When to start stocking up on baby stuff?

[Evianontoast]

I’m 21 weeks and finally feel excited to start looking at baby stuff (especially as I know the sex now) but I still feel a little nervous about buying stuff because it feels wayyyy too early and... I dunno... somehow still feels a little bit like bad luck? (I know that sounds strange but it just feels like I’m getting ahead of myself).

When did you start buying baby things? I’m hoping by 3rd trimester I’ll feel more relaxed about it.

I had a similar feeling, and told myself I'd get started after 20 weeks... In the end, we actually got our pram around 16 weeks.

I'm 23 weeks now and we've got a decent amount of clothes, and I'm starting to feel quite anxious about getting the car seat and cot etc sorted.

I wouldn't have wanted to leave it right to the end... My husband was born at 32 weeks and I have close friends whose babies came around 34 weeks, all absolutely fine but didn't want to wait!

It felt weird until we started buying, but that passed pretty soon when we did, and I think it helped to relieve some of the general anxiety I had about it too... I'm glad I started, it's made the last few weeks more exciting!

But it's absolutely up to you. If you do leave it late, I'd make sure you've decided what you want incase your partner or family etc need to go get them for you, just incase baby makes an early appearance.

Small stuff after 12 week scan and bigger stuff after the 20 week. I would have been too tired and lazy to do much later on. That said I only bought the basics as you don't always know what you will need and you can always go out and buy most of these baby gadgets if you don't think you'll use it

I think I started buying bits I liked from about 20-22 weeks. Large items like pram sometimes have a few months waiting or delivery just so your aware.

I really recommend washable wipes as just small flannels so buy once, no need to buy again, and for creams/ bath wash etc only buy max 1 as many babies react or don’t suit certain ones so it’s better to buy 1 and try first to see whether suitable.

If you like item of clothing, newborn only fitted 3 days here, then 0-1 month not long, so buy the nicer items in 3+ months as get longer use.

I'm currently 26+4 with my second and have a fair few outfits (the very basics) and a pack of nappies and nipple cream just so I can spread the cost abit. With my first I didnt start until after 30 weeks but started earlier this time. Buy when you want/can afford to x

Poorly toddler here too oops forgot about major bits haha. Started buying those too to spread cost!

@TakeYourFinalPosition it’s good to hear the anxiety went a little after you started. I think I might feel the same. Like I’ll buy the first thing and nothing will go horribly wrong (fingers crossed anyway) and then I’ll feel more secure about the rest, maybe?

@Caspianberg omg that’s such a good point about delivery! Thank you, I hadn’t even thought about it!

@MoreAloneTime that’s also a good point about being too tired later on. Hadn’t really thought about that either, to be honest. Feeling pretty good at the moment so maybe now is a good time to start before getting around begins to become a lot more of a chore! Thanks.

@Needingsupportplease Yes, spreading the cost is one of the reasons I’m beginning to look now - because, as you say, it’d be good to not leave everything to one month and that be a very tight month.

Thank you all for your input, it’s reassured me that now is not too soon :)