When To Start Buying Baby Stuff During Pregnancy

Hello expecting parents! I’m guessing you found yourself here because you are pregnant, congratulations. There are so many questions that come along with having a baby, including figuring out when to start buying baby stuff.

In this post I will be discussing the best time to start shopping for your baby. Additionally, I will be reviewing the things you need to consider to help determine a good time to start buying baby things during pregnancy.

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When Is It Safe To Start Buying Baby Things?

I think it’s important to cut right to the chase. If it were me, I would be comfortable starting to buy baby stuff after the first trimester is complete. This would be right around 13 weeks pregnant.

The reason I recommend starting to purchase baby items around this time is that the risk for miscarriage decreases once the first trimester is over. This is also a typical time that expecting parents start telling friends, family, and coworkers their baby news.

Now, there is no hard and fast rule about when to start buying baby stuff. And, by no means do you have to start buying baby things at the 13 week mark.

13 weeks is just the earliest I would start spending my hard earned money.

When Should I Start Buying Baby Stuff In High Risk Pregnancy Or Pregnancy With Twins?

If you have a high risk pregnancy or are pregnant with twins, does this change when you should start buying baby stuff? There are a couple things to consider here.

First, with these types of pregnancies there is a slightly greater risk of problems, which could mean you want to delay buying things for your unborn baby or babies.

But, on the other hand high risk pregnancies and twin pregnancies often mean the baby or babies arrive early. So in this case you have the argument to buy baby stuff sooner.

Given both of these factors, I would still recommend starting to buy baby stuff in a high risk pregnancy or a pregnancy with twins at 13 weeks.

Is It Bad Luck To Buy Baby Stuff Early?

Another question people wonder is whether it’s bad luck if you buy baby stuff too early. Let’s be real, you are not going to medically effect your pregnancy if you purchase baby items during the first trimester of your pregnancy.

If you feel like it’s bad luck to purchase baby gear, then don’t. That’s my best advice, if you’re not comfortable with the idea, then don’t stress about it.

On a personal note, I struggled to get pregnant. It took me a long time to accept that it I was actually going to be a mom. I think I was all the way into my third trimester when it finally felt real.

My point is that you could be really eager to get going on that baby shopping. Or, you could be like me, and feel you could be jinxing your pregnancy by purchasing baby things.

So, go with your gut and when it feels right to start baby shopping. But, be mindful to not wait until it’s too late.

When Is It Too Late To Shop For Baby?

Besides waiting until 13 weeks to start ordering or shopping for baby stuff, it is also possible to wait too long to purchase baby items. I would recommend at least starting to think about your baby registry or what you plan to buy for your baby by 20 weeks into your pregnancy, at the latest.

Starting to get some baby gear by 20 weeks allows you enough time to plan. Plus don’t forget, sometimes babies have their own timeline. Your baby could arrive earlier than expected.

If you are able to have just the things you really need for baby ready by the 32 week mark, you will be in good shape. So, if you start working on buying baby stuff by 20 weeks, this gives you at least 12 weeks to get ready for your baby.

Before we move on, you might find these FREE printable Baby Registry & Pregnancy Checklists helpful. Just fill in the form below to get them. Learn which must haves to put on your baby registry and when to complete items in each trimester of your pregnancy.

You can also check out our very detailed baby registry checklist post and our tips on the best places to register for baby. Finally, check out my recommendations for when to start and share your baby registry too.

Things To Consider When Starting To Buy Baby Stuff

On top of the timelines mentioned above, there are two important things to consider for determining when to start buying baby stuff.

• Are you finding out the baby’s sex?
• Are you having a baby shower? If so, when is your shower?

If you plan to find out your baby’s sex, then it will make sense to hold off on buying certain items such as nursery items and baby clothes until you know what you’re having. Secondly, if you are having a baby shower, you are going to want to wait and see what you get before you purchase some of the larger ticketed items from your baby registry.

The timing of your shower will probably be closer to the 32 week mark of your pregnancy. So, if you are a planner and nervous about having everything you need in place, you can always track what’s been purchased from your registry.

