hey i'm new here ,
I joined because i need some help. i am 28 weeks pregnant with my first and only have some few clothes for the baby and waiting on my pram to be deliverd, i dont have much money and im waiting on my maternity grant to come throught so i can buy the baby things ! but i am realy upset and scared as i feel i dont have much for him at the moment ! and i dont know if my maternity grant will be enought to get things? will it? i was thinking of buying things second hand to save money? is this ok?
some help me i need some advice on what to do x

it does not matter have a good look around charity shops cos they always help x and welcome x

Welcome to the forum. I agree with xclairex, shop the thrift stores and charity shops, maybe a second hand store--it's fine!!!

There is nothing wrong with buying second hand, many of my girlfriends recomend it. The one thing you should buy new is the mattress for the crib. Also make sure it is a new crib, so it meets the newer safety measures that are in place now. Also remember Ikea has less expensive pieces. Also, you don't need a changing table, maybe look for a lower long chest of drawers. That way it can double as storage and a changing table. Maybe go for cloth diapers, they can be used over and over. A really great book if you are in the US is called Baby Bargins. I have found it to be a great resource on what to buy and what not to bother with. It also gives you tips on how to save money and what brands are better than others. I have come to discover you can make baby buying as expensive as you want it to be, there are soooo many options out there now. Also, remember craigslist.com is a great place to look for furniture!
Good luck!!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with buying second hand. Half the time too, the second hand stuff is really stuff that was new but not used.

As for clothing, babies grow out of their clothes so darn fast. So do older kids for that matter. I've bought things off of Ebay and there has been some fabulous stuff.

With my prior babies, I borrowed a crib and bassinet from a friend. I didn't really care if it was new or not.

Do you have any friends that have this kind of furniture but aren't using it right now?

Also, do you belong to a church? Sometimes you can call a church up and say you are in need. I did this once when hubby and I had split up for 5 months. Geesh, I got all the furniture I needed for my apartment. And I know had I needed baby furniture, they would have supplied it too.

Hello

Welcome to Baby and Bump!

I can't PM you so when you have made a few more posts,(this activates your PM feature) PM me I may be able to help! x

There is also this site that may help you:

http://www.careconfidential.com/Services/FreeClothes.aspx

Hi there and welcome to B&B.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting second hand gear , i know i will be doing. I have found some great bargains on eBay too. I have heard tho that a car seat (if you drive) and a cot matteress are the only things you need new.
Good luck with your pregnancy xxx

Hi there,

With my first I was the same as you, and didn't really have anything till 35 weeks waiting on money even then not much but you can manage on very little...some sites can be off putting because people talk about everything that they are getting but you really can manage with very little.

Keep letting people know you have nothing yet and you will find you get offers of loads of second hand and presents too, people like to help.

I breast fed to save money and worried about nappies etc from day to day not thinking I needed loads up front.

Primarily your baby needs you to be relaxed and happy

I am lucking enough to be working so I have got everything already , I got allot of stuff off ebay as well brand new clothes for as little as £2 a real bargain. the main things you need you can get cheap you can just shop around try go for the shop brand. you will get by hun, also own brand nappies are well cheap like tescos, asdas. £500 will get you plently and more hun if you shop round and get the bargains.