A Helpful Timeline: When to Start Buying Baby Stuff

Aug. 19, 2024

A Helpful Timeline: When to Start Buying Baby Stuff

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Wondering when to start buying baby stuff? Good for you for thinking ahead! Between now and the time you meet your little one, there&#;s a lot to do&#;and a lot to buy.

The truth is, there is no hard and fast rule on when to start buying things for your little one. Some parents can&#;t wait to pick out cute baby clothes and nursery décor, while others prefer to hold off for various reasons. In this guide, we&#;ll discuss a few of those reasons and provide a helpful timeline for buying must-have essentials for your baby.

Things to Consider Before You Shop for a Baby

With all the teeny-tiny baby clothes and newfangled baby gear available today, it can be easy to go overboard on baby items in the first trimester. But before you grab a shopping cart and go crazy, there are a few things you should take into consideration.

1. Budget

It&#;s no secret that babies are expensive. According to a USDA report, a middle-income family can expect to spend nearly $13,000 annually per child. The good news? You likely have nine months to budget for your new bundle of joy and research ways to save on baby gear.

Contrary to what some companies would have you believe, babies don&#;t need fancy cribs, designer clothes or state-of-the art bouncers. Creating a budget for the baby forces you to think about what your baby actually needs, so you don&#;t get sucked into buying the &#;latest and greatest.&#;

Additionally, budgeting in advance for the baby can give you more motivation to find coupons and wait for the best deals. You can also take advantage of rewards programs&#;like our Grow-With-Us Perks&#;to help you save even more on baby stuff.

2. Space

Another key consideration when shopping for your baby is how much space you have in your home. Reclining gliders, large dressers and free-standing bookshelves may sound nice, but they&#;re probably not going to fit in a teeny-tiny room.

Keep this in mind when adding items and gear to your baby registry. If you&#;re tight on space, consider a mini-crib and other smart nursery solutions that will help you design a functional nursery.

3. Baby Shower

Are you expecting someone to throw you a baby shower? If so, try to go easy on buying baby items until after your baby shower. Depending on how many people attend your baby shower, you could end up getting most of what you need from friends and family members.

Even if you aren&#;t planning to have a baby shower, it might make more sense to wait to buy baby stuff. Once word spreads that you&#;re having a baby, you could end up receiving a lot of hand-me-downs from other parents.

4. Gender of the Baby

Many expecting parents prefer to wait to buy baby stuff until they find out the gender of their baby. This generally happens between 18 and 21 weeks, but some people find out as early as 12 weeks.

Of course, you don&#;t need to know the gender of your baby to begin buying things for them. Whether you&#;re keeping the baby&#;s gender a surprise or simply can&#;t wait to start shopping for your new bundle of joy, you can always stock up on unisex baby clothes for your little one. The choice is entirely up to you!

5. Package Delivery Times

Planning to shop online? Don&#;t forget to consider the time it takes to ship your baby items.

It could take weeks or even months for your packages to arrive, so take this into account when shopping for your baby. This is especially important if you&#;re ordering baby gear during the holiday season and other busy times of the year for shippers and retailers.

A General Timeline for Buying Baby Items

First Trimester

Between budgeting for a baby and organizing your home to make room for baby stuff, there is plenty to do before you start shopping. Lay the groundwork for a stress-free shopping spree now, and you&#;ll thank yourself later!

Create a budget
&#; First things first: Create a budget for baby stuff. This way, you&#;ll have a better idea of what you can realistically spend on your baby. Need to make room in your budget for all those adorable baby clothes? Check out our
ultimate guide to budgeting for baby clothes
and get helpful tips on how to start saving for baby&#;s wardrobe.
Set up a baby registry
&#; It&#;s never too early to set up a baby registry. After all, you&#;re simply making a list of baby supplies, which you can usually set to private until you&#;re ready to share it with family and friends. Don&#;t know where to begin? Start by adding must-have baby clothing essentials to your registry, such as
Onesies® Brand Bodysuits
, baby pajamas, shirts, bottoms and wiggle-proof socks.

