Shopping

Received wisdom is that once you have a child, the endless merrygoround of spend, spend, spend is inescapable. Pregnancy too offers shopaholics the chance to go completely mad (and buy cute outfits with ears and slightly nauseating phrases on them to boot).

While I am quite realistic about my financial situation and determined not to do what apparently every new parent does and buy far too much, a certain amount of shopping is inevitable. And I rather fear my husband has got slightly hooked. Since last posting, we have ordered a cot mattress (I think everyone will agree this is an essential purchase), a couple of blankets from Ebay, and visited Mothercare at least twice, not to mention Primark's baby section.

We also went to a pre-school nearly new sale, picking up a bouncy rocker thing for £4 (my sister tells me this is really one thing worth getting) and a toy snake to wind round a cot or pram for 50p(more dubious on this one but it was only 50p and made the poor boy very happy).

We also picked up a pack of 5 baby socks from Primark, along with a couple of tops and trousers for a grand sum of £7.50, along with a big baggy t-shirt for me to give birth in (£3) and a huge button down nightie and even bigger pyjama bottoms with drawstring waist for a few more quid to wear after the birth and feed littl'un from.

And, err, a small pack of maternity towels and disposable knickers, a pack of Tesco ultrasoft newborn nappies and economy baby wipes, and a breast pump.

On the plus side, I think I have almost everything I physically need for this baby to come into the world, save for a couple of bits like a changing mat and cot sheets, and most of the contents of my hospital bag. But this child already has enough possessions for a small army. And I do still think I'm being quite restrained... I'm saving the rest for the baby shower. Which I need to find someone to throw me.