2nd Tri

Second Trimester: what to buy

What to expect

Energy tends to come back, the bump becomes visible, and this is when most people start actually planning: booking antenatal classes, thinking about the nursery, and doing the anomaly scan. It's the natural window to start buying bigger-ticket items before the third trimester gets uncomfortable.

Why get this sorted now

Cots, monitors, and maternity wear all benefit from being sorted with time to spare — cot assembly, monitor testing, and returns-if-needed are all easier now than at 36 weeks. Getting the nursery basics in early also means you're not making rushed decisions under third-trimester fatigue.

What to buy first

A cot or crib — it's the biggest item to source, assemble, and potentially return if it doesn't fit the room.
A handful of maternity wear staples once your regular clothes stop fitting comfortably.
A baby monitor, so it's tested and ready well before the nursery is actually in use.

Typical spend for this stage

~£600

Rough estimate, based on one pick per essential category — not every option on the page.

What you could do without

A full nursery furniture set — a cot and somewhere to change the baby covers the essentials; wardrobes and shelving can wait.
A video monitor if a basic audio monitor covers your layout — video is a nice-to-have, not a safety requirement.
A capsule maternity wardrobe — a handful of stretchy staples usually outperforms buying lots of maternity-specific pieces.