Whether you’re expecting or purchasing something for a mom-to-be, you don’t want to wait too late to buy baby stuff.
Give yourself enough time; don’t leave everything until the last minute! Start shopping a few months(between 4-5 months) before your due date so that you have plenty of time to find everything you need.
This article will give you a timeline of when to start shopping for new baby so that you can be prepared for everything.
Buying Baby Things Early: Is It Bad Luck?
According to superstition, it is bad luck to start buying baby stuff early. This belief is based on the idea that doing so will jinx the pregnancy and increase the chances of miscarrying. However, there is no evidence to support this claim. In fact, starting to prepare early can help couples feel more relaxed and ready for the new arrival.
Many women choose to err on the side of caution and wait until they are further along in their pregnancy before purchasing anything for their new baby.
When should you start shopping for a baby?
Pregnant women and their families have a lot of decisions to make during pregnancy. One of the most common questions is when to start shopping for baby. Some couples wait until the second trimester to start shopping, while others begin as soon as they find out they are pregnant.
If you’ve experienced a loss, you may even find yourself waiting until well into the second or third trimester.
There are pros and cons to both approaches. Starting to shop in the second trimester gives you a better idea of what you need and what will fit your budget. It also allows you to take advantage of sales and coupons. However, waiting until much later can also mean missing out on some great deals and not having everything you need when baby arrives.
The best approach is to decide what is best for you and your family. If you want to wait until the second or third trimester, that is perfectly fine.
Another good rule of the thumb is to wait to purchase baby stuff until after you’ve had your baby shower.
Go ahead and create your baby registry online so people can get an idea of what you want and need.
In most cases, you’ll probably receive a lot of things you ask for on your baby registry. Once you’ve received your gifts, you can then go through and see what remaining things you’d like to purchase.
Baby Things to Buy Before Birth
If you just can’t wait until after the baby shower to purchase baby things, there are some things you can purchase because the more the merrier!
I have a complete newborn baby checklist you can use to start shopping, but there’s a couple of things I recommend purchasing if you can’t wait.
One of those things is diapers. Even if you plan on using cloth diapers, you can never have too many. Begin stocking up on all sizes up until the potty training years.
Consider a diaper subscription service, where you will save 20% on diapers and they will come straight to your door!
If you want to use cloth diapers, you’ll have several pieces to purchase – the diaper itself (there are some majorly cute patterns available out there) and the inserts. There is also cloth diaper specific detergent you can go ahead and stock up on as well.
Other things to buy before birth are:
- Bibs
- Burp cloths
- Breast pump
- Milk storage bags
- Breast pads
- Nursing bras
- Bottle brush
You’ll most likely receive the other essentials, such as: bottles, blankets, receiving blankets, onesies, bath essentials, and so on.
Did you know there were so many types of baby blankets? Here’s the scoop on receiving blanket vs. swaddles, to help you with your decisions.
Something else to keep in mind is having the proper storage solutions for all your baby’s things. If you want to know the secret for how to organize baby clothes, bins, baskets, and shelving units often get the job done in your baby’s early months (and years) of life.
When to Start Buying Baby Clothes
Buying baby clothes can be so much fun. Not to mention, it really helps solidify the fact that you’re having a bundle of joy. Seeing the cute onesies and socks puts things into a realistic perspective.
But, suppose you’re wondering when to start buying baby clothes? The answer to that question is two-fold. First, it all depends on if you plan on finding out the gender. If you do want to find out what you’re having, then waiting until then would be best.
If you don’t plan on finding out the gender, you can pretty much start shopping as early as you want to. There are lots of gender-neutral clothing selections that you can start stocking up on, especially pieces like onesies, sleepers, and socks.
Some moms still prefer to wait until after the baby shower because some family members and friends like to buy the baby clothes.
Overall, you can never go wrong with buying things around the eight-month mark of your pregnancy.
If you’re the one purchasing for the mom-to-be, wait to see if she will be having a baby shower. If not, coordinate a good time to purchase things for her baby.
Related: Newborn Clothes Size Guide
When Did You Start Buying Baby Stuff?
Personally, I started picking up small things like clothes after my 4th month of pregnancy. It was gender neutral initially. When I found out I was having a girl, around the 6-month mark we started getting the nursery together and picking furniture.
I did take advantage of a well known baby chain store closing its doors and bought a car seat and stroller combo during this 6 month time as well. I can’t pass up a good sale!
Buying baby stuff can be so much fun! Whether you want to start buying immediately or wait until closer to your due date, you’ll have to determine the best time for you.
Keep in mind important factors such as finding out the gender or having a baby shower before buying too much.
Otherwise, have fun creating a baby registry and shopping for your little one(s)!
Save this to your baby board on Pinterest!
