When did you start buying things?

[oatlattetogo]

Just that really.

I’m just over 13 weeks, have had my dating scan and everything looked fine. I’d rather spread the cost of bigger items (or everything really!) and start buying a few bits now. I’m also keen (for financial and trying-to-be-environmental reasons) to get some of the bigger bits second hand, so I’m aware that if I decide I want a particular pram then I might have to wait a while for one to appear for sale online. To me it makes sense to go and have a look at new prams soon and then when we’ve picked one we like start looking straight away.

My partner is very much in the ‘it’s too early’ camp though, and doesn’t really want to start buying anything until a lot later on in the pregnancy. He fully admits that he’s superstitious and that’s the reason, which I am finding quite frustrating. Just to clarify he’s not said “I don’t want to buy anything now because I would find it even harder if something did go wrong with the pregnancy to have baby things in the house” but has actually said that he thinks it’s bad luck.

Did anyone else start shopping before 20 weeks? Am I mad?

We didn’t buy much before 20 weeks but we did actually buy our pram and car seat at about 16 weeks because we got a good deal.

I have managed to hold off and I'm 18 weeks but that is because I have been so anxious.
I literally want to buy everything but keeping telling myself no 😂 .

I'm not planning to buy anything till 30 weeks. I know that seems silly but I have the money stashed away! I just can't seem to believe this baby is real.

I started around 30 weeks as well.

Couldn't bear the thought of having a room full of baby things if something went wrong.

I happened to be in Mothercare at 14 weeks and saw a travel system I wanted at a good price so purchased there and then, didn't have it delivered until much later though.

I found a nuna travel set in immaculate condition for £300 and bought it when I was about 13 weeks because it was such a good bargain.

I have been picking up things in the sales and second hand since then. I have spent about £600 on stuff which new would have been in the region of £3k

I have no regrets, but did so knowing I would have to "deal with" all the items should anything go wrong.

I'm 27 weeks now and having everything is set up and ready to go has really helped me feel less out of control /more prepared. Financial its also made me calmer.

I got 1 outfit at 12 weeks and held back until we knew he was a boy and it made buying things easier. I was convinced something would go wrong as i have bad luck... but i have a friend who found out she was pregnant at 5 weeks and literally started buying everything and telling everyone.
Just do what makes you feel comfortable :)

After 12 weeks, I bought a pack of nappies every time I did a big shop.
For big stuff, after 26 weeks.

Got a snuzpod from Facebook for £35 this week, woo! 21 weeks! Bought a couple of bits of clothes before now but that’s the first main one.
Can’t remember when I started with the other 2 but would have been after 20 weeks ish I’m sure.

Instead of buying things, put the money aside that you could and would spend. Then once you get to 30 weeks do what you can.
My advice would be to not get many clothes, they live in sleep suits and vests for the first few months. And you really, really don't need bags full.

I'm currently 28 weeks and much the same as you wanted to spread the cost and also get certain things second hand, I'm not ashamed to same I bought my pram at 14 weeks, I now have everything bar probably the stuff that I won't even know I need until she's born. It has made everything so much easier and means I've just bought stuff month but month rather than having to buy it all in the last few weeks

About 6 mths, but I think we were later than most?!

Also there’s things you won’t need straight away eg cot. We’re not buying that until about 6 months old.

@oatlattetogo I started buying some clothes whenever I saw something I liked from 12 weeks. & our first ‘hard’ item from 16 weeks. I haven’t bought much though. Only a bottle bundle in Black Friday sales & we have 2 bags of new clothes (most from my lovely mil).

