When did you start buying stuff??

[glitternanny]

Just being nosey really - I'm guessing its mostly after 12 weeks.

I know my BIL and his gf started getting nappies and wipes etc on each shopping trip.

Gotta sit down with my OH sometime soon and start working out our budget!

I was very cautious and didn't really buy anything until I was on maternity leave, which i started at 7.5 months. However I started compiling a list of things I wanted to get, very early in my pregnancy and started saving straightaway. It was lovely going into mothercare and buying up the shop.

I didn't at all. Had clothes and reusable nappies from my sister's baby, got pram, car seat and cot from Grandma and changing drawers from freecycle. People can't help themselves but buy presents so it's easier to leave them with things to buy rather than have too much.

lol i was so excited i started after my first scan, but this is a baby after 8 years of trying.

Nothing until after the 20 week scan.

Oh lolajane how wonderful! How far along are now?

14 weeks gone today and getting a lovely little bump. Had just given up as well as I got body just as I liked it after a huge weight loss.

I would say, do most of your shopping before you get too big and too tired! Shops can be hell at the best of times, but definitely HELL during the last trimester!!

Have fun!

Do set a strict budget and write a definite - you'll really kick yourself later if you've bought things which were either useless and/or expensive.

oops missed out the word LIST before the dash!!

bump

I'm 32+5, and we've only now started actually buying things. But friends and family have been giving us stuff for months already. Don't start buying anything before asking around/see what you get offered, it saved us soooo much money that we then could spend elsewhere!

The internet is your good friend once you become to big to enjoy extended shopping trips.

After our dating scan (13+3), we were strictly not buying anything before we knew we were over the definite 12 week mark, now 25+5 & have lots of baby stuff! :)

We started at about 20 weeks and were pretty much sorted by 32 weeks which was a good job as DS made his appearance at 35 weeks :)

I would definitely recommend stocking up on wipes, nappies in advance as they are pricey and will last (wait until Asda or Tesco have a baby event). And as others have said borrow things if you have friends/relatives with baths, moses baskets etc as the baby is in them for so little time.

Good luck!

I wouldn't recommend buying too many wipes in case your child has a reaction. There are always good offers around,

I have started buying a couple of things I want after keeping eye out for bargains.

I would suggest making list and knowing prices. Then you can keep eye out for what you want.

Boots often have offers on buggies/car seat etc and there is normally a 10% off parenting club code floating around

Also babies really don't need much and you will probably be inundated with clothes.

i started buying one or two thigs a week because i doubted the generosity of family and friends(you never know they might not of donated anything)and now i have a mountain of stuff! stopped buying clothes about 6weeks ago -it was getting rediculous.

only after 20week scan

Im 11 weeks and ive bought a few outfits, a packet of napies and wipes and some shampoo and talc. Im waiting till my 20 week scan to buy things like prams, car seats, cots, baskets and so on. But i think its a case of each to their own and a lot depends on time and money.
The odd oufit and packet of nappies wont do any harm and puts a warm smile on your face when you see them in the wardrobe!
Good luck
xx

After 20w scan - and then started gradually gathering bits and pieces. Hand-me-downs from friends, freecycle, purchases from eBay and getting in the new stuff we needed in bits and pieces each week from the supermarket / John Lewis. I was glad I did as it meant we didn't have to spend loads all in one go, and I was sorted for most stuff by the time I was 7 months pregnant.

After DS was born. When he came at 29 weeks I had a soft toy my mother had knitted, that was it. No clothes, nappies, pram, car seat, nothing. I got stuff on the internet and in one shopping trip when they told me he was coming home 2 days later at 34 weeks. He had other ideas and finally came home at 37 weeks. I therefore have very little he didn't use.

Now for his first birthday I got all manner of stuff he'll never use

I bought one outfit around 28 weeks despite desperately wanting to buy more. DH is terribly influenced by my MIL and she kept saying, don't buy anything, you shouldn't have anything in the house.
At about 30 ish weeks I cracked and started buying whatever I fancied, as one of the previous posters stated the little outfits brought such a smile to my face. I found it very relaxing to get organised.
MIL and I ended up having a conversation along the lines of 'if I don't bring a carseat home, how do I get baby home from hospital?' Her reply 'Your DH can leave the hospital and go and buy everything you need before you get out!!'
She didn't understand that they no longer keep you in hospital for 2 or 3 days if all ok!
Currently 38 weeks and final purchase of baby changing table made yesterday.

I think it depends on how you feel too. I have pelvis problems anyway, so know that this will be exacerbated by pregnancy and therefore if I leave trailing round the shops etc. until near the end - I won't be able to. We started buying one thing each week with weekly shop (to keep costs down) and then when sickness went at about 20 weeks, we hit the shops to get stocked up before it was too late, so glad we did it that way, as I can now use the remaining weeks to concentrate on making sure my pelvis doesn't get any worse than it needs to.

26 weeks tomorrow and made my first purchases today. And it's put a HUGE smile on my face after a rubbish weekend of crazy hormone-induced weepiness. Can't stop looking at little sleepsuit thinking there'll be a baby to fill that in 14 weeks!