When did you start buying baby things?

[Sunshinestar43]

Hey hey, I’m pretty new to this as it’s my first little baby!

When did you all start buying things? I’m soooo desperate to start but I feel like it’s a little early, I have my anomaly scan booked for the start of March and was thinking about starting after then?

Also where does everyone recommend to buy clothes and furniture etc? I’m gutted mothercare has just closed as they always had some cute little bits

I am 22 weeks and started buying after the anomaly scan. Still haven’t bought anything big like a pram or cot. Will probably wait a while for that. Mainly due to space though! Don’t want a pram sitting around for the next few months. I also don’t want to duplicate anything I might get at my baby shower.

How exciting! I think start buying after your scan.
Remember for bigger things like prams they might have a warranty/exchange time.
So if you buy now and realise there’s an issue in 4 months you might have problems returning it.... however.... I bought all my things early and just set it all up so I knew it was fine :)
I know some people are superstitious but if you are excited... go for it!!! Enjoy shopping!
Check out Mamas and Papas seem mothercare isn’t on the high street.

I'm 17 weeks, going to wait until after 20 week scan and then start looking for bargains. The bigger bits I'll wait until closer the time though

We started buying properly after the 20 week scan, but if we saw smaller things then we got them before.

After the 20 week scan mainly, but won’t be getting the most expensive thing (a pram travel system) until 28 weeks maybe...

A few bits of clothing from the first scan onwards, built it up over the months. Bigger things not until the third trimester.

A pack of 3 vests after the anomaly scan but nothing else until 34 weeks. I did make a list of things we would need though (mostly from ikea) and chose a car seat and pushchair. I just didn't buy it until 34 weeks.

Bought cots(we had DT’s), car seats, bottles and pram about a month before they were born. DH bought some babygros and nappies the day we knew the csection date.

Didn’t buy anything else until after they were born - got given enough clothes to last them for the first 18 months.

Will start after the 20 week scan. Will have moved into a new house too.

I made myself wait until after my 20 week scan both times. I'd recommend not buying 'nursery furniture' as it's overpriced IME. Paid £600 in the sale the first time and it's really not lasted very well, also a changing table is useless unless it's one you can change into a chest of draws after. This time have gone for a regular chest of draws, wardrobe and cot from IKEA and it's worked out much cheaper.

Supermarkets are cheap and cheerful for baby clothes. I find Sainsbury's is really good quality for the price. Next, H&M and matalan are good too. Zara if you want some fancier bits .

I'd recommend looking for some things second hand too. I got everything new for my first but this time around have picked up some really nice stuff that's barely been used for a fraction of the price. Have a look on eBay or schpock.

I'm 20 weeks with my 5th child. Starting from scratch though as there is a 6year age gap between this one and my youngest so I have got rid of everything.

I would say don't buy anything yet at all but use the time carefully to decide what you are going to buy v and budget for it..

Don't buy much in the way of clothes at all. As it's your first my experience is that you will be inundated with gifts and will have enough to clothe the baby until it is at least 6!months old. People that barely knew my parents and had never met me bought me gifts. You'll be writing thank you letters for about 6 months!! It does tail off with later children and by my 4th I barely got a card!! (Just as well as I was spending all my time doing laundry so wouldn't have had time to write a thank you letter).

Anyhow, you literally need nothing for a new baby. I'm not going to buy until at least 32 weeks (and from then will be looking out for sales etc) but know what I need. My list is:

1. Pack of baby grows
2. Pack of vests
3. Pack of nappies
4. Cotton wool (don't bother with a top and tail bowl or a baby bath or any of that stuff)
5. Bed for baby. I'm splurging and getting a snuzepod this time round. I always had a Moses basket before but they look much better. Pricey though. At least 2 sets of bedding including swaddling and a blanket. You'll probably get given a lot of blankets though.
6. Car seat. I need to do a bit more research on this. Have always favoured maxi cozi that go with travel system but many more options now.
7. Pram. I want a bugaboo chameleon but am planning on buying second hand so will need to be a bit more flexible to get a good condition one. If I was buying brand new unless I was getting £100's off I would not buy until due date. Most retailers do very quick delivery and you just don't need something bulky like that sat around.
8. In ear thermometer.

Everything else (mats, chairs, other clothes) can wait in my opinion. Obviously if you see cute little outfits those are nice for you to buy too 😂. But I'm limiting that as I know we will have too much. Your due in summer too so you really don't need much in the way of clothing. HTH.

We got our pram at about 14 weeks but that’s because we wanted a specific one and it was in the January sales with a massive saving. Since the 20 week scan we’ve been getting clothes and little things.
Will probably leave nursery furniture and car seat etc until 30+ weeks.

Babies need virtually nothing. Furniture? Clothes? You just need baby grows and nappies and vests etc. We didn’t even have a pram or car seat (no car). We had a sling and a Moses basket. Nothing else till the baby was much older. We got everything in the month before birth.

I waited until after the 20 week scan, happily this was before the christmas sales so got a load of stuff in that.

Id really encourage you to go on Facebook Marketplace or wait for some kind of sale if you can as it'll cut costs dramatically.

I'm 24 weeks and we bought little bits around 16 weeks then after 20 we got everything. I'd REALLY recommend eBay for furniture! It was the first time I'd used it (behind the times I know 😜) vit I managed to find all mamas and papas furniture that matched (but bought separately) for a total of £105, worth over £1,300 if bought new from their shop!

I made the most of mothercare closing down and mums picked up lots of random bits on markets for me,

I started shopping at the start of the 3rd trimester. This coincided with January sales so I wanted to get the big stuff out of the way (travel system and nursery furniture) while I could save some money.

Otherwise I probably could have waited a bit longer.

I'll add that I'm not expecting any gifts, so my baby is only getting what I buy for him myself.

I'm not having a baby shower. Didn't get anything from work colleagues. My family live abroad and it wouldn't make much sense for them to post stuff over to me. My husband's family don't seem too excited (this is my first baby but their 6th grandchild). Not everyone is lucky enough to get showered with freebies.

I’m 16 weeks, bought a pack of vests, some wipes and a steriliser from mothercare as it was £4 instead of £30. Mum also bought next to me cot in a baby event for a good price.

Buggy im hoping to get a good deal at the London baby show this month, and my local baby store have said they will match any deals I find at the baby show.
My local baby store takes a 50% deposit on buggy and car seat and you can just pay it off as and when you want.
They will also store it until your ready.
I am getting this early as the set we’re looking at is around £1500+ so need time to pay off, plus as they store it until we’re ready,
I haven’t got to worry about having it in the house.

If easier/cheaper to buy now then do it, what will be will be is eBay I say xx