When some folks find out that they’re going to become parents, the shopping begins. Prams, pushchairs, pushchair accessories, car-seats, play mats, baby grows, baby outfits. You name it, you can buy it. And you simply have to buy those things because if you don’t your kid will grow up to be maladjusted and that means YOU ARE A BAD PARENT!

There’s an increasing number of stores in the UK that sell designer clothes for babies to pander to these parents. Everything comes with the associated designer price tag. People dress their kids in the latest Prada, Versace or Jeff Banks (well, maybe not Jeff Banks) because if you don’t they’ll be bullied by the other designer kids at nursery and that means, oh yes my friends, YOU ARE A BAD PARENT!

There seems to be a bit of a debate in the States about the pro’s and cons of being a *Hipster Parent* (You can take a test here to check out whether you are). Parents dressing their kids up in fancy clothes, buying them fancy things, and essentially treating their kids as fashion accessories that can themselves be accessorised.

I think it’s safe to say that our boy wont be a fashionista from a young age as neither Mrs C nor I give a monkey’s about fashion. I virtually gave up buying clothes when C&A shut down, if it weren’t for BHS I’d be buck-naked nature boy…

Anyho, some parent’s seem to have a real issue with accepting 2nd hand baby stuff from friends and relatives. The mere thought that another baby has worn an item of clothes and God forbid, poo’d their nappy whilst wearing it, is too much to take. Again, Mrs C and I are not those people. When I came home from work today our living room was turned into a 2nd hand baby stuff warehouse. Baby grows, baby outfits, toys, a bouncy chair thing, just about everything that you could think of short of a pushchair (that’s coming in the next couple of weeks because, you know, there’s only 4 months to go now.).

Our friends and families have been so generous that we’re having to turn things away (or ask for cash alternatives) and we are very, very grateful for their kindness.

I discovered yesterday that the old cliche of pregnant women “eating for two” can be joined by “shopping for two”. As Mrs C has grown she’s obviously needed some new maternity clothes. Trying to find shops that actually sell half decent maternity clothes has been a challenge in itself, but that’s another post.

However, since we’ve discovered that we’re having a boy, Mrs C has had renewed shopping energy. The chance to buy clothes for someone else, and clothes that will fit and that don’t look like there from communist east Germany for that, has been too much. We know that it makes sense for us not to buy too much now as our parents, aunties and uncles, friends etc have all promised to buy and donate things to us when closer to the time, but it doesn’t reduce the urge to shop. Most certainly not in Mrs C.

So yesterday we made a trip to Solihull because “I need a swimming costume” (this is partly related to fears about people thinking she’s just plain fat). Mamas & Papas and Mamman Jojo Bebe (shops I hadn’t heard of 4 months ago) were on the itinerary. M&P is essentially the Harrods of baby shops. It has some really wonderful things in there, but with eye-watering price tags.

Mrs C said she wanted to show me a nursing chair that she had seen in the store: “It reclines, and rocks and is the most comfortable chair you’ll every sit in.” I was fairly dubious of that but thought ‘Rocking chair? Sounds fun!’. As I sat into the chair, Mrs C pulled a lever on the side. I leant back and it relined.

“Oh sweet Jesus!”.

Waves of tiredness rolled over me and I could feel myself drifting off to the land of nod. I just managed to say “How much?” but was too far gone to hear the answer….