Is 14 weeks too early to buy my pram?

[Kerrylf]

I've had my 12 week scan (at 14 weeks) we had a john lewis baby appointment at the weekend along with a mamas and papas pram demo. Now we know what we want to buy, its currently in the black friday sale, but I feel like its too early to buy it? We have the space to store it and also conscious that at full price its £500 more.

I would buy it. But I don’t understand all the keep it secret til 12 weeks thing either-so I’m probably not a good person to ask!

The keep it secret thing is because it is incredibly common, particularly as you get older, to miscarry under 12 weeks. I speak as someone who lost 4 babies all at around 11 weeks. The first two I had happily told everyone in the world that I was pregnant - and it made it incredibly difficult to spend the next thee months or so with random people asking how it was going.

After that I kept the news to myself and DH.

I'd buy it but keep it wrapped with the receipt incase you change your mind/see a better deal after Christmas. Remember that Black Friday deals are rarely as good as they seem!

Do you have somewhere to store it for 6 months?

It's the storing it that's the problem. Do you have somewhere to keep it?

Some people are more private. 9 months is a long time and anything could happen. It makes sense not to go telling everyone straight away.

I would wait till after January or if you got a good price. What's the rush?

I would, it used to be an old superstition to not bring a pram into the house before baby was due/born/nearer to being born. I think it's a lovely thing to know it's in the house ready for your little one

Prams are reduced more in the January sales. Don’t let them pressure you into buying one. It’s so early, how would you feel if something was to happen and you had to look at a pram everyday?

Yes, me too. But I was glad I’d told people-it was a big deal and I was happy to have the love and support of friends and family. But everyone’s different, and nobody has to tell anyone. I’m just a bit sad that it’s become received wisdom that you don’t. For some people, like me, it was the right thing to do.

I mean statistically if there are no health issues in your pregnancy, you're unlikely to lose the baby at this point. I just didn't feel ready to buy a pram at 14 weeks, it felt to early, the whole thing didn't feel real to be honest.

Not what you asked but I would look for the pram second hand. They are so expensive for how long you use them, a lot of people want to switch to a lightweight version as the baby becomes a toddler or have a second baby and need a double pram.
I think if anything bad was to happen you would be devastated whether or not you have bought a pram. Maybe just store it at someone else’s house until closer to the time if you are worried.

Yes get it but store it in a spare bedroom (if you’ve got one). They can go mouldy in garages/lofts/sheds. We stored ours at MIL’s.

I got mine at 15 weeks as it a was a heavily discounted clear out - we did have space to store it in the to-be nursery. And will be buying other big items in sales now as well even though baby due in Apr. I had 2 MCs before this and of the opinion what has to happen will, and can’t live my life fearing the worst. Also I love a bargain!

No I don’t think it’s too early, babies are expensive especially pregnancy whilst you’re getting everything, the earlier the better I think. It’s an old superstition but at the end of the day anything could happen at anytime, I didn’t buy anything until after 20 weeks then lost my baby at 25 weeks. Next time I would still start early x

Thanks everyone for the advice. I also had a miscarriage at the beginning of this year and this baby is still a secret as I didn't want to jinx anything.
But money is such a big factor in buying things and regardless of what will happen, a pram isn't going to hurt any more than losing a baby. I think I will go for it x

I was around the same gestation, 14 weeks I think and we got our Mama’s & Papa’s Occaro in Black Friday sale!

Id wait until 20 week scan personally!!

Prams are cheaper in January I think. I wouldn’t get a Manas and Papas one personally though but that’s a different thread.

I don't see any issue buying now or in January sales if you save some money. Also not what you asked but really really think about how much you are spending in a pram. You say you'll save £500... my travel system didn't even cost £500 not ti mind save that much. It was absolutely perfectly adequate for what we needed, and will be used on our 2nd baby too. I know people who have spent £1500 plus on travel systems to upgrade to a lighter stroller and a bigger carseat within a year!

It will be reduced again at some point. I wouldn't buy it yet. You might change your mind about what you want in the interim, and a pram in a massive box is a pain to store.

it’s up to you when you buy it but i agree to wait until Jan sales, as someone who used to work for M&P it’s always cheaper in january xx

It's not too early if you know what you want and it's a good deal.

If you're not totally sure it's the one you want you could wait though. Something else will likely come up at a similar price even if it's not this pram at this price.

Exactly this.

@Kerrylf buy it if you have somewhere to store it where it can stay in “new” condition and keep all receipts in case you need to return or exchange.

I bought my pram at 22 weeks at a baby show because it was a very good price and I would have paid more if I'd waited. Prices were better than Black Friday because they did a bundle deal for all the parts. The next baby show was going to be on my due date, so not possible to wait. If there's a baby show near you before your due date, it's well worth going for the discounts. We got a car seat and cot, too!

I don't think it's too early for you, but you also have some time x

A lot of baby type shops will store prams for the very reason of the superstition. It needs to be a big enough store that they have the space to do it.

OTOH the other thing is you will need to store it once the baby is born, so you may as well store it in the same place! If you do need to keep it out of the way, and are storing somewhere unheated such as a garage or attic, I'd keep in the original box and away from sources of damp. They often come with plastic wrapping of the actual pram parts and silica gel packs to prevent any damp and mildew.