when to buy baby things

[megan210792]

i know that its to early for me to start buying baby things yet as i am only 11 weeks pregnant. but when i carried my 1st baby i didnt start buying til i was 24 weeks pregnant and then i ended up not having everything i needed when my daughter was born cz of the amount of money i get. but when is the best time to start buying. should i wait till my 20 weeks scan to see what im having

[Brittny27]

I didn't buy anything but maybe 2 or 3 outfits until after my baby shower at 32 weeks.

I couldn't believe all the stuff I got as gifts! I did however have a savings account that had money in it that I had been putting money in to purchase everything we needed that I didn't get at the shower. That way I didn't end up buying stuff and then getting it as gifts. I also knew we would be moving when I was 36 weeks pregnant and didn't want to move a bunch more stuff. I ended up not really needing much though. I continued to get gifts until she was about 4-5 months old. I'm still getting things here and there. She's just turned 9 months yesterday.

Yard sales were great. I didn't receive any clothing so I needed to get that. I went to yard sales and was able to buy things for .25 a piece. Babies out grow clothing so fast in the first few months that everything I got looked bran new still.  

[vacuumprincess]

I have had a miscarriage before & if I had already purchased baby things at that time it would have been even more devistating.  With this pregnancy, I started after my 20 week scan.  I wanted gender specific things.  with my first child I may have started right away. I was so excited!  I certainly do not mean to scare you!  At 11 weeks, your chance for miscarriage has already decreased dramatically.  

With both pregnancies though I found out that it is best to wait it out until close to the end to buy things.  I found that people GAVE me so much stuff.  Outgrown things from other peoples children, people buying gifts...
  I had 5 people make me baby quilts!
Do you plan to have a shower?  Do you know if someone is going to throw you one?

If saving for baby things is the issue... Could you just set money aside & then buy it later?  Or perhaps buy things that you want specifics of... such as a certain bouncer seat you have your eye on or a crib.
When money is tight... watch garage sales & thrift stores.  Baby things can be great from these places & most items can be washed with an antibacterial soap.


If you really do want to start stocking up, choose things that you know you will need duplicates of.  Diapers in assorted sizes, wipes, bibs, bottles  ect.  things that if others buy for you, will still go to good use.

[alaysha]

I started buying stuff after the gender ultrasound. Nothing I have for her is really gender neutral... not even her furniture.

[PetiteWonder]

I havent bought anything yet.. im 19 weeks.. we were discussing stocking up on newborn diapers as they go on sale over the next little bit now

[NicMom]

With my second I started buying things right at the end of the first trimester when i felt like it was safer. We had to get everything and so buying over several months made it easier since it wasn't such a huge expense all at the end.

[Rhi315]

I started buying things around 20 weeks, not for any particular reason, but that's about when I bought his crib and stuff. I think that going to buy little at a time makes more sense then all at once.

[megan210792]

thank you

[EmilieA]

You can start buying and prepairing anytime you like.  :)  I have had 2 already and am 8 weeks along with number 3.  My first one I started buying thing in my first trimester, but just paced my self on clothing..bought more unisex colors on cloths, then when I found out what I was having bout a few more...everything was nice and ready when my son was born (he is 8 now).  My daughter  however (she is 3), I didn't start shopping till my thirdtrimester and then she ended up coming at 36 weeks and I had some stuff, but nothing was ready, including the nursery when we got come the first day, I was stuck quickly throwing things together and having to get out to get things I was missing...not a good idea, lol.  Now I'm working on number 3, we just moved from CT to MS and I found out about the baby after the move and had gotten rid of all the baby stuff as I didn't want to move things I didn't have too...sigh, lol...so now I'm going to have start all over and because of the move, money is a little tight.  I will start buying things now and getting things together slowly, but starting sooner so I don't end up like I did with my daughter.  I'm going to buy what I can till I find out the sex, then buy the majority of cloths and bedding then, but everythings I'm gonna start working on now.  So I say go for it.  Also this being baby #3, I know what baby products I like and work best for me, so that takes alot of stress out of it...I have a few key items and brands I just can't live without and those are my top priority stragy this time, lol.  I hope this helps and congrats!

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I usually start buying the things I would need for either gender after I hit the second trimester, for anything gender specific I wait until the 20 week scan.