When did you start buying stuff???

Alicia_22

I know we are very early in the process and are not close to starting to buy stuff ( although I would if I didn't think people would think I'm crazy) but I'm wondering when you girls started buying baby things? ( during home study, after home study was complete/approved, after you were matched, ect). I'm a planner so I'm just wondering when I will need to start looking at purchasing nursery items!!! TIA.

517butterfly

We started making purchases for nursery items once our homestudy was completed.  We purchased other baby items along the way though that were crazy good deals or things that we knew we would need.  It helped to spread out some of the costs instead of having to buy everything at once.  Since we were open to either gender, everything we bought was GN.  Once we were matched with DD, we went and bought of the girly things

-Stephanie-

We got our furniture and a few gender neutral items after we were approved and active, in case we got a drop in your lap type of match. Since our match and the ultrasound we've started buying more girl specific items.

Dr.Loretta

Someone asked about this when they (and we) had completed part 1 of a 3-visit homestudy process. Some of the moms who had already adopted, especially those with quick placements, urged us to start getting stuff ASAP, because you never know. I went into baby-gear-obsession mode and started planning and buying.

At this point, with our final home visit in less than 2 weeks, we have a stroller, a crib in mind, thinking of getting the carseat this weekend, and are almost fully stocked with cloth diapers.

So I'd say go for it and get started!

*Erin&Mike*

We started clothes and a few very simple supplies if we would see them on clearance for a steal.  After our 2nd Homestudy visit we went and bought the crib, changing table, and dresser, some clothes, diapers, bottles etc.  We wanted to be prepared in case we got matched really quick...which we did.  So its a good thing! I say start shopping!! You never know how soon it will happen!!!  Another thing is to start deciding on a nursery.  Painting and decorating will help pass the time...so again-I say Start Shopping! HAVE FUN!!!

thebratbride

I am a BIG planner and like to have things all set up and planned out well in advance. ( I am already planning A's first B-day)  But I just could not bring myself to start a nursery or even buy one baby item.  At the end of our training I was very discouraged because DH was not open to foster to adopt- only straight adopt and my dreams of having a baby seemed to be very unrealistic with adopting from foster care because they said over and over in the classes it would most likely be an older child.

I decided to make one of our spare rooms a craft room. When I refused to plan a nursery I also refused to do anything with both of our spare bedrooms and they just sat empty and had become a dumping ground for anything and everything.   I really needed something to do and I decided to get back into scrap booking.  I planned a very girlish room.  I painted the walls a very light pink and made frilly curtains and was looking into wall shelves and desks when we got THE call.  We really think it was God's plan because everything worked out way to well to be a coincidence.  A now has a very girlish room with pink walls and frilly curtains.  DH's mom showed up a day before we brought her home with a van full of baby stuff from DH's cousin who has two little girls. 

So it will all worked out, but if you feel ok with getting stuff ahead of time then I say go for it.  I won't call you crazy.

Alicia_22

I agree that I think we should be ready in case we are matched quickly. We looked online last night at nursery "themes." It was so much fun!!! We have just sent in our pre-application so we have a while even before we start the home study process ( I'm assuming anyways). I'd like to have the major items ( crib, carseat, ect) bought and ready by the end of the homestudy process in case we are matched quickly. We are wanting a boy ( although I'm hoping to talk DH into considering either gender) so we could start purchasing some gender specific things around then as well. Thanks again for the advice! I haven't been on this board long but I've gotten great advice already!

*Erin&Mike*

Alicia_22:

I agree that I think we should be ready in case we are matched quickly. We looked online last night at nursery "themes." It was so much fun!!! We have just sent in our pre-application so we have a while even before we start the home study process ( I'm assuming anyways). I'd like to have the major items ( crib, carseat, ect) bought and ready by the end of the homestudy process in case we are matched quickly. We are wanting a boy ( although I'm hoping to talk DH into considering either gender) so we could start purchasing some gender specific things around then as well. Thanks again for the advice! I haven't been on this board long but I've gotten great advice already!

 

GOOD LUCK!! It is so much fun once you get started! Just want to give you a heads up-and maybe you already looked into this with your agency, but some agencies (not all) don't let you be gender specific.  Ours was, but we were told that some don't let you pick.  Again, you may have already looked into that-but if not-check with your agency if you and DH are looking to adopt a little boy.

