First time mamas,when did you start collecting baby stuff & mat clothes?

[missmich]

Even though have a small box of baby stuff that I've gotten from my travels that started 10 years ago I don't really count that.

How far along did wait until you started to collect baby clothes and gear for your first baby?

I belong to Freecycle and want to ask for some maternity clothes and baby gear and stuff. I'm to nervous to start collecting it though since I'm only about 12 weeks or so.

[BabyWang2010]

I started getting lots of baby clothes the weekend we found out the sex of the baby. If you aren't going to find out the sex then I'd wait until after the 20 week US because that's when they look at all the organs and determine if everything is going well and your baby will be able to make it to full term. Some people don't find out there baby won't survive until the 20 week pregnancy due to many different reasons. I can't wait until my 20 week US on the 12th of this month. Then I'll be able to rest easy.

[missmich]

I want to know if I'm having a boy or a girl. I think I'm going to have some personal issues to work on if it's a certain gender and need to get that worked out before baby arrives for sure! Also it's better financially so I don't waste money on cute clothes for a gender that I'm not having.

[BabyWang2010]

I totally understand what you mean. I really wanted to know the gener as well. We did buy one gender neutral outfit for our LO before finding out the sex. I would keep it half gender neutral regardless of the US results cause those are never 100% reliable. All the big things (stroller, pack-n-play, car seat, etc.) I would get in like green, yellow, brown, or tan just to be on the safe side.

[cocoanib]

I started getting clothes on sale and at used good stores before I was even preg.
I like deals and figured whenever I came across one, I would go for it.

Once preg, I started getting things from craigslist right away. Again, I didn't want to pas up a bargain.

Little by little, I collected things throughout the pregnancy. I think it helped cut down on cost and also it was great to not have to spend a ton of money toward the end on everything.

[Loving1]

Originally Posted by BabyWang2010

I started getting lots of baby clothes the weekend we found out the sex of the baby. If you aren't going to find out the sex then I'd wait until after the 20 week US because that's when they look at all the organs and determine if everything is going well and your baby will be able to make it to full term. Some people don't find out there baby won't survive until the 20 week pregnancy due to many different reasons. I can't wait until my 20 week US on the 12th of this month. Then I'll be able to rest easy.

My 20 week US is on the 12th as well and I can't wait til it's over. I still have a lot of people I haven't told because I just want to deal with that first.

I purchased the first few pieces of clothing for DD yesterday because of a great sale and that's all I have. I know the sex because of CVS testing. I bought a few maternity pieces because my clothes are getting tight, but I will not wear them until after the 20 week US.

[missmich]

Well I just posted my "wanted" posting on freecycle asking for some maternity clothing. I said I didn't know what size I needed though and that I was about 3 months along now and not very tall.

[LZP]

I'm a big one to not "jinx" things, especially since we'd been trying so long, and had a loss after we got the A-OK from our doctors... But, I admit, this time I started picking things up around 9 weeks or so. Maybe sooner I found a really nice barely used breast pump on CL for a great deal, had to get it! Diaper covers on Freecycle- snatched them up! We even ordered our stroller already, since it was on super duper sale.

We've like BabyWang suggests, we'll also register for and have purchased mostly gender neutral colors/styles, even for m beloved CD stash. For one, the U/S is not guaranteed 100% accurate, and we'd also like more than one, so being able to re-use things will be a nice bonus.

I'd say if you see something that's a good deal, go ahead and get it if you're really excited about it! Nothing like putting it out there to the universe that you know things will be OK!

ETA: re: maternity clothes- I got 2 pairs of jeans around 12 weeks since my regular jeans were really uncomfortable. I think posting on FC now is a good idea, since you may have to wait a few weeks, and post again to get what you really want. I can't stress enough- ask for pics of the FC stuff before you arrange pick up! there can be some real winners out there- and some not so much. (I got lucky!)

ETA2: usually, if you're gaining an "average" amount of weight, then you go with your re-pregnancy size. If you seem like your gaining a little more, or you see that you're gaining more in one particular area, then ask for one size up. (I got some XL shirts that are HUGE on me, and usually XL fits well. these are so big, i doubt they will even fit in 5 months!)

[LZP]

Originally Posted by Loving1

My 20 week US is on the 12th as well and I can't wait til it's over. I still have a lot of people I haven't told because I just want to deal with that first.

I purchased the first few pieces of clothing for DD yesterday because of a great sale and that's all I have. I know the sex because of CVS testing. I bought a few maternity pieces because my clothes are getting tight, but I will not wear them until after the 20 week US.

Our anatomy scan is on the 12th too! I'm so excited- it's now less than 2 weeks away! (I'll be 18.5 weeks then, though, not 20)

[jennica]

Start now, it's fun! Just do your shopping at thrift stores, you can find great deals there on baby stuff. For Ds I bought gender neutral newborn things and onsies and stuff, and then when we found out gender I started buying boy stuff. This time we aren't finding out gender, but I have a lot of stuff from Ds, so don't really need to. But I am still picking some gender neutral items at thrift stores for fun.

