When did you start buying baby things?

[Miffster]

Am 18+1 and was going to be all superstitious and not buy baby anything until later - but I was lured by the sale at Blooming Marvellous when visiting Norwich and have now got some new born starter packs, 1-3 months and 3-6 months because they were a stonking bargain. Thought I'd get a range of sizes rather than just soppily coo over ickle teeny newborn stuff that baby might grow out of in a fortnight. Also picked up stuff donated by SiL.

Now baby now has a capsule starter wardrobe drawer of gear. I don't even know the sex yet so it's all unisex white or jolly colours - which tbh I am happier with anyway than endless princess pink or sailor blue bollocks.

Am I being normal or tempting fate? Did you buy stuff before you were even halfway through the pregnancy? I can't decide if it is hard-headed thrift (sales - hate paying full price) or whether I have just gone all soppy and it's an excuse.

Oh yeah - and do any other first timers look at new born kit and think 'how the hell am I going to squeeze something that fits into THAT out of my fanjo?'

I started at about 20 weeks (after scan) buying bits at a time cos I couldn't afford it all at once.

Am 37 weeks now and it still seems like tempting fate that I have got everything ready.

Was also tempted by sales so picked up stuff cheaper than would have been if I was buying it now. Plus have been off work since end of march ill, bored and with access to the internet. SO bought a lot that way.

With ds though I think I started later - thoguh mostly was given stuff so didn't buy a lot. For some reason that seems less unlucky

I do know someone who didn't buy anything until the baby had arrived and then sent out relative to get the necessities. That I think is a bit on the extreme side.

Compared to bouncing 5yo ds the baby stuff all looks tiny to me atm

You are NOT tempting fate. What ever happens in any pregnancy is nothing to do with what clothes or equipment the parent(s) buy/don't buy!!!!

I can see the point in not buying things in the first 12 weeks, as there is, at that point, a fairly high chance of things not working out, and the clothes/equipment being wasted, but there is no cause and effect .

Just sit back and enjoy your bargins!

I bought my pushchair at about 16 weeks

Been given a bit here and there too, plus starting to stockpile on nappies, wipes, toiletries etc.

I haven't gone too OTT on clothes as I still have a fair chunk of neutral early things left from DS, so not too worried about those.

I live in Norwich and bought afew things in Blooming Marvellous Friday, going back again in afew weeks

I'm 23 weeks with DC2 and think I bought my pram afew weeks after my first scan partly cause it was on offer at the time and mothercare will hold it for 6 months.

DP and I have bought almost everything now tho we have put it away out of sight till DS says hello, if they is offers on grab them while you can, i.e DP bought the cotbed last week even tho DS will be in a crib by our bed at first but it was half price in babies r us so cant moan

Last time I wouldn't buy anything before 24 weeks as I didn't want to tempt fate. It's was a bit silly though really as it makes sense to buy everything little and often.

I worried far too much in my last pregnancy! Although I didn't realise that it was supposed to be bad luck to have a pushchair in your house before the baby is born! ours stood proudly under the stairs until DD arrived.

This time I probably won't get anything until I know the sex. I'm only 8 weeks though, so have a looooong way to go yet!

We're waiting until after the 20 week scan and until the nursery is cleared out (it's currently my office) to buy anything big, but I've bought quite a few smaller bits, like blankets and babygros. I don't think it's tempting fate to buy anything early, but having had miscarriages in the past, I know it's really depressing to have lots to pack away if everything goes wrong.

I waited until after the results of my Amnio so about 16 and a half weeks. Then I bought a few things for newborn and 0-3 months. My first purchase was nipple cream

We waited til after 20 week scan to buy most things and even though we found out the sex, still bought neutral colours just incase the sonographer had made a mistake. If there is stuff on sale though i would go for it! Remember to buy stuff appropriate for the season if you are buying ahead. I had rellies and friends buy me snowsuits etc when DD was born in Dec, but in 3-6 month size, which would have ended up being worn in late spring....consequently they have barely been worn at all!
Congrats BTW!

I'm 27+1 and haven't bought anything yet.
Have researched and picked pram but not yet ordered.
I did try to buy some neutral sleepsuits for new born / 0-3 the other day but they had every size but.
Off on holiday at the weekend so will have to leave any purchases until August now.

My mum was super excited about becoming a nana that she had bought a lil outfit when I was only 8 weeks. The partner and I went shopping after my 21 week scan and bought some clothes. At 26/27 weeks i bought the pram, the cot, woombie donut thing etc etc. 36 Weeks at the mo and as it stands I have everything, Im one of these super organised people, but was always not wanting to put jinx anything.

I'm 27 weeks tomorrow and have concentrated on the hospital bag for now (toiletries) and have bought nappies to get the freebies from pampers. I have, however shoved a load of stuff in my Mothercare basket online as a halfway house (even if don't end up buying from there it gives an idea of the cost).

Ds1 was born at 35 weeks and was glad to have bought most things by then last time. I think I'll order by 30-33 weeks this time. I'm not worried about jinxing anything, just don't want to have to pack anything away. If anything goes wrong now it will be good to have a hospital bag to hand.

