I'm expecting my first baby in September and we're trying to stock up on gear and supplies. We were fortunate enough to have a shower where some very generous relatives gave us a lot of the more expensive essentials (crib, pack and play,car seat, stroller, swing) and thanks to coupons and some great deal sites I have already started a fairly large stockpile of diapers and wipes. I thought I was doing well.
Until we started shopping to fill in the rest of the things that we needed. In the past couple weeks we've spent a few hundred dollars just on somewhat small things. I feel like I'm doing something wrong. Everyone writes about how babies aren't really that expensive, but I'm starting to not believe that. I don't feel like I'm impulse shopping or falling prey to a lot of marketing, but I don't have any way of knowing.
There are some things we've seen that I know I realy don't need. For example
- Pacifier wipes/keepers
- Wipe warmer
- Diaper stacker
- A lot of dresses/outfits
- Onesies in a few different sizes
- Socks
- Receiving blankets
- Crib sheets
- Waterproof crib mattress pads
- Changing table covers
- Burp cloths
- Towels and washcloths
- Thermometer
- Safety gates
- Outlet covers/cabinet latches
- Monitor
- Nursing attire
- Boppy/nursing pillow (and waterproof covers)
- Diaper pail (and refills)
- Baby bathtub
- Extra car seat base
It adds up to a lot of money very quickly, even if we don't get a lot that we consider extra - and I know I'm still forgetting stuff. I am trying to shop for deals, but it's hard when you feel anxious to just get everything done. Does anyone have advice for things on my need or want list that I could remove, things I don't list that I need, or ways to save money on all of it?
5 comments:
My 'baby' is 18 so I'm pretty out of date but I remember all I had, and it did just fine. She had three babygrows, three vests (one on, one in the wash, one spare) two dozen cloth napppies, a nappy bucket, sodium bicabonate for soaking the crap stains off the nappies, two dozen pairs of plastic pants, baby soap, baby powder, sudocreme cream in case of nappy rash that she never got, nappy bucket, a moses basket with a sheep's fleece in the bottom and a warm blanket........it rested on the floor by my bed! A cot for when she outgrew the basket, with a single sheet folded over to fit and a single blanket folded over to fit. I had three nursing bras, one on, one in the wash and one spare (English rule for any item of clothing including knickers!) and a sling to carry her and then a push chair...........I didn't have a car!! As she got older, she needed three day time outfits, three night outfits. I breastfed her for two years so no need for dummies (pascifiers) and she was dry day and night by three so the nappies ended. Now she's 18! now she needs money for: driving lessons, college, her first home, 'gap years' and tickets to Glastonbury!!! Save your money.....babies need milk and love!
When we had our first child, I also couldn't believe how expensive things were getting. Our son growth rate was a bit quicker as well, so we had to spend our money quicker for things that went out of size.
Some of things that save us some money were cloth diapers, resist buying new items and opt for used items, and share items among mums groups (especially toys and books).
Having our second child was signficantly cheaper as everything became hand-me-downs.
Good luck on the impending new arrival!
Would it be worth waiting for the gates and other safety features until you need them? Are you sure baby needs its own towels, or are there enough in the house? And it's probably worth waiting to get other items when you've had the baby shower...
Cheers
Lynda
You do NOT need a diaper pail. Go to the dollar store. In the baby section they sell these little travel bags for diapers. You get 100 for a buck. They do a MUCH better job at hiding the smell and it doesn't require a PhD in diaper pail technology. :-)
Congrats on the new addition!
There are some things on your list that I've managed to do without... like I bought a normal pail at EUR1instead of a diaper pail. I use towels instead of a changing table cover, then just throw in with the baby's wash unless it's got baby poo on. You don't need lots of outfits either... small babies look just as cute in soft non-plain onsies.
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