When will you start buying things for your baby?

[tree_hugger]

We had planned on waiting 12 - 13 weeks before we tell people about the pregnancy, and I thought that would be a good time to start looking for nappies, a few new carriers, baby clothes, etc.

But a baby-hire-shop near me is closing down and having a sale at the end of the month. I want to go and buy a cradle for the baby to go by my side of the bed. We will co-sleep but he/she will need somewhere safe from our toddler to hang out for naps during the day.

I'll only be about 8 weeks then. I'm not usually superstitious, but it feels a bit strange to be buying things so early.

What do you all plan on doing? :)

[tschecter]

if the store is closing, go raid it... you will get better prices than if you wait... I don't know what if anything we will buy... we bought a house a few months ago, and dh is aggravated that I have insisted that if the baby is a girl, then her bedroom has to be painted (it is white and blue right now, and was when we moved in) but I think we really should have a few things... MIL has a bassinet she was gonna give either us or SIL when we were both pregnant with our firsts, but neither wanted it then, I might ask for it for downstairs this time... so naps might go a little esier... but then, I do a lot of baby-wearing, too... and we need an extra gate... to keep living room from being destroyed when I am in sewing room... but no money for that atm.... aside from that, we have ds's infant seat, and we may have to buy a second convertable if he isn't old enough when baby needs it to go to a booster... my mom has offered to buy us the sit n stand stroller (maybe the one that converts from traditional duo to sitnstand) so I think we will be set... and if beby is a girl, we will buy a few pink frillys, but the families will go overboard on the first little princess after 7 great-grandsons on one side and 3 on the other.

[birdie22]

I don't think it's too early under the circumstances. I'm totally jealous!

Normally I would say wait... there are very few things that a newborn really needs, and I think people go a little nuts buying unnecessary stuff just because it's on some list of "must haves."

I always say "it's not like they're going to close the store," but I guess in your case they really are!:lol

[KatWrangler]

Not till after I see my OB at the very earliest. Not that we really need anything. So maybe after I find out what we are having, then I will.

[PerkyKP]

Well, I was buying more diapers before I was even pregnant!! I've controlled myself on that... I've got plenty now. Maybe.

I was talking to my parents last night and they asked about the boy or girl thing, and I said even though I've dreamed of a girl forever I'd be happy with either. My dad said he knows someone who would love to buy dresses if it's a girl... in fact he lives with her.

And my mom is shopping for maternity clothes for me today. I love that I'm 39 and my mom still likes getting clothes for me! :D

[thismama]

If the store is closing, I would be in there too!

I plan to start buying in second trimester. I really only need a moby wrap, small size cloth diapers (I have meds and larges), and probably a swing, and a chair for him/her to sit in while I have a pee or a shower on my own (theoretically, anyway :lol )

[LaffNowCryLater]

Well I have to see what exactly I need b/c I have boy and girl stuff already, but if I can score a good deal that won't be available later I would get stuff earlier.

[arismom1029]

I'll probably start soon, because I got rid of all my baby stuff when we moved cross country (I wasn't planning on having another one so soon at the time). I also want to CD (if I can ever figure out what kind I want, lol) and want to start on that so I can have a good newborn and small stash on hand. :D

[Shanana]

I already have most everything I need. I might buy another few slings/wraps, and I'm considering getting a Happy Hangup (http://www.happyhangup.com/) (similar to an Amby Bed, but think this looks a lot cooler :lol, plus it goes to a higher weight limit). Philosophically, I'm all for co-sleeping, but in practice it was an utterly miserable experience with dd and I got very little sleep and was in constant pain. With this babe, I'm hoping to co-sleep part-time, but would also like a comfy, safe place as an alternative. It seems like it might work well for naps, too (I have a bad back, and can't babywear for long periods of time).

We aren't finding out the sex, but a friend brought over a bunch of gender-neutral newborn clothes the other day, so I think we're pretty set there.

Other than that, I already have a bunch of CDs and pretty much everything I need. I won't buy anything until at least the second tri, though, but there aren't any stores near me going out of business :lol.

[Taedareth]

Hmm. Well if I had a lot of money I'm sure I would be buying lovely Waldorfy baby toys already. :lol I'll probably buy very little because we already have most of what we would need. We will have to get a baby car seat at some point, but there's no rush. I would really like to get a lambskin. I'll probably crochet a newborn hat at some point. And I hope to get started on sewing newborn diapers as soon as I can get my machine serviced and buy some fabric. No telling how long it will take me to sew all those diapers, so starting soon makes sense. I guess that's all the baby stuff I'll need :) Oh, unless we have a girl, in which case I will have to get her some clothes! :wink

[pdxmomazon]

With our daughter we bought mostly 0-3 month clothing, which meant that as a newborn she had nothing that fit her. She spent most of her time in sleep sacks, anyways, but we were out the other day and we bought a "newborn" sized outfit. I know it won't fit for long, but it was so cute and *technically* something we didn't already have:lol

[pdxmomazon]

Oh- and I bought a nursing bra. Does that count as "for the baby?" :wink

[alegna]

I don't think I'll buy anything until I'm feeling movement for sure.