Shop Onesies® Brand Bodysuits

Research baby gear
&#; From buying a crib to choosing the right stroller, there are a lot of tough decisions you&#;ll need to make before your baby arrives. To find the products that are perfect for your family, be sure to spend a little time researching your must-have baby gear. Start reading baby buying guides and reviews to get a better idea of what products will serve you best. Doing your research is also a great way to save money by helping you figure out what you need and don&#;t need for your baby.
Stock up on consumables
&#; Consider using this time to start stockpiling laundry detergent, shampoo and conditioner, dish soap, toilet paper and other consumables that may cost a lot over the long run.

This way, you&#;ll have a small supply for when you&#;re on one income. Stocking up on consumables can also help ease the nesting feeling without filling your home with baby stuff too early.

Second Trimester

Even if you&#;re waiting until after your baby shower to buy most of your baby stuff, this is still a great time to purchase big-ticket items&#;like a nursery glider, a stroller and the baby&#;s crib&#;that you probably didn&#;t add to your baby registry.

Choose a nursery theme
&#; Now that you know the sex of the baby, it&#;s time to pick a theme for your nursery. With a theme in place, it will be much easier to choose furniture and décor that coordinate with your nursery design. Outfit your nursery with
baby girl bedding
or
baby boy bedding
in fun colors, patterns and prints. Add personality to your little one&#;s room with adorable baby books to match your nursery theme.
Start ordering nursery furniture
&#; Buying nursery furniture online? Be sure to order sooner rather than later. It can take weeks for your items to arrive, and you&#;ll want to have plenty of time to assemble your furniture. For large and heavy items, you&#;ll also want to have someone help you move the furniture into your home.
Buy a crib
&#; Some parents hold off on buying a crib and decide to use a bassinet for the baby&#;s first few months. But you&#;ll need to buy a crib eventually, and the second trimester is one of the best times to do it because you&#;ll have more energy. Additionally, this will give you enough time to assemble the crib.
Declutter your home
&#; Start decluttering your home to make room for all the baby stuff coming your way. Remember, you don&#;t need to do everything in one day! Start by putting one or two items into a trash bag each day. Once the bag is full, drop it off at a donation center.
Decide on diapers
&#; If you haven&#;t already decided which kind of diaper you&#;re going to use for your baby, now would be a good time to make a decision. While your main options are
cloth diapers
and disposable diapers, you also have many options between all the different brands and styles.

Third Trimester

You&#;re in the home stretch! With your baby&#;s arrival looming closer, it&#;s time to double-check your baby list and pick up all the remaining products you&#;ll need for your new addition.

Stock up on must-have essentials
&#; For such tiny beings, babies can go through a surprising number of clothes, diapers and creams. In your nursery, make sure that you have lots of
baby bibs and burp cloths
within easy reach. Don&#;t forget to pick up diaper cream, wipes, baby lotion, nail clippers and other baby care essentials.
Buy a baby car seat
&#; Don&#;t wait too long to get a car seat. You&#;ll want to have plenty of time to practice using your car seat in advance. Besides, you can&#;t leave the hospital without one!
Round out the baby&#;s wardrobe
&#; Once your baby shower is over and done with, you can go through your little one&#;s clothes and start filling in the gaps in their wardrobe. If you&#;re like most expecting parents, you&#;ll probably end up with a mountain of newborn clothes and not nearly enough baby clothes in larger sizes. Fortunately, that&#;s an easy fix! Check out the wide selection of quality baby clothes at
Gerber Childrenswear
and order everything you need for your bundle of joy.
Pre-wash baby clothes
&#; Whether your baby items are brand-new or gently used, it&#;s always a good idea to wash them before your little one arrives. Hand-me-downs may have been stuffed in the basement or attic, causing them to get dusty. Similarly, brand-new clothes may contain chemicals that are harmful on the baby&#;s delicate skin. Speaking of baby&#;s delicate skin, be sure to pre-wash your little one&#;s clothes with a baby-safe laundry detergent!
Keep an eye out for good deals
&#; Impatiently waiting for your little one to arrive? One smart way to pass the time is by searching for amazing deals on baby items. Specifically, keep an eye out for deals on high chairs, playpens, bouncers and other items that your baby doesn&#;t necessarily need right away. That way, you can wait until your favorite models go on sale.

Ready, Set, Shop!

With this helpful timeline, you can hopefully get a better sense of when to start shopping for your baby. Just remember that you aren&#;t bound by this timeline. At the end of the day, you should purchase and prepare for your little one however you see fit.

