When To Start Buying Baby Stuff – The Ultimate Guide

Shopping for your baby is one of the fun parts of pregnancy.  There are so many cute baby things out there; it’s hard not to buy sometimes! But, many new moms wonder when to start buying baby stuff? 

In this post, you’ll find everything you need to know about when to start buying baby things, including a realistic timeline to help guide you!

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When To Start Buying Baby Stuff

There is no ‘right’ answer to when you should start buying baby stuff. It truly depends on when you feel like you are ready to.  But, I think it’s best to wait until you are in your second trimester, preferably after your 20-week ultrasound.  

I recommend waiting until you are past your first trimester because the risk of miscarriage goes down significantly once you are in the second trimester.  

As someone who has experienced pregnancy loss, I can tell you that having the physical reminder of baby things in the house makes everything a little harder to process. 

Also, I mentioned waiting until your 20-week pregnancy scan because that is when you can find out your baby’s gender. If you want to add gender-specific items to your registry, you will be able to after this prenatal appointment.

Things To Consider Before Buying Baby Stuff

Once you decide that you are ready to start buying baby stuff, there are some things to think about that will help make this process easier.  Before you begin to buy baby things, it can be effective to sit down with your partner and talk about these five points:

Budget

Having a baby can quickly and easily inflate your budget. But the good news is that having a baby doesn’t have to be expensive!

The best starting point for buying baby stuff is to create your budget.  Figure out how much money you can feasibly spend on your nursery and baby things, and stick to it. 

If you can’t afford the fancy baby gadgets, there are always budget-friendly alternatives that are just as great.  Not to mention, hand-me-downs from friends or family are terrific too! 

Also, if you know ahead of time what baby items to skip buying, that will save you a ton of money as well!

Space

The second crucial thing to think about before buying baby stuff is the space in your home.

If you buy or register for more baby items than your house can handle, it can lead to you feeling overwhelmed.  When you have a huge life change like having a baby, you don’t want to feel like your family doesn’t fit in your home anymore!

You’ll also love: The Best Tips And Products For Nursery Organization

Baby’s Gender

As I mentioned above, you can typically find out your baby’s gender around 20-weeks, or possibly even earlier! 

If you are going to find out your baby’s gender, then you will want to hold off on buying things like baby clothes and nursery decor. 

Baby Shower

If you plan on having a baby shower, you will want to try to buy as little as possible beforehand.  There is a good chance that you could get a significant amount of baby things from your friends, family, and even coworkers.  

Most baby showers happen sometime between weeks 30-34.  If waiting so long to have all of your baby things at home and ready makes you nervous, you can suggest having your baby shower a few weeks earlier.  

Also, you can track when items have been purchased from your baby registry to give you an idea of how much baby stuff you will need to buy afterward.

You’ll also love: How To Have A Baby Shower On A Budget

Online Delivery Times

Online shopping is more popular than ever, and with good reason! When you shop online, even for baby items, you can do so from the comfort of your own home.  Also, you can often find better deals when shopping online.

One thing to think about when shopping for your baby stuff online is the delivery times. If you are shopping late into your pregnancy, you will want to ensure that the delivery times aren’t too close to your due date.

Complete Timeline For Buying Baby Stuff

First Trimester

While it’s recommended to hold off on shopping for baby stuff before your second trimester, there are still things you can do to prepare:

Create Your Budget

The first most important thing to do before shopping for your baby is to create a budget for baby stuff.  It’s effortless to buy too many baby things and even things that you might not use. Having a budget can help you stick to the ideal baby things that you actually need.

Also, are you planning on going down to one income after the baby is born?  Sticking to a budget for baby things can help you save more money in preparation for staying home with your baby.

You’ll also love: The Best Reasons To Be A Stay-At-Home Mom

Look Around and Get Ideas

There are so many baby items to choose from; it’s a great idea to start the buying process with some research.

When shopping around, the best place to start is big-ticket items like cribs, strollers, and car seats. Find out what options are out there, like a jogging stroller or lightweight stroller, for example, and see what options would be best for your family.  

Once you narrow down what kinds of baby items will work best for you, then start to read reviews on individual products. Then, take notes of which products to keep in mind for when you start your baby registry.

You’ll also love: The Ultimate First Trimester Checklist

Second Trimester

As you enter your second trimester, your to-do list starts to get a little longer.  Here are some things to do when preparing to buy baby stuff:

Find Out Baby’s Gender

If you want to find out your baby’s gender before birth, the time to do so is coming up! In your second trimester, around 20-weeks, you can find out the gender of your baby during their anatomy scan. 

Choose Your Nursery Theme

Next up on the to-do list is choosing your nursery theme.  There are so many options out there; between boy themes, girl themes, and gender-neutral themes, you might have a hard time choosing!

Start Your Baby Registry

Now that it’s time to start your baby registry, you can put all of your baby gear research from the first trimester to good use!

Before you create your baby registry, you’ll want to make sure that you choose the right place to start! I have found that Amazon is a fantastic place to make your baby registry because they have so many products!

On top of Amazon’s vast selection of baby things, they also offer a free welcome kit with up to $35 worth of baby products.  What I like the most about Amazon’s baby registries is that they provide a 10-15% completion discount.  That means that once you have had your baby shower, you can get a 10% (or 15% for Prime members) discount on the rest of the baby items on your registry. 

