When To Buy Baby Stuff

This question is a very important one, as pregnant mothers, buying baby stuff is one of the exciting parts of pregnancy especially if you know your baby’s gender. So knowing when to start buying baby stuff in pregnancy is helpful and allows you not to stress out or waste money. 

There is no official time for when to buy baby stuff during pregnancy, but I suggest you start getting a few of them when you think you’re financially capable. 

Always stick to budget for baby purchases so you can stay afloat in any financial situation.

Another important aspect of pregnancy shopping and buying baby gear is the financial plan, as much as you want to go all out, it is also important not to overspend. D

o not forget that you are expecting a baby and when the baby arrives, there will be a handful of pregnancy, labor and delivery bills to handle. 

Don’t forget that for most mamas, you’ll have a baby shower where your family and friends will want to shower you and your growing family with gifts and baby necessities. 

And no matter how many posts you read, how many mam’s you talk to, it’s hard to truly know what you really need until you’re there, in the trenches. But, there’s a general idea of a list of basic things all new parents will need. 

Save yourself a headache and don’t open every single thing you get at your shower. There’s a chance you may not need it. You may not need all the clothing you get or may need to exchange some for a different size. 

Babies grow so fast– keep this in mind, especially when adding diapers to your registry (if you’re going the disposable route).

As I’ve said before in my various ways to save money on baby items post, there are plenty of ways to save money on baby diapers and even baby formula, so don’t go buying it all at once. 

Also, be sure to add different types of cloth diapers and cloth diaper wipes if you’re using them on your shopping list. Keep an eye out for any good deal on them as they can be pricey but are essential items in any baby nursery.

Here we have a compiled a list of things that are must have for every pregnant mama to be: 

• Bibs
• Baby monitor
• Burp cloths
• Baby car seat (infant car seat and one to grow into- these can be big-ticket items so plan accordingly)
• High chair
• Milk storage
• Nursing pillow
• Nursing bras
• Diapers
• Breast pads
• Lotion for sore nipples

These are must-have items and you should always include them in your baby registry list.

With such an exciting time, there are a lot of decisions to make and your weeks of pregnancy will fly by before you know it.

When Do I Start To Buy Baby Stuff?

You can begin buying baby stuff anytime you want, but, I personally recommend waiting until after the twelve-week mark. 

Once you’re out of the first trimester, your chances of miscarriage are much lower. By then you have given yourself some more time to learn about and research what you may want to use with your kids. 

If you’re going to start buying early, start simple. Start buying things that are not too much at first. Think of things such as wipes, creams, and shampoos. 

This will help ease the anxiety sometimes without getting too many baby clothes and baby stuff too early. 

Is There Anything I Should Buy During Early Pregnancy?

The first trimester of pregnancy can be very exciting, nerve-wracking, uncomfortable, anxiety-filled and more. 

Most of the things you should buy during early pregnancy are products that will help you manage the first trimester effectively and easily.

Here Are Some First Trimester Products I Recommend Trying Out: 

• Prenatal and postnatal vitamins (why you need them – have you seen these reasons?)
• Morning sickness soother (try any of these recommendations)
• Comfortable leggings (these are my fave pregnancy and postpartum leggings)
• Nausea relief
• Gentle toothbrush
• Feet massager (enjoy it now, but you’ll really enjoy it in the 2nd or 3rd trimester)
• Pregnancy journal (something I wish I did with all my pregnancies)
• Brain booster (check your prenatal vitamins)
• Gummy daily vitamins (or pill if that’s your preference)
• Nutrient packed snacks (so important to focus on your pregnancy diet)

All the products mentioned above are things that will you get through the first trimester effectively and minimize the struggle of early pregnancy symptoms. These items will help you in the 2nd and 3rd trimester too. 

Must Have Items To Purchase During The Second Trimester

The early second trimester is usually when your belly is beginning to grow and you start to show. 

However you plan to spend your second trimester; there are a handful of items you need to purchase during this time.

