Advice on baby. Items

[princess jackson]

I am 18 weeks pregnant. Just advice when do you think is best to start buying items. Big items I have choosen from mothercare using baby plan means pay in march and take delivery. I really want to start buying the smaller items but very anxious that it could be early. When did yous start buying

thanks pj

 

[wilma-bride]

With the exception of major things like pram, cot etc, I didn't buy anything really until I was about 6 months. And then I only really bought basics like babygrows, mittens, bottles etc. I tended to just buy a few bits each week and put them away - it's amazing how quickly the stuff builds up. And then I only bought stuff really for my first - with the second and third, most of the things we had were secondhand since it is used for such a little time anyway (with the exception of pram/pushchair). The only thing I would never use secondhand is a car seat as you can never be too careful.

Congratulations on your pregnancy anyway

 

[natalielongstaff]

congratulations

I brought lots of stuff from the supermarkets so i brought bits every week, not till after my 20wk scan though xx

 

[Dimplenose]

I didn't buy a thing until my DS(now 18) was safely delivered. I borrowed a moses basket and half a dozen baby grows - I did buy one packet of nappies and was given a car seat as my leaving pressie from work! I was so supersticious. I did have a list (right down to product numbers) and sent DH out (unsupervised LOL!) to get everything.

ETA A slight problem with this was that he was born in a February like we had this year with snow, snow and more snow and the shops were already stocked with t-shirts and summer rompers! (He spent a lot of time wrapped in 3 blankets as we couldn't get a snow suit anywhere.)

 

[joolz1910]

I bought my first 'small' item after my 20 week scan. If I was 18 weeks pregnant now, I would wait until the sales!

 

[irongirlof12]

Congratulations don't but too much, folks will rally round and it's amazing how much stuff you get when the word 'baby' is mentioned

 

[PoppyAnna]

Like most I think I picked up bits as I went along, although I did leave until after 20 weeks. My parents bought the cotbed and DH's parents bought the pram, which we left until about 35 wks. As soon as I was past about 25 wks I think my parents gave me a different something or other that they couldn't resist that particular week!
Be careful about what you buy as well wishers will probably buy you baby clothes and they will probably buy "newborn" size which baby doesn't usually wear for very long, so it's good to buy some 0-3months stuff too.
I had everything new as I didn't know anybody who could hand stuff down to me, I would have accepted offers of things had they been forthcoming though, like Joh, the only things I wouldn't except second hand are car seats and matresses.
I didn't buy any feeding associated equipment (bottles, steriliser etc) as I was planning to feed myself, in hindsight that was pretty silly, but I was very lucky that all went well in that department

Second time around I had newborn size babygrows that hadn't been used with first DD (8lb 9oz) but second DD was tiny (5lb) so my Mum had to go to the shops on the day she was born and get some "tiny baby" size clothes and nappies.

To be honest, with the internet and speed of deliveries these days, you could have your baby and if you were missing anything you can have it on your doorstep within a day or two.

If I can give you my two recommendations of things I have found to be faboulous, the first is an in-ear digital thermometer (I have the Braun thermoscan) and Grobags

Happy shopping, I loved baby shopping

 

[craigs bride]

i started quite early with ds10mths only buying blankets and babgros/vests and bottles and some nappies !then progressed onto the wipes creams and bath stuff .

 

[joolz1910]

I second Joanne's recommendation of grobags. I also liked bath seats (the curved, plastic ones that they lay back on) as this allows you to have two hands free to wash the slippery little wrigglers.

Waste of money? Baby bath - much easier to wash them in the big bath. Also fancy little outfits for newborns. They are too fiddly to get on and off. Get some funky sleepsuits with poppers down the front.

 

[arieljasmine]

Congratulations on your pregnancy

As others have said, just buy the essentials as you will be bought more stuff than you could ever imagine. I didn't know I knew so many people!

The one thing we didn't get bought (and so I now always buy for newborns) was pyjamas which are great for middle of the night nappy changes as they save fiddling around with poppers - I don't think I am the only new mum who cried for ages because she'd fastened up the poppers wrong in the middle of the night.

Also, my top essential for mums is a thermal mug. If it wasn't for my thermal mug I still don't think I would have had a hot cup of tea now.

Happy shopping.

Laur's xx

 

[Dimplenose]

Waste of money? Baby bath - much easier to wash them in the big bath. Also fancy little outfits for newborns. They are too fiddly to get on and off. Get some funky sleepsuits with poppers down the front.

I couldn't have managed without a baby bath - but wish I'd bought one that fitted onto the bath rim so it would be higher.

Definitely front opening babygros although I didn't find back opening ones a problem by the time I had my second baby. 1st baby lived in baby gros and matching cardigans for 2 months - 2nd baby (maybe because she was a girl) I dressed up with all the pretty outfits I could from day 1.

We found that pyjamas would slide of my wriggly DS taking the nappy with them - baby grows were much better for him.

My waste of money was a baby monitor for a few reasons - DS could cry loud enough to be heard anywhere in our house, our monitor occassionally picked up noises from someone elses baby and also I'd lay awake half the night listening out for the slightest snuffle.

Every baby and mum are different. I'd say borrow as much as you can (and feel happy to do so) and then buy your own things when you know what works best for you and your baby - some things that worked for DS didn't for DD and vice versa.

 

[Laurafoster]

Congratulations! I am 17 weeks pregnant now and like you really anxious to start buying things!

However i am going to restrain myself until after xmas i think and just maybe make a list so i know what i need to get.

 

[wideeyes]

I would agree with not buying many new born clothes, as people buy them as gifts(we got lots of lovely things from Baby Gap, Next & M&S as gifts) and they grow out of them so quickly you don't need that many. I would get a couple of the multi packs of baby grows, vests etc from mothercare where you get 3 or 5 in a pack. A pack of scratch mittins, we got the multi packs of these too which are handy as they always get lost.

 

[princess jackson]

TThanks everyone. Well could not resist bought a pack of vests fromgeorge 4 pound for seven. Have done window shopping and got babies r us catalogue to browse through