What did you buy and when?!

[Mrs BB]

When did everyone start buying or accumulating all the much needed baby stuff?

What did you WANT to buy brand new?
Who bought things 2nd hand and from where?

I haven't got anything yet - but caught up with girlfriends on the weekend who started to give me things!!!
I was also offered car seats & prams second hand at cheap prices from them.

Now - I am not too sure how to go about it all! I did find a nice 2nd hand bassinette on EBay...

So what were you adamant about buying brand new? I always thought I would want a brand new pram and car seat... but not sure now!

Thanks ladies

[blackduckies]

Hi, the only things I bought brand new were car seats and booster seats, the rest on ebay or through the trading post and kids markets (so much fun) and great bargains.
Although if you know that the seats have'nt been in an accident I would also consider buying them secondhand from friends.(depending on condition) Babies and kids grow so fast that loads of items are like new anyway, especially clothes...I reckon save $$$$$ for the fun things in life like family holidays, going to fun family outings and dinner out here and there.
I personally waited until around half way through my first pregnancy before I started buying things, but mainly because I had bleeding and I was'nt sure what was going to happen, but otherwise would have started end of the first trimester.

Good luck and have fun finding some bargains.(make sure you bargain at the kids markets, you will get some super deals, you can always come up in price, but not the other way)

[alioops]

I got new car seats, for safety reasons. You never know if someone is being truthful about whether they have had an accident with the car seat fitted. I did get a second hand twin pram, simply because the one I wanted was $1200 brand new but now I am trying to sell that one and I am selling a single reversible pram too. We will only have an umbrealla stroller and a 3 wheeler when this one comes along. The 3 wheeler and capsule are on layby now.

I have also laybyed a decent change table. The last things to be bought are mainly nappies for this bub but I need to do the majority of the buying early as DH will be away for most of the 2nd trimester and some of the 3rd. I have also bought a new breast pump on sale. We will be using the cot we bought new when Em was born.

With the older 2 we bought in the second trimester, when I was not in too much pain, but this time we need to buy early so that I am not lugging heavy items if my pelvis gives up again. And with DH away chances are that I would end up having to do it all by myself anyway.

[Brunette01]

We've been so lucky with stuff we've been given. Received two bouncer chair things, cot, bedding, stacks of clothes (both boy and girl to cover every eventuality)

The only things we've bought ourselves are a change table with bath, pram and car seat, plus a few neutral coloured clothes for when baby is born, as I didnt want to wash all the boy and girl clothes we'd been given and then have to bag it all up again! We put our pram and car seat on lay buy about 5 weeks ago - only because they were having a 20% sale so it was a real good time to do it! at the mo we;re living with dps parents so dont really have much room for anything so think thats been a bit factor when we've been deciding whether or not to buy things!

I think in the next few weeks we might buy some hooded towels as weve only got one at the moment. Other than that w're going to wait till he or she arirves and see what we find we want or need then!

[BekZ]

I don't start to buy equipement until I am 20wks plus.

I would never buy a car seat or cot mattress second hand. Everything else I would certainly consider if in good condition.

[Mrs BB]

Thanks for the feeback everyone!!!

We arent looking at buying anything yet, I want to wait til after Christmas and get finances in order
But with people offering and giving me stuff I dont want anyone to be offended either! lol

[BekZ]

It is hard when ppl give you stuff that you'd prefer to buy or choose yourself.

I took heaps of stuff from friends because I did not want to offend anyone!!! I ended up having stuff that never got used so I gave it back with a big thank you or donated to charity.

[Mrs BB]

It is hard when ppl give you stuff that you'd prefer to buy or choose yourself.

I took heaps of stuff from friends because I did not want to offend anyone!!! I ended up having stuff that never got used so I gave it back with a big thank you or donated to charity.

So true BekZ!
Maybe I can just tell friends that we are waiting til after christmas to get anything and if they still have the item then I will let them know!

[satya]

The only things I'd say should be new are the car seat (unless you buy it from a friend so you know it hasn't been in an accident) & the cot mattress.

If you want to keep your costs down accept anything that anyone wants to give you for free. If you decide you don't want it then you give it to your mother or MIL for when you are visiting there - stuff like bouncers & high chairs etc. That's what we did.

If you only buy stuff when it's on sale you will save a lot of money. Avoid the baby shops completely. You will find all the basic stuff you need in places like Kmart, Big W & Target but for far less money.

[Sammiejane]

I got most things new, cos no one i knew had babies before, or if they did, stuff was still in use.
so all furniture and car seats and pram were new.

I have heaps of second hand clothes and bedding, all washed and aired really well before using, seriously they grow out of clothes so quickly that its madness to have everything new. Mum volunteers at the Red Cross shop so she was on the look out for cute clothes and all at a fraction of the price... you cant beat $4 for a pumpkin patch set of overalls

I got an ebay high chair - but not until MJ was 5 mths old, it would have just cluttered the place
I also bought a bent wood rocking chair as I have fond memeories of my mum rocking me in hers (that they still have) so i found on one ebay for $50... i had to have it!

I like Satya's idea of giving stuff that you dont want to inlaws and parents to have at their place... Mum has a second hand cot at her place that we were given and loads of blankets too... she also has a stash of clothes.

I bought nappies (MCN's) early as i wanted to have a good stash before bubs arrived... im still buying though, its addictive!

[Salsa]

I like to keep an eye out for things when they are on sale, and if I come across something 2nd hand that I can tell is in good condition. I looked at 2nd hand carseats, but they were grubby and I just couldnt trust how old or worn they were - but then saying that, we sold a carseat from our DS that was in excellent condition - but I know alot of people out there dont care if they sell you something shabby or lie about its history ...
Anyway, a cot mattress is important to me to be new and 2nd on the list to be new would probaly be a carseat.

Other things I`ll buy new or get them 2nd hand, depending on what I see and like first.