You’ll also love:

• The Ultimate Checklist Of Nursery Must-Haves
• What To Put On Your Second Baby Registry

Make Space In Your Home

You might be surprised by how much baby stuff you will have in your home.  When you think about everything on your baby registry, it doesn’t seem like too much.  But, once all of these things make it into your home, it can be overwhelming!

A great thing to do in the second trimester is to start decluttering your home.  Typically, once you are in the second trimester, you start to get more energy back, and you might even get the urge to start nesting.  

When you start the decluttering process, it’s best to start small.  For example, start with a closet or one room in your house.  Try not to move onto another space until the one you have started is complete!

Stock Up On Non-Perishables

When you think of buying stuff for your baby, you don’t necessarily think about buying non-perishable items.  But, stocking up on these essential household items is crucial!  

After you are home with your newborn, you or your partner won’t want to leave the house because you ran out of laundry soap.

Some essential non-perishable items to stock up on are laundry soap, hand and dish soap, toilet paper, paper towels, and any personal hygiene items you use. (Check out this post for a great checklist!) It will be nice not to worry about those things during those first weeks with your baby!

Start Buying Nursery Furniture

Nursery furniture is one of those things that you can put on your baby registry, but it’s likely too expensive for most people.  Sometimes, one of your baby’s grandparents might want to buy something big like a crib, so make sure you know if that’s the case before shopping. 

It’s nice to have your nursery furniture bought shortly after your 20-week scan.  Having the furniture this early ensures that you have plenty of time to put it all together.  Plus, it’s exciting to start getting your baby’s room all set up!

You’ll also love: The Ultimate Second Trimester Checklist

Third Trimester

Once you get into your third trimester, that means you are getting so much closer to meeting your new baby! Here are some things to wrap up, preferably before you get to week 36 of your pregnancy:

Have Your Baby Shower

Your baby shower will most likely happen in the third trimester.  Try to sit back and enjoy this time of celebration for you and your baby! 

Finish Off Your Registry

Now that you’ve had your baby shower, you can see what’s leftover on your baby registry.  Make sure to use that handy completion coupon to save you money on these final baby things (and check out these tips for saving money on baby clothes!).

Another thing to keep in mind is if you have enough baby clothes.  I’m sure you received quite a few outfits at your baby shower, but you will want to make sure you have all the essentials.  If you’re unsure, check out this post on how many baby clothes you really need!

Pre-Wash Baby Items

Once you have everything you need for your baby, you will want to ensure it’s all clean and ready for your little one.  

You will want to wash all of the baby clothes, sheets, and blankets ahead of time. It’s great to have all of these things cleaned and put away before your 36th week.

Related Articles:

• The Ultimate Third Trimester Checklist
• How Many Crib Sheets Do I Really Need?
• The Best Questions to Ask at a Pediatrician Interview
• How Many Bibs Do I Need? The Ultimate Guide
• How Many Burp Cloths Will My Baby Need?

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• Polite Ways To Say ‘No Visitors’ After Birth
• The Best Gifts for Labor and Delivery Nurses
• 30+ Things To Do Before Your Due Date
• Do I Need a Baby Monitor? The Ultimate Guide
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Is it bad luck to buy baby stuff early?

Whether or not buying baby stuff early is bad luck depends on what you believe in. Realistically, buying baby things a bit early won’t affect your pregnancy.  

But, if you are a superstitious person and you worry about buying baby things too early, then don’t! Most women worry about buying baby things too early because of the risk of miscarriage in the first trimester. 

In the end, do what feels right for you! If you can’t hold back on buying baby things early, that’s perfectly fine! If you want to wait, know that you have plenty of time after the first trimester to buy baby things. 

When is it too late to start buying baby stuff?

If you don’t have a high-risk pregnancy and you are on track to have your baby around your due date, then you will want to have all of your baby’s necessities purchased and ready by week 36 of your pregnancy.

On the other hand, if there’s a chance that you could deliver early, or you do have a high-risk pregnancy, then you will want to have everything ready for your baby by week 32 of your pregnancy.

When to start buying diapers while pregnant?

In my opinion, you should wait to buy diapers until after your baby shower.  Plus, if you are working through your pregnancy, many workplaces will do a diaper raffle, and that’s another great way to get diapers!

While it’s ideal to wait to buy diapers until after your baby shower, you should never pass up a good deal.

If you are at the store and you notice diapers on clearance or an excellent deal, there is nothing wrong with snagging those diapers up!

But if you aren’t sure how many diapers you even need, check out this post on how many diapers you need for the first year! Also, it’s a great idea to research the top brands of diapers to find which one will be best for your baby.

And there you have it! Now that you know when to start buying baby stuff, enjoy this fun time preparing for your little one! Before you know it, your new baby will be home, and you will be glad that you were prepared beforehand!

Before you go, check out these related posts:

• Powerful Birth Affirmations For Labor And Delivery
• What To Do When Your Baby Is Overtired
• The Best Tips For Stay-At-Home Moms
• The Best Items To Put In Your Diaper Caddy
• Important Pros and Cons of Pack ‘N Plays vs Cribs

When did you start buying baby stuff? What baby things did you buy first? I would love to know in the comments below!

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