So to all of you moms out there....I have a question.

When you had your baby - the first one if you've had more than one - how soon did you start collecting stuff? My husband and I are planning to TTC in a couple of months, so we're not there yet. But this is just something we were talking about last night and I wondered what other people do.

Did some of you start getting some things before you were pregnant? Did you wait until you knew the sex of the baby?

Just curious.

I waited until I was probably 4-5 months pregnant with my son. I had a shower with him and I got a TON of stuff, so I'm glad I didn't get a lot beforehand, I wouldn't have needed it! I started researching strollers and car seats and stuff at this time too and they ended up being gifted to us too. Plus my sister was saving stuff for me, her two were no longer babies so we got her crib and rocking chair. The other thing is it took us a while to get pregnant, so I wouldn't have wanted a lot of things around either, because for a while I wondered if I'd ever be a mom, and having baby stuff around would have been too difficult during that process.

Anyways, if you have an opportunity to pick up a few things that other people are done with, I wouldn't be opposed to taking it, but as for buying things I probably wouldn't bother - you'll have lots of time once you get pregnant...plus I loved walking around looking at baby things with my baby belly!!

Put it off as long as possible -- maybe 6 or 7 mos into the pregnancy? (I was high risk for miscarriage, and I felt like waiting til baby was viable made more sense. It would have been painful to miscarry and then have to cope with all this baby stash laying about. )

When you are closer to birth, a FEW outfits, diapers is good enough if you are cosleeping. Add a convertible playpen/bassinet/armsreach if you are not cosleeping.

Think about what you REALLY need and how much you can realistically store before you get all crazy shopping.

I used this planner and felt it was good.

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Ready-...5278557&sr=8-5

The lists it suggested were helpful. Just don't feel like you have to get it all.

A.

We didn't find out what we were having and although it was a great surprise, I had to return a ton of neutral clothing and get girl stuff. But we did register and get a ton of items from our families so that helped so we didn't have to worry about it later on.

Lol yeah even though we had his room all set up with a crib and stuff, he ended up sleeping with me until he moved to his big boy bed around 18 months, and still at 3 one of us sleeps with him a couple of nights a week. You just never know what you'll need...waiting until later on is usually a good idea!

This! I did get some pretty big stuff from cousins that were done having kids (high chair, exersaucer, etc.) and I bought a bouncy seat at a garage sale for $2 (cause you just can't beat that!). I didn't accept clothes from people until I knew the gender (we found out with both of ours), and baby showers provided A LOT.

I don't tend to worry about things being gender specific unless they're clothes. My son used a pink bouncy seat for a while, I use a (fairly neutral) carseat that belonged to his female cousin. I figure, it's free and I still know he's a boy!

So, I say if it will save you some money then take it, but don't start buying stuff yet.

I agree with the above. With my first, I got so much stuff from the baby shower that I didn't have to buy much. I was set on wipes for probably a year. So, yes, definitely wait until later unless it's stuff that people are giving you. Right now, all I have is a car seat, pack 'n' play, a few little outfits, and some diapers and wipes and I'm almost 7 months. I'm waiting on my baby shower before I get anything else.