A question I have, is if the loan is in your name, are you taking time off work? If so, how will you make repayments? I used to take out loans for things, but after too many years of paying them off and wasting my money on interest, I am also a big advocate of saving for things first.

A tip I read somewhere (may have been BB), if to make a list of all the items you want and email a spreadsheet to a few suppliers to see who will give you the best deal. It's basically like running your own tender. Another tip is to make small purchases every week leading up to birth. Or, as pp said, use layby.

If you take out a loan and can't make the repayments you will end up in credit trouble. I wouldn't expect DF to make the repayments for you. If DF feels strongly about saving, can you work together on a budget and create a schedule to buy things over time? How does he suggest paying for things that are needed?