Happy shopping!

Image Credits

SF Stock/shutterstock.com

Natalya Lys/shutterstock.com

Africa Studio/shutterstock.com

Anna Om/shutterstock.com

Image Point Fr/shutterstock.com

Yuganov Konstantin/shutterstock.com

Jacob Lund/shutterstock.com

The 8 Best Brands For Organic Newborn Clothing

As conscientious consumers, we know that less is more and babies grow very very quickly, meaning that cute newborn outfit will only fit for a couple of weeks. As such, pre-loved is often best for newborn clothing. But if you do have to buy new, what do you need to watch out for and which are the best brands for organic newborn clothing?

Buying baby clothes is, let&#;s face it, one of the most fun things to do in preparation for your new arrival. It&#;s hard to resist those cute onesies! And those mittens, and that kimono, and and and&#;.

But as conscientious consumers, we know that less is more and babies grow very very quickly, meaning that cute newborn outfit will only fit for a couple of weeks. As such, pre-loved is often best for newborn clothing. But if you do have to buy new, what do you need to watch out for and which are the best brands for organic newborn clothing?

What to watch out for when buying newborn clothing

The biggest thing to look for in clothes for newborns and babies is the fiber used to make the bulk of the clothing. Almost all babywear is made with some kind of cotton, typically conventional cotton that has been bleached and dyed. More on this in a moment, but first, let&#;s take a quick look at a few other potential issues with baby clothing, including the presence of chemicals known as:

Functional (or effect) chemical substances
Auxiliary chemical substances
Chemical substances not intentionally added

These three categories are used by scientists to describe chemicals commonly found in textiles including clothing (as well as sheets, drapes, carpets, etc.). They&#;re also used by regulators looking to manage exposure to potentially problematic chemicals, and by organizations who offer certification programs for eco-friendly, non-toxic textiles.

In brief, functional (effect) chemical substances contribute to the design or certain properties of the final article and are intended to be present in the final article at a high enough concentration to remain useful. Examples include:

Colorants (dyes)
Anti-wrinkling agents
Antibacterial agents
Anti-shrinking agents
Oil, soil, and water repellants
Flame retardants

Because these functional chemicals are intended to be present in high amounts in the final product, these are often the chemicals that cause most problems for human health, and that we want to avoid for our babies. They&#;re also typically intended to stay embedded in or on the textile, rather than easily leaching out. However, with ongoing exposure to sun, air, water, the sweat on our skin, and to detergents or other cleaning agents, these chemicals may be more easily &#;released&#; from the textile.

As such, older textiles may pose more of a risk for exposing us to functional chemicals, although very old textiles may have already leached away most of the chemicals. Put simply, it&#;s hard to tell, without testing, how much exposure your baby might get from hand-me-down baby clothes once treated with these kinds of functional chemicals. And, because babies are very good at getting their clothing dirty, and parents are understandably concerned about clothes being flammable or shrinking, these chemicals are alarmingly common in baby clothes.

Auxiliary chemical substances (process chemicals) are required for the creation of textiles but don&#;t confer any intended property on the final product. As such, these chemicals are not meant to remain in the final product and don&#;t serve any purpose if they do. Examples of auxiliary chemicals in textiles include:

Organic solvents
Surfactants
Softeners
Salts
Acids and bases
Biocides as preservatives during storage and transport of goods

Because these chemicals are not intended to be present in the final product, they may be more likely than functional chemicals to cause environmental damage as they are washed away in waste-water or become airborne pollutants. They may also pose a risk to factory workers manufacturing household textiles.

If you buy or acquire new baby clothes or other textiles, such as crib sheets, towels, rugs, etc., it&#;s a good idea to wash these at least once before first using them. This will help to reduce exposure to chemical residues in such products.

Finally, unintended chemical substances, i.e. contaminants and degradation products, are those chemicals present in the final textile but that were not put there intentionally by the manufacturer. These chemicals have no function in the final product and are usually at a low concentration compared to functional chemicals.

Examples in this category include:

Formaldehyde
Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
Arylamines derived from certain azo dyestuffs and pigments
Dioxins (from chlorine bleach)
Toxic metals (e.g. heavy metals) due to impurities from the raw material.

