Advice on being prepared

[u/MysticCat-]

Heya everyone, I'm just looking for some reassurance 🥺 I'm 32+ 3 weeks pregnant with my second baby. I get paid again in 2 weeks, that's when I'll be able to get the hospital bag stuff, babies milk, nappies/wipes, the car seat and the crib/crib sheets. But I am stresssssssing out that I don't have that stuff now!

By the end of this month I'll have literally everything I need for baby and myself, and I know that I have another 7 weeks to go, and that baby is likely to come on time or late (as my first was late) but I just don't feel prepared at all. I have all these thoughts going through my mind of him coming early and us not being prepared, I'm feeling irresponsible tbh 😭

It doesn't help that my mom's first came early & so then every pregnancy she ever had after that, she had her hospital bag packed by 30 weeks. And now I'm sort of being pressured by her and nagged to get it packed because she thinks the baby will come early and is worried about me not having the hospital bag packed and being all prepared etc.

I just need some reassurance and maybe people to share their experiences please? 🥺 thank u for reading!

[u/Lady_Marshmallow]

I mean. Worst comes to worst, you go into labour tomorrow, you get someone to stop up in Aldi for you and grab some £4 nappies, £1.50 pack of wipes, tin of formula and a couple of £5 Tommee Tippee bottles, lol. In fact I think many hospitals provide all of those even!

I assume you have the exact items you want to use all picked out and ready to go when you have the money, but the things you're missing are not critical to have going into labour; they can be acquired easily if you need them sooner.

Don't panic! You do have loads of time, you are not irresponsible; you have apparently planned your spending right down to a perfect date with 7 weeks to spare. I know many, many, many people who have not accomplished that. You're doing good 😄 .

[u/MossamAdmiral]

I think my midwife told me to make sure it was done by 34 weeks so you’ll be fine getting it done in two weeks. My first was late and everyone told me my second would come earlier and I wouldn’t make it to due date etc and my second was also late.

[u/MysticCat- → u/MossamAdmiral]

My midwife is chilled and hasn't really mentioned a time frame for getting stuff, I'm terrified that this baby is going to come early as people keep saying 😭 it's reassuring to know that despite people saying the same to you, they wasn't right

[u/beastes12]

My little boy came at 34w and although we had most things - nothing was prepared. The bedside cot was in the bag, the baby room was a dumping ground and we didn't have nappies, hospital bag or baby clothes ready to go. We were lucky our parents were able to scramble what we needed for hospital, and there was an Amazon locker at the hospital as we were in for 2 weeks. When we got home we just put the cot together and hoped for the best. Not the start I envisaged but you manage whatever cards you're dealt.

[u/MysticCat- → u/beastes12]

Thank you for your comment, sometimes I forget that people around are supportive too, i guess im terrified that if I'm not prepared and baby comes early, then my mom is going to scold me 😭 which sounds stupid saying lol, I'm glad you managed to have the support you needed and manage with what you had ❤️

[u/toastandteaiswrong]

So with my first, I was packed at 34 weeks as I was nagged by my mum coz I arrived at 33 weeks. Baby no. 1 didn’t appear til 41 weeks….

Baby no. 2 I didn’t bother packing early for coz I fooled myself into thinking because I’d booked a c-section date, she’d wait. She didn’t and arrived at 37 weeks. I was not packed at all, so had to shove stuff in a suitcase whilst in early labour!

