What to buy first...

[ro4chat]

I'm almost 20 weeks, this is our first child, we'll find out the sex this week and I haven't bought a single item for our baby.

We have a list of things, but it's all a bit overwhelming and I really don't know where to start.

What were the first things you bought???

22 weeks and not started yet. Had odd bits from other dds but with a big gap am pretty much starting from scratch.

Looking at starting with bigger stuff but keep shying away. been to couple of second hand sales but didn't see much there either

You don't need much really

You'll want somewhere for baby to sleep so if not co-sleeping then a basket or a cot. You probably want to set that in good time just so you are not fannying around trying to put an ikea cot together at a week overdue

Something for baby to travel in so a sling or pushchair. Just remember to allow for delivery times if ordering. No rush though.

Next time you take the car to the supermarket just grab a few packs of nappies, breast pads (you'll want them even if not planning to bf) and maternity pads and a pack each of vests and sleepsuits. Add bottles etc to your list if planning to ff. All big supermarkets will have all the gubbins.

Think we got cot and pushchair first. The rest just seemed to materialise as we got closer to the date. It is amazing how much stuff adds up if you just stick your nose into charity shops each time you pass and graba couple of sleepsuits or a toy.

I would say, think in terms of what you need the most, first iyswim. We didn't do this and it was silly of us! For example, you will need a car seat to take them home from hospital, and somewhere to sleep (whether that be moses basket or cot).

We only just bought moses basket last night, and i'm 36 weeks... oops!

Oh and don't buy too many clothes yet (except maybe some basic babygro type things). This seemed to be the thing that most people like to buy for you as a gift, and the amount you get given second hand is amazing.

Congratulations! I am 25 weeks with our first . I know what you mean about things being overwhelming! I also made a list and have been adding to it and tweaking as people suggest things, I do more research or change my mind as the weeks go by. I started buying bits and pieces from about 19 weeks and have continued buying a few things each week. I like it this way - feels more manageable rather than being faced with a huge shopping trip right towards the end, spreads the cost, feels enjoyable and fun as I know I have plenty of time still, and it's one way that I enjoy feeling connected to my baby. I'm concentrating on the small easily storable stuff for now (e.g. clothes, blankets, couple of small toys, baby thermometer) and will leave the bigger stuff (e.g. pram, cot, changing thingy, the 50 squillion nappies it'll allegedly get through) until much later.
There's some quite good threads on here about what you really need to buy and what's a waste of time which I used to help with my own list. And I also got advice from friends who have recently had babies.
Good luck and enjoy buying things for your baby - I really love buying mine "presents" every week!
Oh and make use of the Mumsnet discount codes for online shopping - see both the discounts and the shopping tabs at the top of the page!

You still probably have over 20wks to go, so don't panic! You don't actually NEED very much, and shops will still be open after you've had your baby.

I think we got:
SLEEP: cotbed (eBay); rather than moses basket we used a Samsonite Pop up Travel Cot (ebay); sheets (charity shop, cut and hemmed); 2 cellular blankets, useful for swaddling/layering (John Lewis) and a Goi Goi pillow (got this after DS started to get a flat head - think they are now Lila Kuddas or something?)

CLEAN: reusable nappies, but only started to use them a bit later on (Nappy Lady shop); cloths to clean top and bottom with (didn't use top and tail bowls, just wee plastic bowls we already had); tummy tub (as I was convinced I'd want one; it was useful but not essential).
Muslins, which were great to drap over my shoulder to catch his burps... nice accessory.

WARM: think about what time of year your LO will be born. DS was born at end Aug, so we had some sleeveless body suits, some with short sleeves and some with long sleeves, plus some babygros - all bought in 0-3months size as he was 8lb 12oz when born and the Newborn sizes sometimes only go to 10lbs. Also hat, socks, scratch mits and cardi.

MILK: I breastfed, got a hand pump to express and then DS refused to take milk from a bottle. So personally I would just get a bottle or two, just in case - but as I said, shops will still be open and your OH can rush out and get stuff after the birth! I used a firm pillow to support DS when he fed, you don't have to buy a special pillow. Or chair. So long as you can sit somewhere that your back is well-supported, your arms not restricted by chair arms, and with either a good book or TV remote in reach (preferably with cup of tea or water in reach too!).

TRAVEL: if you have a car, you WILL need a car seat; you may want a pram (minefield!) but equally you could use a sling (different kind of minefield - lots to choose from!). There are whole threads on here about the merits of each...

I think that was it. You'll probably be given loads of clothes and toys, so I'd just go for the bigger stuff just now. And re toys, they really don't need anything until they are a few weeks older.

Have fun!