I am 37 weeks with a section planned in a couple of weeks-got a few cute clothes a few weeks ago, but went out a few days ago and bought everything else in one shopping trip having been nagged to get ready by midwife and mum!
Mind you its my second child-which makes you more chilled and 4th pregnancy which makes you more paranoid!
I'm sure I was much more organised earlier with the first. Obviously we already had some stuff but then realised how much had been lent to us with the first.

Bought sleep suits and a 'bed in a bag' kit with lovely sheets and things. Bought lots of maternity clothes for me from blooming marvellous (and they were gorgeous, all lovely). Bought a moses basket at 39 weeks. But the rest iof the stuff we bought online, this week with me in bed wielding credit card next to baby. I felt a little superstitious too, but then panicked that I had nothing.

Oh, and yeah, i had NO idea how a baby that fitted into those clothes would come out of my body. In fact, about two minutes after DS'
s birth, while they were still stitching me I looked at him and said rather dazedly 'How did he ever fit?'!

DH and I couldn't afford to buy everything at once so from about 20 weeks we'd buy a few things every month - I did a big list of the things I thought we needed and then bought the stuff we'd need early first if that makes sense.

We hardly bought any clothes though as we were given lots by people who had finished having their kids - seriously loads of stuff. Plus friends gave clothes when DS was born - we had so much that I was able to pass on quite a bit to a friend of my sisters who was struggling financially.

I don't see how it can tempt fate to have the stuff in the house. Everything we had for DS1 is stored in the loft and will be coming down again soon now we're pregnant with DC2....! I think it would be worse to be unpepared and caught out by an early baby when you have next to nothing I also put the crib up in our room from about 35 weeks when I went on maternity leave - it was actually very helpful to have it there so we learnt to walk round it in the night etc....

We bought very little until about 33 weeks as until then my DBIL was staying in our spare room so we had nowhere to put anything. It felt horrendously late but of course it wasn't really (am now 38+4). We have tried not to go too mad as there seem to be loads of things that you just don't know whether you'll need or not, plus we don't know the sex. We have a big expensive pram bought for us by my PILs, but pretty much everything else has been from Freecycle/handed down from friends and relatives (eg the crib that my DH slept in as a baby, obv with a new mattress)/NCT nearly new sales/presents when I finished work etc. I don't think I've spent more than about £100 on baby stuff as yet.

I was a bit worried about tempting fate, but if anything does go wrong it will be just as awful whether we have a houseful of baby stuff or not. As others have said there is no cause and effect.

Miffster am 18+4 with first child and sharing your concerns (esp about the labour bit - argh!)!

I bought some stuff a couple of weeks ago in Mothercare sale and am just buying bits and pieces as and when. Plus my little one has got 5 cousins ranging from 6 to 6 months, so I'm being given stuff left right and centre as our siblings try to make some space in their homes.

My Mum has been surreptitiously buying things and putting them away since I told her I was pregnant (at about 6 wks!).

It's exciting getting things and makes it more real - you are not going to make yourself any more likely to miscarry by buying baby things!

Am determined to have the nursery ready by about 30 wks, as have heard all sorts of tales of friends having their babies early and the nursery not being ready!

Thanks for the replies!

I had a day off today and had a lovely time getting lots of bargains on Asda. because we're moving abroad when DC1 is 3 months, and having checked the (rather high) costs of summer babygros, vests and rompers on the island we'll be living on, it actually makes sense to go online in UK and order 3 packs of summer vests and rompers for two quid in sizes 3-6 and 6-9 now while the summer sales are on.

So I have been doing that, and will wash and stash them away for when we move. Have not bought much for baby when s/he is actually newborn and in UK - just two x 7-piece plain white *starter sets of newborn kit in sale
(which is 1 sleepsuit, 2 bodysuits, 1 cardie, 1 trouser, hat, bib)

and one extra sleep suit in the sales, plus was given a few NB vests and a cardie. I expect I might be given some more newborn stuff and I also think s/he may well be out of this size in a fortnight or so!

Also got some dear little colourful sleepsuits in sale for 0-3 and 1-3, and 3-6 and a couple more 7 piece starter kits for 0-3 in sale.

Am envisaging baby will be mostly indoors wearing rompers and sleepsuits with cardies and hats from birth in December until we move in March. Plus I suppose will need a winter suit for outdoors. Am hoping will be given this, as no idea how big baby will be when I first take him or her outside.

(Can I just get away with lots of blankets wrapped round baby if I take them outside, swaddled and hatted in December/January?)

Once we arrive on the hot island they will be in permanent summer gear: rompers, nappies and vests, T shorts and shorts.

We can't really make a nursery, as we;ll be moving out and selling up when baby is 12-14 weeks, they will be sleeping in our room, probably in a hammock so we can take it abroad, and we will need to use a travel cot for day time naps. There's no point buying a wooden hammock here and then transporting it over at great expense.

Also hard to know what to do about prams/buggies - buy one here, or buy one out there?

It's strange (and expensive) having to think about & shop for 2 major life changes!

I just picked up a few sleepsuits, I didn't even feel comfortable buying all the stuff on the list for hospital. I also got the moses basket during the last couple of weeks and was given my bath/changer (get one, it'll save your back) then too.

And yep, I wondered all the time with the first how something which had to get out of me was big going to be big enough to fit these sleepsuits. By the second I knew only too well how . . .

tbh though, it's not so much the babies size which matters but the position baby is in, so don't worry.

Good luck