what did you buy before birth?

[peanutMD]

I shouldn't really have to ask this as I already have a g year old but I seem to have forgotten what I did way back then

I am 29+3 with DC2 and seem to be determined to get my bargains in early, I should say everything I have bought has been at bargain prices so whilst I feel I have night loss in reality I haven't spent much.

So far I have accumulated:

Babystyle lux (my walking pram) £80
Maxi cosi cabrio (which I'm doing away with as got from a work mate who bought it new 3 years ago but the expiry is 2011 so this was a mistake) £15
Play gym reduced in Tesco £4
Steriliser and 5 new bottles (2nd hand) £20
Smith-firm wrap sling £10
4 packs nappies in different sizes £10 (bought with coupons/half price)
Tube of lansinoh FREE thanks to a lovely MNer
Pack of washable great pads £6

Argh didn't mean to post that already, using daft phone.

Anyway yes this is what I have picked up so far plus my boots change bag, it just seems a lot but I keep setting things at good prices and grabbing them has anyone else had the shopping urge?

I'm also watching a BAgile on Ebay, barely used for £80 as my transport pushchair as I don't drive but do use buses sometimes.

Please tell me I'm normal :o

I have my double pushchair and have has it for a long time (just after 12week scan). Like you I got it second hand for half what I had seen second hand models online, so very good deal and couldnt leave it.
DC1 is going to be two when the baby arrives more or less so this was the only thing we needed. I think its pretty normal I was so much more relaxed once I had bought the pushchair as I was worrying due to my budget etc.

Is that an expiry date on the car seat??? I've never heard of that and was planning on getting a Maxicosi second hand from family (little boy is 18 months now) so well that be okay?

I'm 18 weeks now and have got quite a bit of stuff already, just been picking it up as I've found bargains and my MIL and step mum have been picking up bits too so collection is growing quite quickly!

Before birth I had a sling, a crib and some nappies and clothes. Sure I haven't added much actually. A car seat and some more clothes. Oh and a breast pump.

Did the boots changing bag come with a changing mat? I thought it did but I haven't got mine yet, wondering if I should buy.
Didn't know car seats had expiry date. We will only use it for trip home from hospital. Should I get a new one?

Pretty much everything I could possible need, according to the books/mumsnet been given loads of stuff from my sister (who has 2 kids) stuff from charity shops (amazing quality and bargin prices and ebay. I wanted to spread the cost and buy while I was working. I know most of the stuff (especially the toys) will NOT get uses for ages but am happy to have them and the nursery looks so lovely (Its the coolest room in the house) My mum has dug out all mine and my sisters old fisherprice toys from the 80's they have cleaned up brilliantly and look great, cant wait to tell my little gitl how I played with them when I was little, they're very retro and NOT horribly platic and electronic which I hate, EVIL VTech toys :(.

Where I live there are lots of pregnant women who share stuff and its great to pass things on, I also will be returning lots of stuff when its outgrown back to the charity shops to give back.

I am sure I have too many 0-3 sleepsuits but I am so addicted, ther's great advice on here about what you ACTUALLY NEED and to be honest its not that much essentially to start with.

So glad I'm not alone on this :o

Laura, according to Maxi Cosi their seats have a maximum 5 year life span due to plastic degradation. Whether this is a marketing plot or not I don't know but half the people I know are advising against and others for so I have given in and getting rid just incase. We don't even drive so will probably get used a maximum of 20 times but safety comes first I guess.

Agree Twitchy can definitely be a bad thing so I too am trying to stick to the essentials although the sling is just because I really think it may be useful from time to time and if not it can easily be sold on. Steriliser is also a fail safe incase BF doesn't work, never tried last time but fingers Crossed :)

By no means an essential but in addition to pram car seat nappies and some second hand baby grows my best buy was my slider feeding chair..breast fed ds until 15 m and was so comfortable to sit in during those night feeds. Still is and if we weren't skint i'd be getting another for arrival of dc2 as i still use it for night time cuddles with ds. sling was my second favourite buy. I used a moby wrap while baby small then got ergo carrier as got fed up of dripping material in puddles from fabric wrap and felt ergo supported my back better.

Got loads of hand me downs and baby gym was great as kept ds occupied and distracted while i went to loo etc....although to be fair i think there"ll be a lot more benign neglect with dc2 as i have realised babies don't explode if not given 24hr attention. Although sling is great for lots of bonding time.
Good luck with your dc2

Thanks for the information Peanut :) think the one I'm getting will be fine then!

Should be Laura, if you open the little compartment at the back of the seat there are a set of dials, the one on the right hand side has a date which is the year of expiry.

I only realised about the car seat expiring after 5 years by chance last week. We are expecting DD3 and had planned to use the one purchased for DD1 8 years ago. Have now ordered a new one which thankfully is still compatible with the travel system. I think this should be much more widely advertised!

This, and new bottles, are the only items we have had to replace! Buy well for your first and it really does pay dividends when you expand your family later.

Dc3 here, and 32w. I am sorted. Totally done and finished!
Mum is buying me a swing for the living room in the new year, but pushchair is bought and customised already, nursery decorated and ready to go, have the necessary feeding equipment in my bra, box and tablets for sterilising, nappies, wipes, dummies, Infacol, clothes, car seat, everything really! My hospital bag is packed with pre washed baby clothes. Just waiting for her to put in an appearance now.
In defence of my organisational skills, I have previous form for being ill/immobilised with spd anytime from now onwards, and I get so stressy when i need to get stuff and can't get out to shops!

32+6, have actually bought virtually nothing, save for a few sleepsuits and muslins. Have been given absolutely everything, from a baby bath to a complete travel system. The car seat part of this has come from a good friend so I know its provenance.
The only things I have left to get are a cot mattress and a changing mat!!
Oh, and nappies.
I'm dying to get all the stuff washed, but I figure as she's unlikely to put in an appearance for a few weeks yet I may as well hold off on that for a bit.