Don;t panic, babies don't really need that much:

Something to carry them around in (I bought a pram, but actually used a baby sling mostly for the first couple of months)

Somewhere to sleep (maybe with you? DS had a donated Moses basket for 3 weeks, then grew out of it and went into a cot. Slept in the carry cot bit of his pram during the day.

Some clothes, actually loads, but only vests and sleepsuits and 2 or 3 cardies.

Something to eat - boob (+pump) or bottles (+steriliser)

Car seat if you have a car/access to a car

DS loved his social baby mobile (here www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=social+baby+mobile&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=3436527696& ref=pdsl5tzsr6mwdr_e You have to buy it in a set with books, but every boy baby I have know has been transfixed. Girls not at all bothered!)

Changing mat, nappies (Don't stock up - you might hate what you stock up on!)

But don't panic - the shops will still be open after the baby is born! My DS was born on a Sunday and Granny still managed to squeeze in a trip to Mothercare.

If your friends and family are anything like mine, you will be inudndated with parcels or clothes and toys in the first 2 weeks of your baby's life!

Oh - I picked up a book on children's health 2nd hand, it's been very useful! The British Medical Association's Children's Symptoms is the book, not sure how old it is though... most health stuff you can find online but this has useful 'symptom sorter' type thing. However it's just as easy to programme NHS24 into your phone...

Forgot about digital thermometer - that was useful too. I got a small grooming kit from mothercare but found the nail scissors too tricky to use, just used baby nail clippers in the end; and as our DS struggled to grow hair the hairbrush was redundant for nearly 2yrs!

Lol - seeing BikeRunSki's social baby mobile has just reminded me that we printed out loads of Bridget Riley paintings for DS to look at! No idea if he liked them or not, and with DC2 due in about 3wks I've no idea where I've put them

Mobiles are a nice idea, suggest it as a present from someone?

Thank you everybody, your speedy responses are very reassuring . I think my main worry is not so much the time left, but the huge responsibility ahead. I just want to get it right.

My common sense tells me to go for the big items first, but I'm scared to buy something quite expensive and then find an even better alternative! Pushchair with car seat would be my first guess, but as you say, it's a minefield out there!

I like the idea of buying little things every week, I think I will try that. I hope I don't over do it though, it's so tempting to get all those pretty things you see in the shops.

In terms of clothing size, I know the 0-3 months is what an average size newborn needs, but my DH is quite tall...and broad, should I get half the clothes in 0-3 and half in 3-6 size?

Thanks again for your support, and good luck to those of you who still haven't finished shopping!

My DH is a skinny 6ft 7 and 0-3 was fine, Mothercare 0-3 size goes up to 14lbs and you won't be having a baby that big! Height is to 62cm. They may not last til your DC is 3mo but I don't think you'd want to put a newborn (even a large one!) in 3-6month clothing, the body size doesn't change hugely but the arm/leg length does.

However if people are buying for you, suggest to THEM to get bigger sizes of clothes. That way you hopefully won't get an influx of tiny baby clothes that you won't use; plus it's easier to dress a tiny baby in basic vest/babygro and the more fun clothing (trousers/skirts/dresses etc) is better for 6mo+.

Definitely worth looking on ebay for things like pushchairs/ cots/ nursery furniture etc (although they do recommend you get new mattresses) as there is some good quality stuff there.

I just bought a Cameleon on ebay - the condition is perfect apart from a few marks on the foam, and it was less than half the price of buying new.

However, before I get too smug, it's not all good. I was v proud of my foresight at buying a cat net for the cot. Told 2 friends who both said "oh you should have said. You could have had ours. Have a cat. Never used the net"

Ditto don't bother with a cat net. DH was convinced we'd need one, despite our cat never having sat on a lap (he's not a cuddly cat). The cat got on the cot and his weight made the net sink right down to the mattress... Actually once the cat figured out that DS was more interested in him and that he wouldn't get a good sleep, he never tried to get in the cot again.

However it might be useful for storing cuddly toys...

I'm 19 weeks with #2 tho cause its a 8 year gap most stuff we are having to buy again.
The first thing I bought...well put on hold is the pram tho I have bought a cute snowsuit since then as it was in the sales, soon as we find out the sex I might try to buy more winter stuff now while its still in stores at sale prices

Both our mums have insisted we get a cat net - I got one on Freecycle in the end.

We didn't start shopping until about three weeks ago (am now 34+2) but I think we now have most of the essentials. Before that I was just keeping an eye on Freecycle and accepting any hand me downs I was offered. I've got hold of quite a lot of stuff that way, not all of which is useable, but I'm planning to spend some of my maternity leave sorting/washing it all.

Ah, good point about the winter stuff Rinnyx, since mine will be born in November too, the first couple of months will be pretty cold. Where did you get your snowsuit from?

I'm also been waiting to know the sex, I won't really go for just blue or pink, but you can be more creative if you know who's going to wear it.