The best non-toxic baby clothing

So, now we&#;ve got that out of the way, here are our top picks for organic baby clothing.

UpChoose

Leaf Score

Are you interested in learning more about Custom Made Baby Clothes? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

Additional reading:
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Electric Baby Rocker Chair

Highlights: One of the easiest and most affordable ways to guarantee a constant supply of organic and sustainable baby clothing for your baby&#;s first few years of life.

View on Upchoose

I live in Canada and I love it, but boy am I envious that readers in the US have access to UpChoose!

UpChoose Baby Essentials is hands-down the easiest and most affordable way to ensure a constant supply of sustainable, organic, gorgeous baby clothing to fit your baby for the first few years of life. This practically zero-waste, smart baby wardrobe service has buy and rent options for new and preloved high-quality organic baby clothing at a fraction of the cost when you buy everything individually.

UpChoose partners with premium organic clothing brands as part of a circular model that enables resell and reuse. You can take advantage of the service by sending individual items from these partners back to UpChoose for credit with the brands themselves and with UpChoose, or you can exclusively use UpChoose for all your baby clothing needs, which entirely removes the hassle and worry of trying to stay on top of all that growing your amazing baby keeps doing.

UpChoose can deliver all your baby clothing essentials (plus toys!) in one easy set that arrives on schedule at each phase of your baby&#;s growth. When they grow out of items, you just send them back to UpChoose for free and get credit for the next size up. The subscription model makes it super easy, with options to rent or buy on an ongoing schedule.

For anyone hoping to keep clutter to a minimum, avoid the hassle of sending clothes to thrift or trying to stay ahead of the growing-game, and who just wants to be eco-friendly and get adorable organic baby clothes arriving in the mail each month, this is for you. The only downside is that UpChoose isn&#;t available outside the US! The company currently has customers in 91 cities across 33 states in the US, and they are partnered with the following brands:

Under the Nile
Finn + Emma
Kate Quinn Organics
Colored Organics
Burt&#;s Bees Baby
L&#;ovedbaby
Hanna Andersson
Monica + Andy
Tane Organics
Winter Water Factory
Oeuf
Milkbarn
Kickee Pants
Quincy Mae.

You can explore a range of rent or buy options and subscriptions on their site, with starter packs, clothes-only, or full sets with accessories such as baby toys, all of which are organic. Prices range from $29 per month to rent or $179 to buy, and they offer generous discounts if you pre-order a month or more in advance.

The preloved sets include gently-used clothes returned directly to UpChoose by customers or via their brand partners. The company inspects every item to make sure it&#;s in good condition and offers these preloved sets at a considerable discount, around 60-70% lower than retail price. Even the new sets are 20-30% lower than retail price!

Honestly, I can&#;t say enough good things about UpChoose. This is the way of the future, with sustainable, zero-waste, circular economy models of conscious consumerism.

Under the Nile

Leaf Score

Highlights: All of Under the Nile&#;s products are made with 100% Egyptian organic GOTS-certified cotton.

View on Under the Nile

Under the Nile are one of the fantastic brands partnered with UpChoose. They make beautiful organic baby clothing, homewares, and toys, including an organic terry snap front hoodie (view here) I&#;m pretty smitten with. All their products are made with 100% Egyptian organic cotton that is GOTS certified, with most made at a Certified Fair Trade facility in Egypt. They use no azo dyes, and products are free from BPA, flame retardants, formaldehyde, fragrance, PVC, and lead.

Under the Nile use low impact dyes for the lowest environmental impact, which also helps to reduce water and electricity consumption as clothing fibers are dyed at lower temperatures. The company claims this uses 60% less water and results in only 5% wasted dye, compared to 50% waste with conventional dyes (which are also toxic). Under the Nile is bleach-free, using oxygen whitening where necessary rather than chlorine. Their clothing is also free from lead and nickel in snaps and dyes.

Nature Baby

Leaf Score

Highlights: Great company that sells a variety of organic cotton essentials from a GOTS-certified factory.

View on Nature Baby

Nature Baby offer a wide array of organic baby clothing and toys, including a newborn gift set complete with: 1 x Long Sleeve Bodysuit, 0-3M; 1 x Knotted Beanie, 0-6M, and 1 x Wrap. These organic cotton essentials are presented in a reusable organic cotton drawstring bag, making this a great gift, and all items have been pre-washed at their GOTS certified factory to minimize shrinkage.

