Where does everyone buy from?

[signet2012]

Reading mothercare is deemed overprice tat and mammas and papas is ok if you have a few million - where do people buy baby equipment and clothes from either online thats worth a look, or shops?

TIA

Next and sainsburys are great for clothes, steriliser and bottles etc half price in mothercare, pram from mamas and papas.

We also have a baby shop near us that sells end of line stuff from mamas and papas for example that are real bargains.

Kiddicare.com is fab

Sainsburys was the best place for clothes, they lasted really well and if you can wait for one of their '25% off' weekends then they are a good price.

Amazon often have good deals online for nappies.

I have noticed that Argos often have sales on their branded baby items.

I love mothercare! All equipment can be bought cheaper online though. Nct sales are good. Also check out Gumtree and eBay. H&m is great for cheap clothes, and you can get some nice bits in matalan

About 75% of the baby clothes I've bought so far (am 34wks pg tomorrow) have been from Primark. They seem to be reasonable quality and cheap, so as long as they last the distance until Wriggles grows out of them, that will do.

Equipment:

Travel System - bought a 2nd hand travel system off eBay a month ago and will soon hand it over to DSS1 to clean it up like he does his Nanna's car in return for a top up of pocket money (dettol wipes at the ready for the pram instead of wash 'n' wax). Before we found that one, we'd been checking the local charity shops and had seen some really good prams & travel systems with all the added extras for a quarter of the normal price (M&P, Graco, Chicco, etc), but we weren't ready to buy at that time. The only things with doing things that way is that you don't have the choice that you have in a store, but if you see a bargain which is in mint condition, then who's to argue?

Regarding the cot, a friend has offered me her boys' old swing crib for the first month or two while baby sleeps in with us, then we're getting a cot from Ikea after DP has been down there with me and pronounced their cots satisfactory (and he's a fussy bugger over these things as he used to work for a nursery furniture company).

(We're not tight, honest! )

I think mothercare vests and sleepsuits are well worth it! They are great quality and stand up really well to numerous washings and tumble dries!

Boots sell baby clothes and bottles sterilisers etc they also sell some prams toys and other stuff. Argos sell stuff for the nursery including moses baskets cheap and monitors etc. I would not buy a pram online tho as you really need to test drive it first. Supermarkets have quiet a lot as well. Good luck!

Oh yeah forgot to say toys r us have loads too

I was going to just go to mothercare because its local and I thought stuff looked ok. However, overriding theme on a lot of threads seems to be that its expensive and not very good quality.

Up to now I have mainly bought second hand travel system from a family friend. A cot new from mothercare - but dont have it out the box yet.

Just wondered what else is out there really. Locally I have a tesco, asda, matalan, mothercare, toysr us, mamas and papas, ikea but shop online a lot.

Had a few leaflets in mags etc but you don't know the quality so hoping people will have some experience in whats good and whats not!

kiddicare looks good :)

Kiddiecare and precious little ones were by fa the best I thought, we got pretty much everything from there. eBay shops were good for bottles etc x

For DC1 I got the cot, mattress and car seat from Mothercare. I would really recommend their cot mattresses with the removable top cover.

I got the pram from an independent retailer. Sadly closed now :(

All the clothes that I bought came from Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda or Next. Tesco do excellent newborn vests with poppers all the way down the front so you can dress/undress a baby without head control very easily. They were great up until about 4 months. I think H&M do them too. Everything has worn very well (DS is now 2yo) and we'll be re-using for DC2 in the autumn.

Kiddicare is really good. I got a few bits and pieces from there and they have great sales.

Other bits were picked up 2nd hand from eBay - playmat, swing etc.

I refuse to buy from Mamas and Papas because their aftersales service is so appallingly bad. I have heard enough horror stories to just not go there.

i found Ikea great for cot, high chair, towels changing matt and changing table and sleeping bags and weaning bowls

it was all a lot cheaper than other places. Other stuff I bought from john lewis. I seemed to be in there a lot after DD was born too. Got my pram from john lewis and after sales have been amazing.

Ebay is great for clothes.

oh yeah and h&m is a god send for cheap but cute clothes

symths the toy shop have baby things,this is were I got my closer to nature bottles,sterilisers and dummys from,I wont use dummys unless I really have too,but we will see how I get on.

On the same day I bought them I went to mothercare and even with the three for two smyths was still cheaper.

my fav maternity jeans are from peacocks and were £18.

Muslins we got from mothercare, sheets and blankets too. Random bits and bobs like bath thermometer and tippy cups came from Sainsburys during the normal shop. Wipes bought as and when from wherever had them on offer. Nappies from kittikins and fill-your-pants (reusable - both online). Changing mats came from somewhere like babies r us, I think. Bath support from mothercare, highchair from ikea (about £10 and fab), bath towels from mothercare initially then ikea when bigger ones needed. Baby clothes from everywhere; mothercare, john lewis, boots, H&M, supermarkets, next etc. Maternity clothes from next, blooming marvellous and dorothy perkins mostly - couple of bits from mamas and papas sale. Pushchair and car seat from kiddicare, also cot and mattree from there I think. Tried out lots of different pushchairs in shops first, then bought it online at the cheapest price. Moses basket and bouncy chair were borrowed and I bought a mattress for the basket and another for the pram (where she finally decided she preferred to sleep...) from an online site - baby mattresses online or something equally inspired! (.)(.) all my own NCT nearly new sales are also quite good - bought a few toys there.

i always bought big equipment pushchairs, high chairs etc from john lewis, their customer service is always really good and they will price match if you find it cheaper elsewhere.

boots for bottles, steriliser etc or tesco actually i think i got my sterilser for dd in as it was on offer.

clothes from h&m, next, and online, h&m is FAB for baby and toddler clothes!

kiddicare is great, i often find something i like in a shop and then buy from them as its cheaper, i did that with carseats and a highchair.

nct sales are worth checking out and ebay!

Mothercare is fab for big ticket items as they will price match! I went in, played with all the prams and chose the one I wanted, went for a brew in Starbucks and shopped around online for the best price, then went back in and ordered it for £100 less than if I hadn't looked around! Still meant I had somewhere to take it back if I'd had any problems, and didn't have to worry about waiting in for delivery!

Clothes, I find asda are surprisingly good quality, next are ok at sale prices but think they are a rip off if you pay full price. Tesco have gorgeous clothes for girls but my local store has virtually nothin for boys.

Nappies can always be found on offer at supermarkets, although I found aldi ones leak far less than pampers or huggies.

Oh, and sign up for all the baby clubs including formula ones even if you plan on breastfeeding, I'm forever getting vouchers and free samples of jars through from them!

I got alot of accessories (bibs, bottles etc) and some big items (monitor, babybjorn carrier and babygym) when Boots did the baby even 3 for 2 and clocked up advantage card points too (apparently this happens 3 times a year). I ordered my carseat from them too and paid with it with points. They have excellent sales on the babyclothes often 75% off. Asda did a good baby event recently and I got nappies, highchair and bouncer seat. Primark for socks and mits etc.

We're getting pretty much everything from John Lewis.