STMs: When did you start buying things if they were still on the registry?

kwilliams3402 · April 2016

Baby boy is due August 9. We're first time parents and as of today, have a glider, half a dozen 3m onesies, and a couple fancy but not practical blankets. Baby boy definitely couldn't come home today!

My family/friends shower is Memorial Day weekend, and my 20-person office is doing a shower mid-June. STMs, how far before baby's due date did you start buying things yourself if you hadn't yet been gifted it? My current thought is that around the beginning of June, we'll go ahead and order any remaining nursery furniture (crib, changing table), and right after July 4th, we'll get busy buying 1st month newborn "essentials" to fill in gaps for anything we haven't been gifted. If baby is earlier than 36 weeks (so before July 9th-ish), won't we be looking at a NICU stay which will give us time to finish getting everything before baby comes home? I've found a few lists online of the "basic essentials" that you need baby's first month that I'd definitely like to have already purchased and ready before baby arrives. Then, after baby is born, we'll slowly buy other things that baby won't need immediately but may by 3-4 months or we decide would be nice to have. I definitely don't expect to get everything on the registry, and will be grateful for anything we are gifted, but STMs, how did you balance leaving things on the registry for people to gift versus a ticking clock before baby is due?

Thanks!!

SkiChic626 · April 2016

Our parents bought all of our nursery furniture, and if they hadn't we would have ourselves - it was all at least ordered by the time I was 20w because some things take a while to come in. That's also not something I would expect to register for or get as a gift from someone other than parents. For everything else, as hard as it was, we waited until after the shower, which was at 35 weeks. There were some big items we weren't expecting to get, like a car seat and stroller, so we waited and took some of the other nice-to-have-but-not-necessary gifts and returned those and used the money toward the bigger necessary items. You'll also probably get a lot of the little essential items from people at your shower who already have babies and know what you'll need that you don't realize you'll need yet. That's what I've been doing for people since I had a baby - even if the stuff isn't on the registry, I go to Target and stock up on the "things you don't know you need until you need them at 3am" and put it all in a little bottle cooler or gift bag of some sort. A friend of mine did that for me and omg I was SO thankful she gave us gas drops once at 2am when DD was screaming for like 5 hours....those gas drops were the magic trick! Anyway, my point is that I know it's hard, but I would wait. It might not seem like it, but you'll have plenty of time after your shower to get the stuff you still need or want that you didn't get. I was so bored when I stopped working before DD was born, I was glad to have errands like that to run.

kwilliams3402 · April 2016

Yep, I know it's so early, but I'm a planner and thought I'd throw it out there for conversation! And, helps with budgeting to know what months to expect to buy things in.

Sekerambo · April 2016

Wait until after the showers. People do go in together to purchase large gifts, especially for office showers (or at least the ones I've been a part of). Also, I found it hard to spend the amount of money I had from returns from gifts (double items, etc.) even with using it to purchase the big items. Unless you have had issues throughout the pregnancy, it is extremely unlikely that you will go into labor early so there really is no rush.

SkiChic626 · April 2016

Yeah, we had like $700+ of store credit from items that we returned because we didn't need them or they weren't on our registry (we got A LOT that wasn't on our registry - it was kinda weird), so we were able to get our stroller (City Select) and I think one of the convertible car seats (Britax Advocate) with that. Definitely helped! We didn't get any large registry gifts from anyone, not even parents since they purchased furniture, so I wouldn't necessarily expect that.

Ceventa · April 2016

Take a look at your registry policies. A lot of them give you a discount on items you buy starting a period of time before your due date and some even after your due date. With DS we waited until that discount kicked in to get anything on the registry that we didn't receive as a gift that we really wanted. Also, since registries tend to give you a discount after the fact, I was even adding things to my registry after the due date so that I could then order it at a discount ;-) Like others said, some things you might end up returning too for credit. So just check up on the policies and I would wait until beginning to mid-July to fill in any holes in the items you think you'll need. Gifts might still trickle in close to your due date.

JLyn821 · April 2016

My parents bought the nursery furniture. We started buying needed stuff off the registry after my shower. My shower was at 31 weeks. My goal was to be completely set up and ready by 38 weeks. I basically wanted to be prepared for baby to be two weeks early but expect baby two weeks late.

kristynmac · April 2016

Did you register with Amazon? I think that most of what you have--if not purchased prior to the delivery date--is then eligible for the completion coupon or at least a pretty nice discount so if you can hold off, it might be worth the wait.

kwilliams3402 · April 2016

We're on Amazon and Target, and I don't mind at all waiting until we get much closer. Just wanted to hear experienced Moms chime in on whether 36 weeks-ish to finish buying was too late!

rubredvelvet · April 2016

Fed wait until after the showers- unless you find a really good deal. Depending where your registered at if someone then buys it from your registry but you don't have a receipt it's really easy to exchange for something else you need.

However, as a third time mom I will say when baby comes home the only thing you will really need for that first couple of weeks is a pump (or whatever you will use to feed), diapers, car seat, some swaddles (either blankets or the wrap kind), and a nice chair. And now with things like Amazon prime and all that you really could wait until you have the baby and order things from the hospital room. Haha

We had a glider, but I always suggest new parents to get a nice plushy recliner like a lazy boy or something. Because most babies are going to want to be held constantly and it is a life saver to be able to sit in that thing with baby and rest.

AmandaG225 · April 2016

I would wait until after your showers. However, I would get your furniture ordered asap! Sometimes it can take up to 16 weeks to receive your pieces.

SkiChic626 · April 2016

rubredvelvet said:

We had a glider, but I always suggest new parents to get a nice plushy recliner like a lazy boy or something. Because most babies are going to want to be held constantly and it is a life saver to be able to sit in that thing with baby and rest.

Yup, this, we have two big cushy rocking chairs - one in the living room and one for the bedroom. Those wooden glider chairs never looked comfortable to me, and you def end up sleeping in there with baby from time to time - you'll be glad it's comfy!

SkiChic626 · April 2016

AmandaG225 said:

I would wait until after your showers. However, I would get your furniture ordered asap! Sometimes it can take up to 16 weeks to receive your pieces.

Yup, this, too. Like I said in my pp, we had all of our furniture ordered by 20w, but my dresser didn't come in until I was about 35w....my MIL ordered it from a baby boutique store and it was just ridiculous, I was getting so annoyed that I had nowhere to start putting things away! But yea, get all your furniture ordered ASAP at this point.

kwilliams3402 · April 2016

By glider I really mean cushy upholstered chair and ottoman that rocks/glides . . . we scored a great deal via Nextdoor from a lady looking to sell one she had custom made a few years ago and no longer wanted.

And this may sound terrible, but I totally don't have my heart set on just one particular crib/furniture line.

SkiChic626 · April 2016

@kwilliams3402 get that furniture ordered, girl! Our furniture doesn't match, but it goes really well together. I didn't have a specific line I loved, I just picked the individual pieces I liked and ordered those. Nothing is the same brand, they're not even all exactly the same color.

Neesey · April 2016

At least get your furniture ready to go. If by chance your little one does come early like ours did at 34w4d, you can always get the things you need before they come home from the NICU. We tossed the car seat box in the car on the way to the hospital just in case. There were some 35 weekers who were only in the NICU to get checked out and then went home quickly. You just never know. I was really glad that I was a planner and did an early shower so everything was ready by 32 weeks. The NICU sent us home with enough diapers and formula for the first few days so we didn't need to rush right out to get stuff. Ask for extras of everything at the hospital so you can take them home with you!

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