[jsh7809]

I bought some maternity stuff only a few weeks in because there was a big sale at gap or old navy online, and I figured I could use some all purposey yoga pants and tank tops at any point. I live in california, so the weather here doesn't get too crazy, and I found it helpful to be able to buy post-season sale stuff to save money throughout my pregnancy.
then again, I have grown out of a bunch of maternity clothes already but I think if I had waited until I needed them I would have anyway - most of the clothes I grew out of, I wore pretty consistently for those middle months. now I'm so big that nothing really covers it (or else I'm too cheap to try and buy larger stuff now that I'm so close, 35 weeks).
baby stuff, I was a little better about (mostly at DH's urging to wait until my baby shower), but I did buy a few cute outfits every few months to help it seem more real. again, it was a little tricky to try to figure out seasonally appropriate stuff (in winter, the fall stuff was on sale, in fall, it was all summer clothes), since I don't know how big the baby will be when - but I did my best to guess how big she'll be in the summer and fall and bought 3-6 month old warmer weather stuff, etc.
I say, have a little fun but try not to go crazy! but a bunch of maternity tank tops and layering t shirts are always going to be good to have, as are cardigans and hoodies and things. I plan to keep wearing mine after the baby is born... it's more the dresses and jeans that I can't wait to get rid of.

[matthia]

I;ve picked up a few maternity things as I need them, although most stuff is totally wearable post-pregnancy. Things like wrap tops and lots of jersy knit skirts and dresses that stretch well without being specifically maternity.

So far, for baby, I've bought the car seat. Yesterday, in fact. It was exciting. We are waiting for garage sale season to really get going before we allow ourselves to go too crazy. Also, my mom is coming for a visit at the end of march, just for baby shopping, so everytime I think about buying something it's pretty easy to hold off for a few more weeks when someone else will buy it for me!!

[Sk8ermaiden]

Hmm...I might have picked up a thing here or there early, but I bought 6 outfits after the ultrasound. I had all my CDs and carriers by 20 weeks. Didn't buy much as it's the first grandbaby on both sides and lots is bought for us.

[sere234]

I bought some maternity clothes from a friend before we were even TTC! The going rate was good and it gave me something to look forward to!

Now baby stuff, I didn't buy any of that until about the second month of this pregnancy. Right now we've got a carseat, stroller, and some cloth diapers. I'm holding off buying clothes or little things like that until after my baby shower Plus I know my mom and sisters will buy just about anything tiny and cute once we find out the baby's gender!

[7swans]

I started buying stuff not long after we found out. Mostly used things that were a really great deal. At 10 weeks we found 36 newborn Kissaluvs and 10 covers on craigslist for $240 (Canadian!). Only 3 of them were used because the woman decided that cloth diapering was not for her. It's still one of the best deals we've found so far.

As far as maternity clothes, I agree with everyone who's said that it's not too early. By 11 weeks I couldn't stand to wear anything tight on my belly because it made me nauseous. If you don't find what you're looking for on Freecycle, I find that Motherhood is really reasonably priced. I got my favourite pair of jeans there for $35, and a lot of nice shirts on clearance.

Also the best thing about buying in advance is that you can space things out cost-wise. We didn't buy much for a couple of months because everyone said not to buy anything before the shower and now we have TONS of stuff to buy in the next two months. I wish I had at least put more more money aside during the time we weren't buying anything.

[ferndoula]

I started collecting baby things when I was, oh, 10 years old or so? Maybe sooner! Of course at that age I would not let my mother donate or get rid of anything at all from my own childhood. Stating that someday, when I have a baby, I would like to give it to them! So my wonderful mother got some boxes and started storing all of this stuff for me, labeled them "for my daughters daughter or son" and set them asside. I would also see little baby cloths in second hand shops, which I would buy with my lunch money, literally forgoing lunch that day as I just had to have those tiny shoes, or whatever it was! (we could walk into town for lunch from my school). Started buying baby toys and crayons just out of highschool! Now Im sewing baby sleep sacks! Am I pregnant? not yet! any children? not yet! But bo will I be ready when I do

[missmich]

ferndoula your baby will have lots of cool retro stuff when you do have a baby!

I thought I'd head to Old Navy for some nice mat clothes. I love the way they fit me and the cost is always great! The jeans are so comfy and they always have the right fit for me since they have them for shorter ladies too! They also this cute little Mama and Baby pj set that I just have to have!

A woman on Freecycle just offered to lend me her LOT of maternity clothes. So that's nice of her. She'd want them back when I'm done though since she plans on having another baby. I don't mind at all,but worry about any damage I may cause the clothes. I'm pretty good with taking care of my clothes and things,but I sometimes spill stuff and it does stain. Should I make some kind of clause about reasonable wear and tear on her borrowed clothes?

Oh and another woman said she didn't have clothes for me but would be willing to willing to alter any clothes I had for free. She said she can also offer any advice I need since she had 6 kids of her own and she CD'd the last 3 and BF'd all of them! She's also only a few blocks away from me.

[McMandy]

With our first child, I bought something unisex pretty soon after I found out I was pregnant. It's hard to NOT buy something when you're so excited about the future little present!

I may have bought two or three other items, but everyone told me to wait and not buy much as friends and family would buy more than enough clothing for the baby.

As for maternity clothes, I headed to Old Navy once my pants got too snug. I normally just buy long shirts (thankfully, they have been in style for my last couple pregnancies) instead of purchasing maternity shirts.

[missmich]

Well I didn't have money the day I found out so couldn't buy anything. A few days later though my friend came over and took out the box of baby stiff I'd been collecting though and I had a look through it. I'm totally surprised that I don't have anything at all for my baby from Germany! I spent a whole 8 months or so there and nothing at all for baby from there!