Amy720

I was one of those who didn't want anything in the house to remind me that I didn't have a baby. We'd been through IF treatments, 2 miscarriages, and 1 failed adoption.  When we got the call about Ben we had a few onesies that we'd bought before our failed adoption.  We got the call and were told the baby was available to be taken home from the hospital the next day.  We got the essentials on the way out of town.  When we got back we registered and got to pick out all the furniture for the nusery.  A newborn really needs very little-onesies, socks, bottles, formula, PNP, diapers, pacis, etc.  I think you should get whatever you feel comfortable getting and there's really no right time.  Good Luck!

Dragonfly_Bride

For me, I will be buying stuff once we go live. I would rather buy things before were matched than after. My?thought?is that I'd rather have purchased stuff slowly, finding good deals, keeping my mind on the positive and not have it all specifically tied to a particular match. I could see myself being matched, going out buying all this stuff that I?would?associate?specifically with that baby and then the match falls through & I'd want to throw everything away, or couldn't look at it because of the reminders. This is also why I'd prefer to have a shower before we're matched. It's all personal preference.?

FinallyMrs.G

We just had our last homestudy meeting yesterday and our homestudy report will be done the beginning of September and we haven't purchased anything yet. I feel a little strange about it, don't get me wrong I can not wait to start shopping but I feel like it's a little too early yet.  I do have my nursery furniture picked out though.

ColoRxGirl

As soon as our homestudy was complete, I started buying stuff.  I have furniture on order and a "bare minimum" layette already bought.  I also have a pack-n-play and stroller/car seat combo.  Major purchases left are a changing table and pad (I didn't buy one with the furniture set we got).

The nursery is painted and has window treatments, but it's a sewing room right now as I'm making curtains for our family room.  Everything - decor, clothes, gear - is gender neutral.  I'm a fanatic for anything green, so it didn't bother me to buy stuff in green, yellow, and brown.  The nursery is a forest motif, so it's neutral, too.

I say buy stuff whenever you feel comfortable.  I was really apprehensive throughout the application/homestudy process.  But as soon as I had that letter in my hand, the adoption became real.  And I rounded up the basics in under a month.

Jessie*J

We started buying stuff before we were even close to starting our home study. We knew a baby would be apart of our family and I started early --- I knew if I started early I would have PLENTY of the things I wanted before we got our baby.

We weren't ones to really look into adopting older children -- so we knew we would be starting from birth and would need all the baby things.

Starting a nursery for me made it more real. It helped me to plan and have stuff there -- b/c it made me feel that our baby was not too far behind!

We will be HS approved by the first week of Sept. Our SW is just writing up the rest of her paperwork and our friends are giving us a shower on Sept 19th! lol We are helping plan and all. Our agency said once they put us on the waiting list (since we opened our race options up) we may get placed very fast seeing as they need PAP's for african american babies.

So -- I want to be prepared EARLY!!! GL

LadyRed7

We purchased our crib before even signing on with our agency. Pretty early, but we had some rebate coupons to use at PBK and figured it was the perfect item to use them on. 

Since then, we have painted and remodeled the closet in the room and have purchased bedding and some accessories. We will keep buying too! LOL

For us, it is just like being pregnant. Even though the wait could be quicker than 9 months or longer, we are mentally prepared for either and we know we will have a baby. So we feel like Stephanie, we would rather be prepared for an "instant" baby match.

Have fun shopping! 

GLynn2009

It is up to you and what you feel comfortable with.

We have know about our baby since she was two months old . She came for a visit Jan of 2009 and I borrowed stuff to have when she was here for three weeks (Before she came I could not stand to have baby stuff and no baby.). She came back in April and stayed for about two months and we bought stuff and I went happily crazy getting stuff. Everything is done now and empty waiting on her to come back to stay and it makes me sad. I avoid her room for the most part. I do still pick-up stuff if the deal is to good to pass up. DD is now 2 so if we had bought newborn stuff we would not have used it. We new that it would take awhile and since we were adopting a child that was already born we did not want to invest in stuff that she would out grow before she got here. We are doing a privite IA.

Temp206787500007404

We started in the very beginning slowly making purchases.  It's a lot easier to stomach that making a bunch of purchases at once.  Now, at one point our attorney warned us "any day now" and we did go buy a lot of necessities at once, but those could have easily been spread out.  You could also put money into savings each month or paycheck to purchase furniture if you're not comfortable buying things yet.