First Baby - Things to buy? Is it too early?

[TwinklyTwinkle]

Hi,

I'm currently 15 weeks pregnant with our first child and just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on things I should start or consider buying now? I'm holding off on big nursery items till after the 20 week scan (we'll find out the sex most likely) but I'm not sure whether I should hold off on buying everything till after the scan?

Is it too early?

Honestly it depends. I'm now 32 weeks and have only just started buying stuff and I really regret that I didn't do it earlier. I'm huge now and I am really suffering from fatigue. I can barely walk due to PGP and it's just really difficult. I was very superstitious and didn't want to start early. I wish I had just done it sooner. Perhaps start as soon as you've had the 20 week scan, if you're also superstitious / don't want the house full of stuff for ages. I only allowed myself to start once I hit the third trimester and I didn't do it quickly enough. Now I'm a whale and I am physically not able to do much at all. I had no idea it would be this tough physically. All the feet to you.

That Last sentence was supposed to say ' all the best to you '. Lol

We just picked things up as we saw them. I’m 23 weeks and we had the pram before my 20 week scan, clothes, bottle starter set and all sorts as it was an amazing bargain (or I saw an outfit and needed to leave with it!). Our nursery furniture will arrive Monday and then it’s only car seats and we will be ready (minus nappies etc). It’s helped with our financial planning and it meant I could go out and shop and enjoy it without pain etc which I get now. Also helped my fiancé to bond and feel more involved with the bump. I mean, we went to a mothercare new parents event (gave a discount) at about 10 weeks as it was on and we were excited and picked up stuff then!

So in short, buy what you want when you want it :) especially if you see what you want at an awesome price (every little helps!)

Some people buy from very early on, some people wait for the dating scan, some wait for the anomaly and some don’t buy until ‘viable’ and past 24 weeks. It’s a personal choice.

I got stuff before my dating scan 🤣🤣. Just start getting one thing with your weekly shop each week. A pack of nappies. A changing mat. A pack of onesies 😊

I did buy one bit of clothing early in...probay 12 weeks.

Bought Pam at 14. Then slowly slowly from about 16... Trouble with starting early is you forget what you have bought and what you haven't.

Thanks everyone!

I wasnt considering clothing yet, but now I'm wanting to rush out and buy stuff!! Very good point about it possibly getting harder once I get bigger! @tryagain20 Hope it starts to get a bit easier for you soon, PGP sounds awful :(

I've totally been influenced by the Black Friday sales and I think I'm worried I'm going to miss out on saving money on stuff I actually need but am holding back on buying! Good idea on stocking up on nappies too, something else I hadnt considered!

@TwinklyTwinkle thank you !

Another thing to consider- a previous poster mentioned they kind of just picked things up as and when and perhaps even weekly. That's also a good idea actually. Where I'm at, it seems like such a humongous task - I kind of wish I had just slowly started to accumulate stuff. Then it wouldn't seem as daunting.

I’d wait a little longer.
If the worst happened, it would be like torture having to deal with all the things you’d bought

I would wait and pick stuff up as you go. What's the point of buying something so early just to see a much cuter/better version later on or the same item in the Christmas sales with a massive discount?

I only started buying after 36 weeks just in case there were issues and I had a premie baby (premies often stay in hospital for ages and often put on weight quickly so can grow out of things before they use them). It wasn’t a problem. I researched offers and got John Lewis to match as much as they could lol.

My 20 week scan is next week.
I have been buying odd bits of clothing the last few weeks as live rather remote and was travelling in a city, so if i sa something I liked I picked up.
Have been tempted by black friday, ie the pram we like is 30% off. But i think boxing day sales will be just as good, so would rather wait until after 20 week scan for any larger items. Have been looking up brands and what type we would like though so I think we can order later on

Yeah..I do keep thinking if the worst happens it would be awful. Someone I know recently lost a baby at 5 months and it kinda terrified me, so even though it's our first and we're excited, we haven't done any of the social media announcements and have kept it quite low key!

I think I might pick up nappies and little things along the way just to make life easier and then wait till after the scan before we start considering other items! Our 20 week scan is on Jan 6th so my mum said the January sales should hopefully be just as good! @caspianberg Thanks - good idea about looking up stuff and choosing brands now and buying it later!

I’m only 5 weeks, but will be getting the big ticket items in the January sales (I’ll be 10-12 weeks)! Particularly Mothercare stuff. Seems silly to miss out on price reductions because of superstition and I want to be able to gradually prepare over the coming months rather than have LOADS to do when I’m exhausted in the third trimester

It's such a lovely time, buying things for your expected baby. I'd get to Mothercare and shop! They have a closing down sale on!

I've been thinking the same about the Mothercare sales. I'm still only just pregnant but don't want to miss out on a bargain. Well, that's my excuse...really I just want to buy some itsy bitsy baby things!

We got some little bits after the 20 week scan. I also had pgp and it did make it hard to get to town and carry stuff home (I don't drive) we got the pram after 35 weeks because of a house move, we had to order it and wait over a week for it to be in stock so keep that in mind if you leave it last minute. We bought the cotbed when my son was 5 months old, same as high chair, bouncers, baby swing, play gyms. I found it easier to know what we wanted and more importantly what we didn't want when he was born. Saying that I'd keep an eye on the closing down sales at mothercare. If you can save money then it's worth it in my opinion.

Mothercare Sales isn’t a bargain though. They raised prices when they announced they were closing down and have now reduced 10-20% off that: most of the things they sell are cheaper at other retailers (including Pramworld / John Lewis etc).

I'm currently 26 weeks and the only things I have bought are the car seat and the base (bought this week) as we're £50 cheaper than I've seen them anywhere else. Will be waiting until 36 weeks to buy anything else unless seriously (£50 ISH) discounted as I will struggle to deal with the stuff if anything goes wrong and generally do internet shopping anyway so don't need to go anywhere (there has been one still birth this year on my husband's side of the family, and a good friend's sister lost her baby at 2 weeks after being born prematurely so I am somewhat paranoid). I have been looking at stuff and deciding what I want though so I can get it ordered without any bother a couple of weeks out.

• they were

I'll be 12 weeks on Jan the 1st so I'll definitely be looking for some bargains in the sales!

@GrumpyHoonMain Yes!! I noticed that, as soon as it was announced I had a little look online and everything I saw was cheaper elsewhere!

We started picking up things after 20w scan. At first it was mainly cute clothes. Then around 25w we got next to me. We bought big stuff (travel system etc.) at around 34w. Still left me with sufficient time to wash/iron everything and get ready for the little one. 37 full weeks now and feeling ready. So find your own pace - what feels good. Don't rush and buy if you're going to feel guilty and very superstitious afterwards - it helped me manage fears to start small and just 'here and there'.