When did everyone begin buying stuff for their baby?

[El77]

what did you buy first compared to last min?

What would you advise buying early?

Thanks so much! ❤️

Big things like furniture were last on the list.
Everything else I bought little by little when on offer to help stretch the budget. I threw a pack of nappies, wipes, ready made formula or maternity pads etc in to my shopping each time for several weeks so I didn't really notice the cost. We had lots in storage already too.

There's no right order to get things but don't leave essentials (somewhere to sleep, carseat/pram) too late in case baby arrives early.

What I bought and when varied with each of the 4dc.

With dc1 i was on a very very tight budget. Got on really well with staff in Mothercare, and arranged to buy cot/carseat/pushair/travel cot etc as they became ex display. So really I had no control as to when I bought those. My mum gave me a bundle of baby clothes she'd bought when I was about 8months pregnant, and it spurred me into action. Bought nappies/bottles etc with my last pay packet before maternity leave started at 39weeks.

By dc4, I pretty much had everything by 6months, mostly as I knew I'd be too tired in last trimester to go shopping.

Basics gradually with the groceries from about 5 months onwards.

Newborn vests, changing bag & contents, a few sleep suits. And a tiny cardigan & hat in the softest wool, to come home from hospital.
I left the bigger stuff until the last month. We were lent a cot so it was really just buggy & car seat, which I bought as one system.

I bought a book of baby knitting patterns at 9 weeks.

Didn’t but anything else until we bought the travel system in a sale at about 25 weeks.

We got bits early on and steadily though out( was all sorted by 26 weeks), we waited until we saw the things we wanted on sale and just stored them away, really helps to spread the cost and like hell I'm buyin big items that ant on sale. Buy when you feel ready and if you have the room to store things.
If not ready to pull the trigger never hurts to get your list going and start doing research on the big items you want as choosing a buggy is a minefield

Don’t leave anything too last minute!

I started after my second scan, probably ordered the pram, car seat and cot around 30 week. Picked up sleepsuits and vests as I saw them, and bedding. You actually don’t need much in the first few weeks.

With both DCs I have bought everything from 37 weeks. Considered very last minute for some but I feel weirdly superstitious about shopping early for baby. Can't help it.
I'm currently 38 weeks now and a bulk of my items have only just arrived. Excited 😆 lol

Also it gives me something to do once maternity leave starts as it can be quite boring when you're waiting for baby to arrive. Shopping, packing arranging etc.

I’m another superstitious one. I never buy anything until I’m at least 28 weeks. And even then I feel like I’m tempting fate. I nearly bought something at about 10 weeks with pregnancy 4 - a sling in a charity shop that was exactly the one I wanted and was only a couple of quid. I didn’t and am grateful that I didn’t as I miscarried a few weeks later. Illogical though it might be, if I had purchased it I would have always felt that somehow I’d caused the miscarriage.

But even if you are not superstitious, I would not buy anything until at least the 12 week scan, and probably not until the 20 week scan. You’ll still have plenty of time to spread the cost, and get everything you need.

I bought most things before the last trimester and definitely didn't want to go out shopping in the later stages of pregnancy due to SPD.

I’ve been researching throughout pregnancy so I knew what I was saving for but didn’t really buy anything until just before 28 weeks, except for the pram which I bought at 25 weeks because it was on sale. I have a list that we’re working through gradually.

Probably around 24 weeks but I started researching and choosing what to buy before that. I think waiting a while to start shopping gave me a better idea of what I wanted and needed. I have a baby shopping list on my phone that I wrote out in the first trimester but I now realise I don't need half that stuff.

I started buying unisex clothes after my 12-week scan.
I started buying boy's clothes after my 20-week scan.
I'm 26 weeks now and I've got the pram, Moses basket, bedding, car seat, bottles, sterilizer, swing seat, rain cover for the car seat, and pram.
soon I will start stocking up on some nappies.

I'm trying to buy at least 1 thing we will need each week to spread the cost.

My partner and I started getting basic/essential things after the 20 week scan & screening was completed. We used the list provided on the NHS Choices website and Baby Buddy app as our guide. We started early as we wanted plenty of time to research products and figure out what suited our individual needs & preferences. It also meant we could find good deals on new and second-hand stuff. Some people prefer to buy things later and still find some great items at a good price. Whatever feels most comfortable for you is the best decision. 😊💜

I'm 24 weeks and haven't really bought anything yet (one or two cute outfits but nothing else). We don't have a massive amount of space in the house and the room which will be our nursery needs to remain as my office until I'm off on maternity leave as we're both still working from home. We've researched what we're after so should be able to tick things off fairly quickly closer to the time.

We got a steady stream, something with each pay day. We redecorated the 'nursery' when I was about 16 weeks and then started gradually buying and putting in the drawers/wardrobes.

Bulky stuff is good to get reasonably early because they are necessities and often have lead times, but then you have to think of storage (next2me, pram, baby bath, steriliser, changing bag, bottles/perfect prep if using).

Never too early to get HUNDREDS of muslins! Baby towels, blankets and changing mats (one upstairs and one downstairs I would recommend!) are good to get in as and when but no rush. You will tend to be bought tons of clothes and get hand me downs so they can be later on but nice to have around earlier too :)

This is #2 so we have most things already, but I'm 30 weeks and have been buying bits of clothes and next pay day will be getting stuff for me for hospital (dressing gown, slippers, breast pads, maternity pads, nipple cream etc.) and nappies x

Pram arrived last week at 23 weeks because there was a brilliant special offer! (Stored at my parents)
Everything else I've bought has been after 15 weeks whenever I've seen a special offer in the supermarket- tommee tippee bottles half price, dummies, curtains when dunelm had 20% off etc.

Starting to research other items but not sure whether to wait a few weeks.

First baby 7 years ago and was in a rush to get everything and ended up bored waiting!!