucky generous GPs who offer to buy something) I wouldn't hurry into the actual purchasing.

[SweetPea86]

Argh just egnore people ihave only just started buying stuff at 20 weeks now 26 but that because I've had serve sickness and been to scared to step in to a shop lol.

It's totally practical to buy things in January sales. Saving money is essential when there's a baby on the way. My friend who is 31 weeks not has been buying baby clothes from about 6 weeks pregnant.

You can't live you life worrying about if some thing goes wrong. I like you positve approach saving money and excited for your new arrival. July sounds like a while away but it's not lol will soon be here. :-)

[mixi82]

Thanks everyone, didn't expect so many replies! I've enjoyed buying the things yesterday actually. I even got some nappies - saved £15 on a box of 74 so thought why not! Also got a few white bodysuits and I have to say, after laying them out and then folding them again, I did feel really mummy like for the first time so I loved that :)

[MrsCharlieD]

We waited until after the 12 week scan to actually buy anything but we went and wandered around kiddicare the day i got my bfp. I've had a gender scan today and i was straight down to John Lewis after to start buying things. I wouldn't worry about superstitions, buying a sleep suit is not going to affect anything that happens with your pregnancy x

[oadcb]

The thing is there are always offers and sales on. You can always get good deals somewhere. I'd wait til closer to the time.

Having prepared way to early last time I was bored in later stages.

[OwlinaTree]

Well honestly you won't feel any better or worse if it doesn't go according to plan because you have bought things, and having things makes no difference to the outcome. Sounds like you were being quite practical really.

Exciting times!

[Ilovekittyelise]

i had a termination for T21 in 2010, which we found out about at the 12 week scan. we hadnt actually bought anything major by then.

i had bought one little snoopy top from h&m as i couldnt resist it. i was going to put it in a memory box or something but ended up using it for my son. it actually ended up being a really healthy thing: it held the memory and made me think about our lost baby, but our joyful bouncing boy was wearing it. funnily enough iv been sorting through clothes today in preparation for our new arrival. i sat for a few minutes and had a little cry, but it was happy too, iyswim.

after our first experience i thought it was really important to buy something before the scan and to have total faith; i bought "doggie" which aged 28 months my son is totally attached to still. i bought travel system etc before 20 week scan too, it was just so important to me to believe, and to allow myself to enjoy. a pushchair wouldnt have made me feel any more or less sad about losing him if we had.

sorry if this sounds a bit heavy. allow the joy to wash over you and the excitement to build,and buy whatever you want, whenever you want! you wil enjoy your pregnancy more if you let yourself believe its all going to be perfect!

[Firsttimemumtobe12]

We started buying when I was 10 weeks. Just the odd baby grow here and there, came home to find my mum(know knew from 6 weeks) had already been shopping and had a play mat, bouncer, nappies and some blankets. Made it feel real for us! A few of the girls at work told me that we were silly to buy anything so early incase anything happened. I was more offended at the thought of them thinking something was going to happen to my baby and told them where to shove their opinions! I'm now 34 weeks pregnant and all is fine! We found it easier to pick up things in the baby events or just pack of nappies or wipes every time we went shopping and I think we have everything covered now.

One tip on something to have ready is a little medicine box with things like baby calpol and teething gel ect. A friend said there's nothing worse than baby having a temperature in the middle of the night and realising it's one thing you never had any calpol and everywhere near by being shut(I don't drive) so glad she told me that one!!

[Tea1Sugar]

I ordered my bugaboo chameleon at 15 weeks because it was £100 off and with a free maxi cosi car seat so we saved about £240. But I refused to have it delivered until February when I'm 31 weeks, we won't do the nursery until next month either. I've got cot, Moses basket, nursery furniture from dd1 already.

So whilst all the big things we'll deal with properly next month, I'll be 26 weeks tomorrow and have lbought basically everything now, keeping it all at my mums though I don't want it all in the house yet! Just need a buggy board attachment and hospital bag stuff.

[ZillionChocolate]

Putting it bluntly, if you were to lose your baby, having bought things would not make you any more sad. It makes sense to spread the cost a bit and pick up bargains when you can.