15 weeks pregnant - what should I be doing/buying etc

[MummaDee1]

Hi everyone, I'm currently 15+3. I'm just wondering what is everyone's recommendations for things I should be doing at the minute? Is there things I should be buying etc? I've started to look at ante natal classes but they won't be until December/January. When should we start the nursery? Any advice welcome for this first time Mum 😍

Hey! I'm 31 weeks and I haven't bought anything yet or started the nursery. There is no right or wrong way to do these things so just start whenever feels right for you.

If you have a baby shower then a lot of things can be bought for you, you might want to buy everything and just leave it unopened until nearer the time - it's honestly what works best for you! X

We didn’t start researching things until after the 20 week scan and didn’t start buying things until about 30 weeks. It’ll just cause clutter until then. A lot of people will tell you that you don’t need a nursery as they’ll be in with you to begin with, it’s much easier to decorate their room before they are here and it’s somewhere to store stuff. We did the nursery about 34 weeks.

At 15 weeks it’s mostly just enjoying it if the awful first trimester things have gone before the awful third trimester things start.

Hello,

Congratulations! Like PP said it's totally up to you. I had a second trimester loss before so didn't plan to do anything till post 24 weeks which is viability. I then started looking at prams and sale items for more expensive things but didn't go ahead and buy things till 34 weeks (more for space and we had Black Friday just before our little one so I waited till then). Nursery I started painting at 33 weeks and was done by 35. I also liked to wait as I felt any sooner and I'd be really impatient by the time baby arrives.

Around 15 weeks I started to stock up on nappies and wipes each time I did a shop, it was a great help when DC came long. Also look out for the different supermarkets baby events, some great offers

Now is a good time to start researching the things you want to buy - pram, car seat, for, etc.

If you are planning on getting a scan to find out the sex soon, you could start picking up a few girly/boy items of clothing too.

Absolutely no right or wrong with this, so buy what you want at a time that suits you.

There is no right or wrong but I started buying stuff after my 20 week scan. I was so ill and sick still at 15 weeks anyway. I'm almost 37 weeks now and I have everything. No nursery though, baby will be sleeping in my room till up to 6 months anyway.

As others are saying, no rush, but if you feel you want to get started I'd recommend researching the most expensive items, get an idea of prices and start monitoring them over time for good offers.
Also, if you're planning ton sending your child to nursery at some point, I would start researching those too. Much easier to go for viewings without a baby, and waiting lists can be huge, so the earlier the better.

I would recommend writing 2 lists. One of baby things and one of things that you will need or would make your life more comfortable after the birth.

I would recommend browsing shops and making a list and budgeting. When I started I had completely different things in my list to what I actually ended up buying. Better to start research early!

I’m 25 weeks and have started the nursery. I’ve brought a couple of bits mainly when they’ve been reduced. Though I do kinda think I should be doing more. It just depends on the person

I would say think about how much you want to/can spend on things. I bought all my nursery furniture while I was 16 weeks as it was second hand and I got a great deal. Got the pram by 18 weeks as it was on sale. I was buying slowley everything second hand and sale so by the time I was 28 weeks the nursery was done and hospital bag was packed. Prepared for everything and ended up having an induction at 41 weeks. 😄 Still glad I did it there is no point to rush and spend a fortune when you can start planning early!

I used the second trimester (which is often the one where you feel best) to cook lots of bulk meals for the freezer. These were a blessing in the last few uncomfortable weeks of pregnancy and then once the baby arrived.

Also, consider whether there are things you fancy doing with your partner or with friends that might be tricky with a newborn. Cinema, theatre, art gallery, city break, whatever.

It's a great time to look into things you might want to consider with your newborn, whether or not you decide to go along with them - cloth nappies, elimination communication, baby sign language, baby wearing, and so on.

And if you want to buy anything second hand (which will save a fortune!) it's never too early to start looking out.

Best of luck!

Thanks so much everyone for the hugely helpful comments ☺️ I did think it might be too soon to start purchasing but researching seems like a reasonable thing to start doing especially the big ticket items (how much for a pram 😵‍💫😂)

Did anyone do the NCT antenatal classes? I've heard mixed reviews but that they're great for meeting other mum's to be

They are expensive and what you actually learn is not very useful, apart from the lesson on breastfeeding which I found really good. It can still be worth it if the group of mums joining with you is nice, but in my case we did not click at all, so ended up being a waste of money.
You need to assess whether it is worth the risk or not, it could be a great opportunity to find support and company for your mat leave, but it's not a guarantee.
Baby groups, playgroups, baby classes and apps like Peanuts can be good free alternatives for that, even though there will be more of a mix of baby ages in there

@MummaDee1 I did NCT but during COVID so it was all online. You are basically paying (a lot!) for friends but I'm so glad we did it as we were all going through the same things/feelings at the same time so we had a sounding board. And we still do even though our babies are now turning 2.

On your original question, I didn't buy anything until about 25 weeks ish because it didn't feel right for me/us as it still felt too early but everyone is different! I didn't start the nursery until baby turned 1. And baby didn't move into it until 18m. You've got plenty of time!