Don't really need a lot, but there's something about getting something new for the babe that makes it feel real.

-Angela

[Galatea]

Probably won't buy anything, esp. diapers, until we know the sex. We will need new car seats to fit 3 across in our station wagon, but dh manages a big baby store, so we should be able to get deals no matter when we buy stuff.

[green_momma2007]

I've already started buying some cloth diapers for the little one.

[thismama]

I already have most everything I need. I might buy another few slings/wraps, and I'm considering getting a Happy Hangup (http://www.happyhangup.com/)

OMG I TOTALLY want that!!! It's so, so beautiful. I co-sleep but it would be fab for naps, maybe as a baby swing substitute. Hmm...

[Shanana]

OMG I TOTALLY want that!!! It's so, so beautiful. I co-sleep but it would be fab for naps, maybe as a baby swing substitute. Hmm...

I like that it's kind of sling-like, which was the only place on earth that dd would nap :lol (that, or in the Moby).

When I was looking at them a while back, you could get them on ebay (through the original company), and that was the best way to get them in the States anyway. Haven't checked yet to see if they're still available that way.

[merry-mary]

I don't think I'll buy anything until I'm feeling movement for sure.

Don't really need a lot, but there's something about getting something new for the babe that makes it feel real.

-Angela

Yes. We don't need much either, except for some new clothes I am sure. But yeah, I wont' be ready to pull the trigger and buy something until we're into the second trimester, the news is public and I feel movement.

The exception would be your case: if I found an amazing deal on, oh, I don't know, a Phil & Ted's double stroller. :lol

[blizzard_babe]

We're not buying anything until our 12 week appointment, but I'm not sure I'd be able to pass up such a great sale!

[cyrusmama]

Well, I already started knitting :lol but haven't bought anything and probably won't for awhile unless I just run across something too cute to pass up. We are going to wait to be suprised about the baby's gender so, I imagine I'll buy something both girly and boyish just in case, but that will be later. I am planning on getting out all of cyrus's things that I have stuck back "for the next babe" in th next few days and kind of going through it. And I will be looking at dipes probably sooner, because we didn't start Cy in cloth until he was in a medium. Oh, and I don't know if anyone is interested, but I was in a TJ Maxx a few weeks ago and they had organic halo sleep sacks for $5 so, if I make it back there, I may have to pick up a couple of them too.

My SIL is also expecting, she is due in March, so I am thinking I will be buying her stuff a lot sooner than myself... :lol

[jjrsgirl]

We're planning on purchasing some things once the first trimester is over. AHHH, waiting is driving me mad!

[1babysmom]

Not until about halfway through, at least. For me, personally, it's best to wait, as I've BTDT with having baby stuff laying around and no longer being pg. I have bought some CD's lately (before I even got pg) because we don't have any newborn ones and I had the funds available...BUT, they're already stashed far far away. LOL

[junipervt]

We bought some things while we were ttc, but I think we'll probably wait to buy anything else for a couple months (we don't really have any extra $ right now anyway).

[heatherRN]

I really waited with the first one, but this one had a few items purchased while I was TTC :lol
I like that hang thing, this is the one we have http://www.naturessway.co.nz/shop/Natures+Sway+Baby+Hammocks/Natures+Sway+Baby+Hammock.html got it used on craigslist there also this one http://www.ambybaby.com/
My only advise to the new moms (having #1) is to save the money and not buy too much. We spent so much money on stuff and then I had to go back to work at 3 months (I work weekends and my dh works during the week). I would have liked to stay home longer and have less stuff. You need much less then you think you need!

[Shanana]

I like that hang thing, this is the one we have http://www.naturessway.co.nz/shop/Natures+Sway+Baby+Hammocks/Natures+Sway+Baby+Hammock.html

Very cool! I'll add it to my list of hammocky things to consider :lol

My only advise to the new moms (having #1) is to save the money and not buy too much.

:truedat:

I read that over and over when I was pg with dd, and kept thinking, "Yeah, but I really DO need 'x' 'y' and 'z'!" It was so not true :lol.

[alegna]

Arg. Stop tempting me with cool hammocks.... :lol

I have an Amby I bought about a year ago at a garage sale for like $5 :p (yeah, unbelievable deal...) but these are cooler!

-Angela

[FiberLover]

Ok....I have NOTHING for a baby.

(ok, two things, a pair of baby socks I knitted, and a little baby kimono shirt I knitted).

I've never had a baby! Or babysat for years, and no one I know locally has babies. Man.

I'll be buying stuff I think, after I start to feel movement too.

But, after I get confirmation that the Betas are going up appropriately on Monday, I think I'll start knitting a little something else :).