when to start buying stuff?

[winjy]

i know that until 40 weeks and the baby is in my arms nothing is certain so when is it sensible to start buying stuff im so excited and im only 10 weeks!!

It is up to you . Buying stuff is not going to affect the outcome of your pregnancy in anyway.

Personally, I occasionally buy the odd piece of clothing or small toy in the first trimester. Nothing expensive though. My reasoning is that, even if something happened, then these items would belong to my baby still. A remineder perhaps. For example I am 8 weeks but bought a couple of items in the next sale. If sadly anything does happen then I would not regret the cost and even be happy that I had something small. Quite embarassingly however each time (I am pregnant with DC3) I have bought gender specific items before the 20 week scan . I was however right each time .

I tend to not buy large items until after the 20 week scan. That is just me though. However if I saw a fantastic offer I might buy earlier.

I would buy bigger items perhaps by 30 weeks so you can enjoy shopping and not be waddling about . Some shops will allow you to store them there until the birth. Also I wouldnt buy too much too early purely because I would then get bored, see other things and start buying them so you end up with about 300 sleepsuits for a newborn who grows out of them in a week

Just be prepared for whatever you do people will have an opinion and feel entitled to comment - however that sums up motherhood in general!

This post is very reassuring! I'm 24 weeks and have been very wary about buying any thing other than a few clothes. Part of the reason is that we've just moved in to a new house, and I want to spread out the excitement a bit. We've got some friends who are due 2 days before us and who have bought most things, another girl at work has been buying since 12 weeks! I think it all comes down to personal preference. One thing I'd say is to have a good chat to all of your friends with babies - you'd be amazed at how much stuff is available to borrow instead of rushing out to buy it. Happy shopping!

About the only thing we bought before having DS was the carseat and that was only because we needed it to leave hospital. We also bought a few nappies.

Didn't buy anything to do with feeding. Wanted to try breastfeeding but wasn't sure if it would work out. Just figured that Tesco was open 24 hours so we could get what we needed anytime.

The main reason I didn't get anything else was that I was so ill. Having said that, it did work out quite well for us as we didn't end up with loads of things we didn't need.

DS refused to sleep anywhere but in our bed so didn't need a moses basket and all the bedding, mobile, cot bumper etc. We were given a cotbed shortly after he arrived and we were given more than enough clothes.

It is personal preference but I wouldn't buy anything until after your 20 week scan.

With DD I bought a Tummy Tub and a Close Baby Sling snd that was it.

Hi, Well I'm now 33 weeks and have now just got a few essentials - more for me.. such as breast pads, maternity pads, nappies & cotton wool. Getting my DH to go in the attic today to get down the sleepsuits to wash and put in the drawer so I reckon that's about it! Already have pram/car seat from 1st time round - they just need a clean. Got Moses basket I borrowed from a friend.

You still have plenty of time.. How about wait until the 20 week scan and then buy the baby some sleepsuits or an outfit to make it all seem a bit more real?

I'd recommend not buying a ton of clothes, as we've been given so much stuff already. And we'll probably be given even more things after the birth. A friend of mine who has an 18-month old said they only had to buy about 2 outfits before their DS was a year old, because they got so many as presents!

We waited till we found out the sex at the 20 week scan, but have still only bought a few small things. We're just about to start buying nursery furniture, pram/pushchair etc now, as we thought we'd wait till the January sales. I'm 31 weeks now, btw.

I ordered the pram and cotbed at about 30 weeks, purely so that if there were any delays in getting any of it (which there were) it would still be here in time.

Rest of the stuff was only delivered from JL about 3 weeks ago (I'm now 39 weeks). I won't let DP unpack anything though, particularly since I may have over ordered on stuff like bedding and want to take back things. I already took back a pack of new born baby gros as I got given some when I left work. Prior to that I was desperate to start buying stuff but managed to withhold from doing so by doing internet window shopping instead and compiling a list of everything I thought we would need.

I wouldn't buy too early - you may get given things.

Now 21 wks with DC5. I'm waiting till I have my scan next week, then mum wants to take me out shopping.
DD2 is only 18m old so I still have lots of things, (but may need to get new cover for car seat if this one is a blue one, hers was fushia pink!)
I still need a double mountain buggy (we're an active family!), and a crib & bedding etc.
Funilly enough with my first 3 I started buying after 13 weeks, but now I'm alot older I'm a bit more supersticious (sp?)
Think I may have been in denial for a while as well, this one was not planned, and after all, 5 is an awfully big number!

I didn't buy anything until I was 16 weeks - then I went mad !

3 weeks left to go and trying to resist the urge to buy more..

Apart from the pushchair, unless you are certain you know which you want, I'd say start asap - but I did this as funds were limited, so most stuff I got was in sales etc. I did a lot of looking around, picked up bargains where they turned up iyswim.

In fact I am so grateful that I did this, because once I had a child with me it became far harder to go anywhere let alone concentrate on getting the best price etc.

As it worked out, I am still using clothes I bought when pregnant for ds who is nearly 7.

I've barely needed to buy anything at all for ds2, clotheswise.

I got loads from the Gap baby/boys 99p sale rail, before our gap shut. My mother told me I was daft, but those clothes were brilliant and though it felt odd buying age 6/7 stuff for an as yet unborn child, it worked out fine in the end.

I did buy some things I didn't need, such as about 20 second hand pushchairs, and a cot - both times, which were rarely used as I co slept.

So be careful, because you might assume you'll need such and such when in fact you can easily wait till baby has been here a while before getting a proper cot if you want one.

I started buying things at about 7 months.

A travel system.
12 vests and babygrows.
The things I needed for my hospital bag.

Despite having up to age 7 clothes Bibbity you have reminded me that I still needed to be taken to mothercare when ds came home, because I had no 'tiny baby' size stuff!

hi everyone thanks for all of your responses!! i have had a reassurance scan and seen the heartbeat so feel so excited now...my mum is buying the pram is giving me a cot, monitors, steriliser etc etc and my nan has offered to buy moses and nursery stuff...just been looking at newborn clothes and really want to get stuff but dp says i musnt tempt fate esp after mc in june this year...i dont really have that much to buy myself, seen the nursery stuff i want (zeddy and parsnip from mamas and papas, gorgeous!!) just want to make the baby more real but i am def gonna wait til 12 weeks...

peppa cant believe u guessed gender right both times!! iv got a feeling im carrying a girl but dp is convinced im having a boy!!

thanks again everyone for ur replies...

The first thing I bought was one cute outfit at 16 weeks as I had a gender scan then and was told its a girl. My mum bought the travel system for me at 18weeks as it was on special offer. I'm 21 weeks now and had my 20week scan last week so feel more confident about hitting the sales for other things. But the fear in me I suppose wants to wait till the 24 week mark, plus I want to spread it out over the next few months otherwise I'll get bored! Think it's all down to personal preference.

what about nursery stuff?? seen the range i like already, am def gonna wait til 12 weeks anyway but want to be organised too ...

winjy the M&P stuff may be gorgeous but my DD never slept in her own room until 18 months and they recommend that they sleep in your room anyway for the first 6 months.

If you start now you may end up with a load of stuff you never use or they may bring out new ranges which you like even more.