8 months pregnant & skint!

callmesexy

Hi

If anyone could offer some advice, I would really appreciate it. Im 8 months pregnant with my 1st child and was just told this morning I wasnt going to get the Sure Start Maternity Grant I applied for.

I was gutted & sat in tears as I was really relying on the money to buy some baby stuff. I get ESA but apparently its the wrong type of ESA and am also on DLA. My partner works full time but its a low income job and we really struggle to pay our bills each month & are about £3000 overdrawn between us.

Neither of us drink or smoke or really go out anywhere so we try to be as sensible as we can with our money but im really panicing now as we are so skint, im worried about buying stuff for the baby!

Does anyone know of anything else I could get apart from this maternity grant to buy baby stuff or anything else I might be entitled to? Thanks in Advance

x

Lady_gaga

freecycle etc

clairec79

You may qualify for the grant once the baby has been born

WestonDave

Have a look here for NCT nearly new sales - http://www.nct.org.uk/branches/events/nearly-new-sales If there is one locally get there early (i.e. up to half an hour before it opens) and have a clear list of what you want/need. These sales attract a lot of decent cheap baby equipment which will at least make what money you have go a lot further.

hjsmum

There are quite a few selling groups on facebook, baby stuff seems to go quite cheap. I think people just want to get rid of it to make room. Unless you can reapply for the maternity grant after baby is born I don't think theres anything else you could get.

LL30

Once baby is born, get them registered asap. Once registered you can claim your child benefit. Once child benefit is sorted, you can apply for child tax credits - if you're on a low income, you will get enough to make you eligible for the Sure Start grant. Get the papers ready again, and get your midwife to sign them so they are ready. You have 3 months from the time that baby is born to claim.

Tbh, babies need very little. Mine was born prematurely and we'd just moved so I hadn't got anything for her. As long as you have a moses basket (second hand is fine, but need a new mattress) some nappies and some clothes, that's your lot. Honestly, I didn't even do her nursery until she was 5 months old. Good luck, very exciting times for you xxx

adamantine

new borns dont need much at all!

esp if you are breastfeeding. a few packets of nappies and wipes, somewhere to sleep and vest and sleepsuits.

i had loads of outfits for my first son but when the 2nd was born, for the first 2/3 months he was mainly in sleepsuits unless we were going out somewhere. tbh its easier to change a sleepsuit than entire outfit if they are sick.

as above though once baby is here get CB and CTC sorted asap, even have the forms filled out ready to post as soon as you have a DOB and name lol. and as for the rest why not ask to borrow off friends and family till you can afford to buy your own?

callmesexy

Thanks everyone for your advice, its really appreciated! Feel a bit better now & will just have to get well organised with forms & hope that tax credits is sorted out in the 3 months while I can still get the maternity grant. Thanks again

x

Dognobs

Car boot sales! My sister who is 10 years younger than me turned her nose up when first suggested when I started to bring home 5 next or gap baby grows for a pound her attutude soon changed!!

SuziQ

My stepson and his girlfriend refused second hand stuff (including a lovely moses basket and cot I offered-I said I would buy new matresses for both but she turned her nose up) and had wasted their grant on rubbish. Their midwife told them to find a plain cardboard box (this is true honestly) with no paint or ink on it, and to buy a mattress to fit it (she said to cut in down if necessary so there was a snug fit.) The baby has been sleeping in that for 4 weeks now, and as much as it pains me, he is fine, lol. Once you get your CTC etc sorted out you'll be fine, but remember how quickly they grow and how little wear you get out of anything at this stage-don't waste money on fancy stuff no matter how pretty. As others have pointed out, there is gorgeous second hand stuff about, precisely because often the early stuff only gets worn once or twice.

emsywoo123

SuziQ wrote: »

My stepson and his girlfriend refused second hand stuff (including a lovely moses basket and cot I offered-I said I would buy new matresses for both but she turned her nose up) and had wasted their grant on rubbish. Their midwife told them to find a plain cardboard box (this is true honestly) with no paint or ink on it, and to buy a mattress to fit it (she said to cut in down if necessary so there was a snug fit.) The baby has been sleeping in that for 4 weeks now, and as much as it pains me, he is fine, lol. Once you get your CTC etc sorted out you'll be fine, but remember how quickly they grow and how little wear you get out of anything at this stage-don't waste money on fancy stuff no matter how pretty. As others have pointed out, there is gorgeous second hand stuff about, precisely because often the early stuff only gets worn once or twice.

She turned down a cot and moses basket in favour of a cardboard box?!?! :eek: :eek: :eek: