Buying stuff before 3 month safe point?

[Pinkbottletop]

Did anyone buy anything before your 12 week scan?

I don't want to tempt fate but at the same time there's so many great post Christmas sale stuff I don't want to miss out on!

[NoraDora]

I didn't buy anything til 30 weeks. Even then it's not totally "safe".

I wouldn't buy anything til you are further on. You don't need that much stuff anyway.

[BellaGoth]

I bought our travel system when I was 7 weeks with my son. I've just submitted his school application, and his baby sister is using the pram.

It was a MASSIVE bargain, and I'm not remotely superstitious.

[Nicknameofawesome]

I didn't because I couldn't cope with the idea of having bought something specifically for that baby and not being able to use it. I don't think I could have used anything I bought for a subsequent child because it would have felt "wrong" to me.

[pastabest]

There isn't a safe point.

If something is a really good bargain then get it if your not bothered.

Most things can wait though, it really is a very long time to have stuff hanging around. I bought my stuff at about 30/31 weeks and at 37 weeks I'm already fed up of looking at it. These last 10 weeks really drag.

[EekAndShriek]

I didn't because pregnancy lasts a loooong time and it's nice to have something fun to look forward to towards the end of the pregnancy. I left everything to the very end. I think a lot of people buy way too much stuff and it helps keep down the clutter if you wait.

There will be more bargains, there always are...

[Mrs40]

I bought a few things before the 12 week mark although friends and family were advising against. The way I see it is that should anything happen I'd have been devastated but wouldn't have been any more devastated because I'd bought things. I was and am so excited to be pregnant and wanted to enjoy every minute and part of that for me was getting wee bits and pieces in. The only thing I'd say is to remember that some of the stuff on sale will be seasonal so if its clothes you are buying remember what season your baby will be born in or buy a different size as a winter snowsuit isn't going to be much use in the Summer! :-)

[SparkleShinyGlitter]

There is no safe point in pregnancy

I brought very early on. If you see something you like buy it

[Pinkbottletop]

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

I've already bought some pregnancy journals to document my pregnancy and a baby book. I also bought a 'baby on board' badge for my car because it was a quid and thought I could give it to someone if the worst happens.

Mothercare offer full refunds on stuff if you miscarry. Doesn't matter when you bought it. I'm also thinking money wise, I want to spread the cost of some items out and use each month to buy particular big items. So don't want to leave it all until the last minute. Plus I'm a control freak and I like to know exactly what I'm doing and hate leaving things to the last minute.

But there are always deals. Baby due in September so would need to get winter clothes for 3-6 months size.

[Snowflakes1122]

I won't be buying anything until I'm quite far. Im 17 weeks right now and can't even look at baby stuff!

I lost my last baby (died at 11+3 weeks) completely out of the blue as had a "strong" heartbeat prior.

I know many places take refunds if you miscarry, but that would be very distressing to do.

It's a personal choice though, so if you feel ready to buy, start with a few little bits here and there. Or you could put the money aside for later?

[Barefootcontessa84]

There is no 'safe' point, but it's definitely 'safer' to buy later on than before 12 weeks. Personally I would never do it, even before the 20 week scan when anomalies and conditions not compatible with life can be found.

[Barefootcontessa84]

I also agree, taking stuff back following a miscarriage is really not something you would want to be thinking about doing - it would make it a lot harder to deal with.

[Pinkbottletop]

Can I clarify that by safe point, I mean that 3 months is usually the time given when things are safer to the level that you can start to tell people that you are pregnant.

[Artandco]

I wouldn't until after 20weeks.

Otherwise that's months of extra time to buy even more stuff, buying too early means more likely to overbuy.

Plus the spread the cost thing makes no sense you could just save that money now, and in 3-4 months time have that money still to go buy most at once

[ighinici]

first of all, congratulations.

now, it definitely depends a lot on how you'd feel if something bad happened and you had stuff already bought. so, what applies to one person definitely doesn't apply to another.

on my side, i'm currently 12w+5 and all's good so far. in fact, i started buying a few things even before i was pregnant, because knew i wanted a baby (was willing to adopt if we couldn't have one).

after i got pregnant, i was dead scared i'd get some horrible news at the 12 week scan (although i knew chances were everything would be fine). but decided that if i'd had a miscarriage or other problem, i could always use the stuff i'd bought for a future pregnancy. i just kept them all in boxes in the cellar, so they wouldn't be very visible.

again, that's only my own personal experience. but, as a sidenote and possibly useful to all of us stressing out over nothing: there's a VERY HIGH probability that everything will be alright. really!

and again, congratulations!

[namechange20050]

I waited until 20 weeks after my anomaly scan. The second half of pregnancy I found boring & tiring so it was good to have the distraction of buying all the baby stuff!

[CatRash]

I've bought a few bits - but only clothing and I blame my SIL who was encouraging me

And everything was dirt cheap from Choices (discounted Next stuff).

I won't buy anything more substantial until I've had my first scan (not long now-Monday) as you never know there might be more than one in there.

Also I want to spend a long time researching so I don't make any rash decisions and just end up buying something because it's cheap and then regretting it.

At the minute I'm planning the nursery using Pinterest to help get that nesting 'fix' lol

[Artandco]

Ig - 1 in 5 pregnancies end in miscarriage. So that's actually quite a high chance not a high probability everything is good.

[BertieBotts]

I think I bought one packet of vests before 12 weeks when I was pregnant with DS. I didn't want to buy too much too early, partly because of the miscarriage risk, but also partly because I was quite conscious that excitement could easily overtake and I'd end up with loads of stuff! Actually, I went to the Baby Show when I was about 4 months pregnant and bought a car seat there and later I wished that I'd spent a bit more time researching, rather than just buying because I was impatient to have things sorted. I would have chosen something different. I actually did the same with a buggy Luckily, the first buggy was £20 second hand so I put it in the loft and I don't think I ever used it.

My opinions about what items I wanted definitely changed over the course of the pregnancy, so I would definitely leave bigger items to buy later on another time.

[BertieBotts]

It is tempting to get stuff in the sales, though.

[Oysterbabe]

We bought some nice winter stuff for DD. She was tiny and it didn't fit until spring. There's no point in buying loads of stuff before because you just don't know what will happen. I'd start a savings account to pay into each month then have a bit of a shopping spree nearer your due date.

[empirerecordsrocked]

I didn't because I didn't want to have to deal with the stuff if it ended in miscarriage which my first pregnancy did at 11.5 weeks so I'm glad I didn't.

[Pinkbottletop]

artandco it does make sense when you have a partner who is incapable of spending so I have to give him something every payday to buy or he'll leave it to the last minute and struggle.

ig thank you! And to you too.

cat absolutely love Choices! So I don't blame you.

I'm definitely not leaving it until the last minute. I know that. I'll be heaviest during the summer and the thought of shopping while being big and hot just sends shudders down my spine. But I may wait until I've had the dating scan.

[arbrighton]

The only things I bought was a book for DH to try and get him to know what to expect. And jokey books for my parents/ sister as part of the plan to tell them.

SIL just asked if I bought anything yet. 15 weeks, still too early. She's offered their changing table and moses basket though. Neither on their first baby with their son- they've been passed around. They don't have room for the changing table now the second is due as the two little ones will share a room.

Maternity clothes, yes, as I was ridiculously bloated before xmas and my boobs have gone up 2 cup sizes so that was a necessity.

Will start around easter, having done our research on 'prams' (shorthand) etc and tried to get a clue what's actually needed rather than a big sales pitch to neurotic first timers (aka me!)

[toomuchtimereadingthreads2016]

I bought a vest and hat before my scan just to try and make it feel a bit more real (didn't work!) and now I'm 16w still havent bought anything else! Have made a wish list... got 20w scan in Feb so then we will know if we can use a lot of our DD things or need to have a rethink x

[Sparklyuggs]

I bought some stuff in the m&s sale yesterday, I'm 12w. I spent £17 and will donate it to a charity shop if the worse happens. I got £80 worth of stuff and I'm not superstitious, like you I wanted to take advantage of the sales. I bought winter clothes that are age appropriate, as I'm having a summer baby I think most gifts will be summer clothes as that's what's available in the shops. I'm not planning on buying the big things for a while but I'm happy I got my bargains

If I do miscarry, it won't be because I spent £17 on baby clothes.