Nature Baby also offer newborn mittens (view here) made with GOTS certified organic cotton and soft encased elastics at the wrist. Their Henley pajama suit is another great choice (I love their Galaxy Print!) as this GOTS certified organic cotton one-piece helps to keep your baby snug and warm, with snaps part way down the neck and around legs to make diaper changes easier. Again, the mittens and the one-piece have been pre-washed to minimize shrinkage.

Happiest Baby

Leaf Score

Highlights: Growing baby brand that sells a range of newborn clothing made from organic cotton.

View on Happiest Baby

Happiest Baby offer a small number of items of newborn clothing made using organic cotton, including long sleeved body suits (view here) and the Happiest Baby Sleepea Organic Cotton Swaddle. This is pretty much the same as the SNOO Sack but doesn&#;t have the wings to attach it to the SNOO.

The SNOO sack itself is a super convenient sleep sack that makes it easy to swaddle your baby without needing any fancy folding and tying techniques. The hip-safe sleep sack has a special inner band that holds your baby in a cozy embrace to prevent startling, and the soft mesh windows at the shoulders and waist help prevent overheating. Two-way zipper makes for easier diaper changes, and the Velcro is extra quiet (not that you have to undo the Velcro for diaper changes!).

While predominantly aimed at families in the US, Happiest Baby also sell select products in the EU at happiestbaby.eu, United Kingdom at happiestbaby.co.uk, Australia at happiestbaby.com.au and in Canada through Indigo, Well.ca and West Coast Kids. Note, though, that SNOO is only authorized for use in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia and Canada. The original purchaser is not covered under warranty for a SNOO used in other locations.

Finn + Emma

Leaf Score

Highlights: Finn + Emma create timeless designs made from durable organic ingredients.

View on Finn + Emma

In addition to making cute baby toys, Finn + Emma make durable, delightful, organic baby clothes and clothes for kids. These feature timeless designs that are great for passing on when your child outgrows everything. The clothes are made in a socially responsible fashion with fair labor standards and everything is made with GOTS certified organic cotton and non-toxic, eco-friendly dyes.

Most of the 0-3 month offerings are graphic bodysuits/onesies with cheeky and cute slogans such as &#;homegrown&#; and &#;I&#;m the reason we&#;re late&#;. As a novelist, I&#;m especially drawn to the simple onesie with &#;Plot Twist&#; type (View on Finn+Emma).

Burt&#;s Bees are a great choice for many things baby. They offer diaper creams and other toiletries, reusable cloth wipes, spit-up bibs, and many more items to fill out those nursery shelves and drawers. All made with GOTS certified organic cotton and of impeccable quality, their clothing range includes onesies, hooded towels, rompers and pajamas, hats, mittens, and more.

Burt&#;s Bees also have a Baby Bee Box that would make a wonderful gift for new parents. With a whole host of essentials, including clothing, toiletries, and even a board book, this is made even better by the fact that the company donates to the Red Cross with every box bought.

Parade Baby

Leaf Score

Highlights: Organic baby clothes made in fair trade facilities in India using GOTS-certified cotton.

View on Parade Baby

Parade Baby make organic cotton baby clothes with GOTS certified cotton in fair trade facilities in India. Designed in Vancouver, Canada, these clothes are made with organic cotton grown in India, helping to reduce shipping of raw materials. Parade Baby use nickel-free snaps and azo-free dyes, and the clothing is hand-printed in India, meaning every item is unique! I especially love this cherry romper (view here).

Rawganique

Leaf Score

Highlights: More on the simplistic side, but made with unbleached, undyed, GOTS-certified cotton that&#;s as eco-friendly as it comes.

View on Rawganique

If you&#;re looking for super simple, plain white organic cotton onesies, Rawganique have you covered. Buy a bunch for a fun onesie-decorating babyshower activity! Made with GOTS certified organic cotton that is unbleached and undyed, these onesies are as eco-friendly and non-toxic as it comes. Rawganique also offer a couple of organic cotton baby caps (View on Rawganique) and baby socks (View on Rawganique).