• A super comfortable bra (check out these nursing bras for later too)
• Big body pillow which helps you sleep sounder as your belly grows (This one is Amazon’s Best Choice and comes highly recommended!)
• Essential oils (if that’s your thing) and lotions to help your everchanging skin stay moist, soft and healthy
• Reusable water bottle (to help you stay hydrated, especially important when growing a new baby and great to have later when breastfeeding) 
• Logical layering options such as tank tops (these can help hide the bottom of your belly that non-maternity clothing may not cover easily as your belly grows)
• Maternity clothing (if that’s something you’re interested in– I loved all these leggings)

Should I Buy Baby Clothes In Advance?

To avoid unnecessary stress, I recommend buying some but not all baby clothing ahead of your due date.

I don’t recommend buying too many clothing items before baby is here. You don’t know how big or small baby will be and what you buy ahead of time may not be the right season or the right size that you buy. 

For instance, our girls were generally on point with the clothing sizes and their actual age at least until a year old, so it was relatively easy to buy clothes a few months in advance. 

However, our son is a whole different story. He’s a big boy. He’s 10 months and wearing 12-18 months clothing depending on how it’s cut. I made the mistake and tried to get some more clothing ahead of time and it wasn’t the right size for the season/weather we were in. 

I ended up having to take them to our consignment shop and getting different, weather appropriate and size appropriate clothing for him.  

This is one reason that I recommend not detagging and washing all the clothes you get at your baby shower. Wait to see how baby is growing and see what clothes will be appropriate or not. 

I know it can be hard to not want to est and get everything done with plenty of time to spare, but you may have to end up returning a bunch of things, especially if this is your first baby. I’ve found that people tend to over buy clothes.

Is Buying Baby Stuff Early Bad Luck?

So many expectant mothers are always looking into pregnancy superstition. One common one new moms worry about it whether or not it’s “safe†or good luck versus bad luck to buy baby items before baby is safely here. 

There is no real evidence or proof that says shopping early for your baby is bad luck or will cause any harm to your child. 

The only problem here, or downside, is buying early if you do not know the gender of your baby can end up with items you may not want or use. 

You can also overspend quite easily by buying unnecessary things you see but may not need. So make sure to watch your baby budget spending habits.  

Always accept handmedowns and gifts from family members and DEFINITELY stock up on diapers if you see a sale, you’ll be surprised how fast you fly through them during those diaper changes.  

When Should You Start Buying Baby Furniture?

When preparing for your baby, you’ll find yourself eager to make a baby registry.  You will want to add colors and different fabric choices that will work well with your nursery theme and stay well within your budget.

And adding various options makes it easy for your shower guests to pick things that you will want and use to help you keep the cost lower for having a baby.  

Make sure you’re choosing baby furniture that’s made well with quality materials. Depending on what kind of furniture you’re getting and where you’re getting it from, it can take a couple of months for it to arrive. 

This is definitely one aspect of baby stuff that I recommend looking into, researching and buying early. Keep shipping time and time needed to put together in mind as well. 

You don’t want to wait until the 3rd trimester to find and order the furniture if you want to have it all put together and ready for baby when he or she arrives. 

Keep in mind your game plan for baby as well. If you plan on co-sleeping or having baby sleep in your room for the first couple of weeks, you may have a few more weeks available to look into and find the best nursery furniture for baby’s arrival. 

In conclusion, being pregnant and expecting a little one is very amazing and the process though sometimes can be stressful and full of discomfort, it is the very essence of life. 

Some important takeaways that would help make the process less stressful is to order your baby furniture early, get other items when you can afford them, create a list containing the things you want to buy,  and do not over spend and do your best to keep everything within your budget.

Don’t forget that you may likely have a baby shower sometime in your third trimester, so you’ll likely get more things then. It would be a good time to buy anything that’s really needed once you have your shower and can really assess and have a good idea of what you have and what you still need to get while you still have enough time before the baby arrives.