When is the best time to get baby ready?

The truth is that there is no "best time" to get baby ready. After all you'll purchase everything in your own time, when you feel comfortable to do so and you are in a financial position to be able to. In saying this we still recommend any parents to be that visit us to order everything they want (or as we like to call it, get "baby ready") between 12 and 20 weeks pregnant. But why is this? And what if you choose to shop closer to your due date? Well, you've come to the right place to get some answers.

The NHS will book your Dating Scan (commonly known as a "12 weeks" scan) between 11 and 14 weeks. This is right at the end of your first trimester and then they will book your 20 weeks somewhere between 18 and 21 weeks pregnant. These two dates are a great indicator as to when is the best time to start getting ready for your new arrival.

Lead times for prams can vary greatly, from 1 - 2 weeks to 16 weeks and beyond. Not only is this affected by the brand and the product you want but it can be affected by the colour choice too. Seasonal colours see higher demand at certain points in the year and therefore their lead times can increase. New products are more in demand as parents want the latest thing or to be seen with the same item as their favourite influencer. From our experience, in order to minimise the risk of delayed stock the earlier you order the better. When a parent to be places an order with us, we immediately order those items with the manufacturer. This means that your order is in the production queue and if demand increases or supply reduces your order is locked in. We will order your goods to arrive at a later date, closer to your due date so you don't need to worry about everything turning up unexpected and having to store everything.

Another reason we recommend ordering at this point comes down to the cost of everything. No one ever said having a baby was cheap (but it certainly doesn't have to be expensive) so paying for everything can be hard, especially when the cost of everyday items just keeps going up and up. By ordering early you are giving yourself more time to pay for your ordered items. When you use our BabyPlan you can order with a low deposit and pay your balance over a period of time. It helps to make everything more affordable, and the earlier you order the more affordable your choices will become.

But what if you choose not to order during our recommended window? Or you wasn't aware your goods could take so long to arrive? Firstly - DON'T PANIC! We can help, no matter when you're due.

As the leading independent nursery retailer in the region we have fabulous relationships with our brands and we are usually able to accommodate. We also offer a huge range from the largest choice of brands, we are confident that no matter how close you are to your due date we will be able to get you what you want. Ok, so we may need to avoid a few of your wish list items, or you may need to choose an alternative colour but we can always advise and help find a suitable alternative.

To put it simply, if you want to pick from the widest range of options and see the lowest chance of delay on your order, whilst making purchasing more affordable for you - order between 12 and 20 weeks. We've been recommending this for over 75 years and think the thousands of parents to be we've served would agree with us.