If there is an item on your baby registry you really want and it’s not showing purchased, go ahead and get it. You can always return it if you end up with duplicates.

Personally, I am not a huge planner. So, I just waited until after my baby shower to buy any other baby items I wanted.

Lastly, you should have some control over the timing of your baby shower. To give yourself enough time, you could aim to have your shower by 30 weeks into your pregnancy, at the latest.

When Is The Best Time To Start Buying Baby Items In Each Category?

For each type of baby item, there are different timelines on when you might need the items. Let’s review when you want to start purchasing different types of baby essentials.

When To Start Buying Diapers When Pregnant

When should you start buying diapers? My answer to this would be to wait until your baby shower.

There is a very high probability you will be given diapers. Or, at the very least, you might get gift cards that you can use to buy diapers.

If you are not having a baby shower, then anytime in the 20 week to 32 week range is a good time to purchase diapers. Keep in mind, you don’t need to go overboard purchasing diaper changing essentials.

I recommend getting (1) case of newborn diapers, (1) case of size 1 diapers, and (1) case of baby wipes. You don’t know if your baby will need a certain brand of diapers or wipes, so stocking up on them could all be a waste.

Additionally, you need space to store all these diapers. Additionally, newborn babies grow fast. You might only need one case of newborn diapers before your baby grows into size 1.

When To Start Buying Nursery Furniture

What about buying or ordering baby furniture for the nursery? When should you start buying all your nursery must haves?

I would recommend deciding on the nursery décor as soon as you find out the sex of your baby. If you are not finding out then purchase your furniture anytime after 13 weeks.

This will give you the most time to design and completely prepare the nursery before your baby arrives. I do recommend having the nursery setup before your baby arrives.

It is not absolutely necessary to have the nursery ready the day your baby comes home from the hospital. But I recommend having it ready because you will be so busy taking care of a newborn, and it is one less thing to have to worry about.

When Should I Get a Car Seat & Stroller?

We actually have a whole entire separate post dedicated just to this topic. You can get the whole lowdown on when to buy a car seat and stroller in pregnancy here.

But to summarize purchase an infant car seat by 32 weeks into pregnancy and a stroller (I recommend a frame stroller) by 36 weeks. You can wait to purchase a convertible car seat and umbrella or jogging stroller until your baby gets older, around 6-9 months.

Buying Baby Clothes In Advance

I am not a huge fan of buying a lot of baby clothes yourself. There are a few reasons for this. First of all, baby clothes are a great baby item to buy used or better yet to get as FREE hand me downs.

Secondly, baby clothes are a very common gift, so there is a good chance you will receive a lot of clothes. Of course, buying baby clothes is fun!

So, if you do want to select your own clothes I recommend buying one outfit in each size through 12 months. This way you have at least one thing you personally picked out, that was just too cute to not get.

I also recommend checking out this guide to find out how many baby clothes you need in each size.

Believe it or not, knowing when to start buying baby stuff is not straightforward!

That summarizes my thoughts on when to start buying baby stuff. Before I go, here is a list of the important points to remember.

• Start buying baby stuff between 13 weeks to 20 weeks of pregnancy – even for high risk and twins pregnancies.
• When you start buying baby things will partially be determined by whether you are finding out your baby’s sex and if you are having a baby shower.
• Start buying diapers at 20 weeks to 32 weeks into your pregnancy.
• Order nursery furniture anytime after 13 weeks or after you find out your baby’s sex.
• Get an infant car seat by 32 weeks and a stroller by 36 weeks of pregnancy.
• Don’t go crazy spending a lot of money on baby clothes.

Finally before I sign off, if you are expecting you might also be interested in these printable pregnancy resources listed below.

• Pregnancy Checklists – (6) simple, printable checklists so you know what to get done before your baby arrives
• First Time Mom Pregnancy Planner & Journal (Printable) – stay organized and track your pregnancy

Good luck with your pregnancy and your exciting adventures to come as a new parent!