Buy what you want whenever you want. Everyone is different. Do what makes you feel comfortable. :)

& congratulations x

It depends on what you think is right really, agree with pp that spreading the cost could just be putting the money aside now & buying when you feel comfortable.
Personally, I felt that everything is 'bad luck' in pregnancy, something could go wrong at 12 weeks or 42 weeks & I would consider myself quite superstitious!
I have a separate nursery though & keep everything in there & know that if something goes wrong I'll just shut the door on it all. But at the same time, I know that we would keep trying & the stuff we've bought would still be used eventually.
I started buying early because we wanted to save money & think about the environment by getting things second hand & this requires research & testing of what we wanted & then searching online for items for sale second hand so extra time consuming. Also cleaning everything isn't something I'd want to have done heavily pregnant!
So if you're motivated to buy second hand then I'd definitely start early.
We also managed to get loads of free or crazily cheap second hand clothes & nappies just by keeping an eye on Facebook marketplace so it's well worth doing that & grabbing deals as they come up.
With regards to 'future' things, we bought our cot & clothes up to a year, some toys, a high chair (all second hand) even though we won't need until the baby is about 6 months because I just want it to be done & not have to worry about it when I've got a 3 month old! (Also looking at some things we want to buy new, many places are having supply issues so when things are back in stock, we're just going to buy even if we don't need them now as I don't want the stress of having to research & choose again etc)
It also helped us plan our space & downsize & rearrange our own things as we're starting to work out how to fit a baby & all the bits it needs into our life.
I am a big 'planner' though so I've been channeling my anxiety into this as I felt it was more productive than just worrying about what could happen until I eventually felt 'safe' in the pregnancy and then feeling under pressure to get everything last minute. (I also have 3 friends who's babies came early, starting from 30 weeks, so I really wanted to be prepared just in case!)
I also wanted to buy things second hand because I know that babies won't always like what you've chosen & will need to buy something different if necessary & this way we haven't lost out on too much money.

I'm 33 weeks and haven't bought anything yet, but we've started looking at cribs, prams and car seats over the past week or so.

I was nervous about buying things too early in case something went wrong, but now I wish we'd started a bit earlier as it feels like we're cutting it a bit fine!

From 12 weeks the odd baby grow, pack of muslins etc.
Bought my pram and car seat at 16 weeks, it was in a sale and couldn't walk away without it tbh.
Moses basket at about 18 weeks.
Started buying more baby grows, clothes etc at 18 weeks too.
Nappies and wipes in my weekly shop from 20 weeks.

I think just depends what your happy and comfortable with. No right or wrong.

I didn't buy anything until at least after 30 weeks each time (age gaps between all my kids meant nothing was kept!) more through being quite relaxed about it all than anything else. First time didn't buy anything til after 33 weeks as we were moving house and didn't want to get a load of stuff in before. Even then you don't need much... most people find themselves gifted with everything the baby needs.

I'm currently 21 weeks. Haven't bought much yet. Some of the bigger things are being gifted to us. We will need to buy a few bits but waiting until after Christmas as we have a lot to pay out and have just recently moved house

@oatlattetogo If your going to buy second hand buy it when you see it, we are waiting till March for everything (due in April) unless what I want is on sale or I find it on eBay new for bidding, mainly because we have no were to store it as already have 2 DC but with our first 2 we started buying after finding out the sex.

We are lucky in that we are inheriting a lot from my sister (cot, moses basket, pram, bath, loads of clothes etc). We bought a nexttome cot for when she's born second hand as there was one for sale at the time. Still need a few big things like car seat and a matress for the cot but holding out to see if there is anything good in the January sales.
Its totally up to you when you want to start buying but as Said previously if your wanting to spread the cost you can absolutely put money aside until your other half feels comfortable buying things

I am 26 weeks now (due early March), i have clothes etc but do a moses basket, next to me cot, play mat etc but only because my brother has given me stuff from his two kids.

We are going to start buying the rest in the new year when we got about 2 months left until she arrives.

The first thing I bought was a bath support at about 26 weeks but I was horrendously anxious through my whole pregnancy and I couldn’t bear to look at anything or have it in the house once I really did have to start buying things post about 34/35 weeks. So to be honest your way sounds better than that!

Currently 26 weeks and bought...a changing bag 😂

I'm 36 weeks and my travel system was only delivered today! Have most other things but did start quite late as didn't want to be tripping over boxes for weeks on end!