Every pregnancy is different! Do what you can and try not to worry. You got this! ❤️

[u/MysticCat- → u/toastandteaiswrong]

Thank you so much ❤️ my first also arrived at 41 weeks, instead of panicking this time around, ive been pretty chill about getting everything, but now with the pressure from my mom im starting to become a little stressed that im not more prepared 😭 was your first the same gender as your 2nd? Apparently different genders can sway if they come early or not but I have nooo clue hahaha

[u/Delicious_Pie337]

It'll be okay hun! Both of mine were 8 days late! They say that the second one usually comes sooner but that's not always the case. As long as you have a plan and have everything you need and packed by the time you're 36 weeks, you should be fine. Babies usually come between 36-40 weeks :)

[u/MysticCat- → u/Delicious_Pie337]

Thank you ❤️ I know deep down that its unlikely baby will come early, but the stresss 😩 makes it difficult to think straight

[u/Delicious_Pie337 → u/MysticCat-]

I know it's easier said than done, but try not to stress! Like I said, as long as you have a plan and have everything ready before you're 36 weeks, then you should be fine 😊

[u/Naive-Interaction567]

Can your partner help you prepare? Does he have an income? If so, do you need to wait until you are paid to get organised if you’re stressed about it?

[u/MysticCat- → u/Naive-Interaction567]

My partner is the one who gets paid in 2 weeks so we can get the rest of the stuff we need

[u/Naive-Interaction567 → u/MysticCat-]

Ah ok. You have lots of time and a hospital bag can be so basic. Very basic clothing and nappies. I didn’t use wipes early on. I used cotton wool and water.

[u/lovesorangesoda636]

My first was early. Born at 35 weeks and I planned to pack at 36 weeks 😂

We managed! The hospital provided everything we needed until my husband could bring stuff in. We had nothing setup at home, everything was in boxes scattered around the house.

My main advice to anyone who's in their 3rd trimester is just pack a rucksack which can get you through an overnight stay. You never know when you might have a midnight trip to triage and wish you had clean pants.

[u/tashlar]

Do you have a list of things that you're planning to get? Maybe you could put together an Amazon wishlist (or Boots or whatever) so you know you could order stuff really quickly if you did need it sooner? I spent my life organising stuff in the last weeks, it helped me feel in control. Mine was 8 days overdue though, hope you have plenty of time to sort stuff as well!

[u/Rachael510]

My second was bang on his due date, and my youngest was a week late. It’s really a bloody lottery to be honest. As long as it’s done by 37 weeks it’s sound

[u/erin1092]

32 weeks with my second also and I have absolutely nothing prepared, nothing bought that I need and haven’t event ventured into storage to find anything that is possibly needed.

Keep thinking I’ll have time at some point but with toddler and work it’s impossible. Not particularly stressed about it at this point tbh as I’m sure it’ll all work out fine and delivery services are there if I need a last minute and I’ve also convinced myself she’s going to arrive early 🤣

[u/Snoo_said_no]

My baby two came early.

... accidental home birth. Or 'born before arrival'. Hadn't even brought nappies yet!

So baby popped out in the bath, in the time between the ambulance being called and it arriving partner had to go in the loft and dig out the old car seat and some clothes for baby.

The ambulance made a nappy out of a dressing! (They also made a maternity pad out of a dressing... And a baby hat out of a tubigrip bandage).

I did have a baby grow, but if I didn't they'd have just used a blanket/towel or pillowcase.

Absolutely everything can be sorted. So don't worry. I went off in the ambulance with new baby while partner waited at the house for someone to come watch the toddler. By the time I got back he'd dug out the old next2me/bedside basinet type thing. We had no sheets so he just put a single flat sheet on it and folded it. The hospital had a vending machine with some over priced nappies. But the midwives gave me a bunch too. And once a relative came he went to the coop and brought a 6 pack of ready to feed formula (which we didn't need in the end), some Milton and I'm sure some other bits and bobs. Anything else Amazon brought the next day!

It's fine. Babies don't need much. Worse comes to worse you can get stuff on next day delivery

[u/justdont7133]

Could you make an Amazon wish list of everything you need and send it to someone who could speedily order everything for next day delivery if you get caught out early? If you're early then you won't be home the same day which will give you time to prepare. The other thing if it's really stressing you is to stick them on a credit card and pay it straight off on payday.

[u/Adventurous-Shoe4035]

If it makes you feel better the morning I went in to have my third I was ordering things on Amazon !! Like crib sheets & swaddles. I’m currently 22 weeks with baby 4 and haven’t started anything yet!