7 Months Pregnant, What Should I Buy?

I am seven months pregnant, and I was wondering what I should start buying? What is the most important buy now?”

At seven months, it seems like birth is so close. You’ve heard how pregnancy is nine months, so it would seem like you should have two months to go, right? But the reality is that at 38 weeks from conception, pregnancy is really 10 months from your last period. So at 21 weeks, you’re really only a little past the halfway mark of your pregnancy. You still have plenty of time to get anything and everything you might need for the baby. And the stores will still be open after the baby’s born, too.

But if you just have an urge to shop, here’s some stuff that there’s no harm in buying now:

– nursing bras and nipple pads

– a breast pump and/or bottle-feeding supplies

– a newborn soft front carrier (not a sling, though, they’re unsafe)

– size 1 diapers (your baby will only be in newborn size for a short while)

– dark-colored washcloths

– crib, mattress, crib sheets, rocking chair, dresser with a changing pad attached firmly to the top

– a car seat safety-rated for newborns

– a soft front carrier

– a lightweight stroller

– a trash can with a firm-fitting lid for diapers

– a fan for baby’s room (air circulation reduces the risk of SIDS)

– a few baby outfits, but keep in mind you don’t know how big your baby will be or exactly how quickly s/he’ll grow- if baby is born large, like 8 pounds or more, you might not need any newborn-sized clothes at all. And the risk of buying a lot of size 3-6 month or 6-12 month outfits is they may be out of season by the time baby has grown large enough to wear them. So buy a few packs of onesies now and a couple of outfits, but save major wardrobe shopping until after baby is born (or if you find an outfit too cute to resist, save receipts).

In addition to shopping for baby stuff, you may also want to stock up on household supplies like trash bags, light bulbs, stamps, pens, envelopes, cleaning supplies, pet food, laundry detergent and so on. For a “To-Do Before Baby” checklist, click here.

Share and Enjoy