Budget advice to prepare for baby

[pfp258]

A baby needs two parents that adore and love it. And if at all possible a parent to stay at home with it full time!

 

[Nztara]

You don't need as much as you think you will need. We adopted our little boy with very little notice and a bit of uncertainty so we did not buy much in advance. I think the biggest area where people spend to much is clothes. You will need a few changes per day for the first couple of months, but you will get lots of clothes as gifts.

I agree on not buying many newborn diapers. You will need more size 1, tons of 2's, and even more 3's.

If space is an issue, skip the high chair until you need it. We were given a high chair that had seen very little use in a grandparents home. A swing was not a must for us. Baby did very well with a safe, clean space on the floor with a play mat. A bouncy seat the vibrates may be a good alternative that takes up less space.

The pack and play is a nice crib alternative that we used until we were certain about the adoption. Beyond that, once he had a crib we did not use the pack and play. It's a hassle and again, the floor works well for play time. Having floor time also encourages a baby to move around and explore as he grows.

 

[NC State Tigger]

I had a bottle warmer that was very handy at 2am so I wasn't standing at a stove with a pot of hot water waiting to warm the bottle.

Congrats on your baby.

Or just use the powdered formula if you do not breast feed. Add powder to room temp water and you don't need to warm the bottle.

 

[Loralei]

Thanks for all of the tips!!

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Read the latest version of the Baby Bargains book. It is great for helping you get the best value for your money, while still getting safe products.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Wipe warmers and bottle warmers are unnecessary unless you have a finicky baby.

 

[crisi]

When you're considering an item, ask yourself if it was available 50 years ago. If not, ask yourself whether it's genuinely an improvement for you or the baby (i.e., car seats) or whether it's just "more for the sake of more".

Research carefully and spend heavily on the things you will use long term, possibly for other children in the future:

- Crib
- Car seat
- Stroller
- High chair

And skimp on pretty much everything else. Except photographs and books. Don't skimp on those items.

The one thing I'd suggest buying -- though it isn't a budget item -- is a nursing pillow. You'll spend HOURS holding the baby and feeding him or her, and a nursing pillow saves strain on your back muscles, making the experience of feeding the baby so much easier. With my first child I kept a bed pillow on the sofa all the time, but with my second I found a nursing pillow at a yard sale and bought it. The smaller, shaped pillow was so much more convenient.

I used to ask myself if my great great grandmother had it on the Minnesota prairie. If she didn't, I didn't need it....I might want it. (With a few exceptions, like a car seat).

And I agree on the nursing pillow.

My biggest piece of advice is to borrow or find handme downs. A swing is used for a few months - if your cousin is finishing up with hers, she doesn't want it sitting around between kids (my swing was my cousins). And there is so much stuff that you use for a few months, then that stage is over and they move on. There are a few things you want new - or sourced from someone you trust, but they are pretty few. And you'll likely be doing someone a favor - once you are done with that stage with your last kid, you have piles of stuff.

 

[ellochka]

You will get plenty at your shower, trust me. And then you will get more from mom's who's kids grew out of them. Babies go up a size every 1-3 months, so you don't need many clothes.

In addition to what's mentioned, I would recommend having a changing pad with two covers, a baby monitor (sound only is fine) if you have a separate room for the baby, snot sucker if the baby will go to daycare, baby gas remedy and acetaminophen, something you can use to keep the baby in the living room/kitchen (we used a cheap bouncer; it works well as a seat), cheap small hand towels as burp cloths. Don't go overboard on toys, as those tend to multiply like rabbits. A baby gym is a nice to have for both toys and exercise/daytime lounging. They usually give pacifiers at the hospital, but don't buy more, since you don't know if your baby is going to like them (ours did not).

Get yourself a post delivery girdle, and try to wear for ~6 months. You would be surprised when your fat cells will seem to find their way from everywhere in your body to you belly.

BabiesRus and Target gift cards are the best gifts.

 

[lauradis]

A baby needs two parents that adore and love it. And if at all possible a parent to stay at home with it full time!

:

 

[AZMermaid]

For the first 2-3 months- you really only need

clothes
diapers/wipes
a place to sleep (unless you cosleep)- Pack and play would work well in a small space
carseat
bottles if you are not breastfeeding

Nice to have:
Blankets- one of mine loved to be swaddled, one hated it. I might want 1-2 swaddle blankets (we had the Halo ones) until you figure out if your baby likes it
Pacifiers- again just a couple
infant carrier- we loved the Moby wrap for the first few months
stroller- a snap and go is awesome for the first 6+ months and they are pretty cheap and easy to find used
A lot of people swear by the rock and play sleeper. My daughter hated it and I have friends who swear their baby got a flat head from it and needed a helmet, but others loved it.

Both of my kids hated to be set down. Ever. So the bouncer and the swing hardly were used. If you get these, get them used!

As the baby gets older (4+ months) it is nice to have-
highchair
exersaucer
toys

I agree with the pp, wait to buy clothes if you can. You will get SO many as gifts!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Wipe warmers and bottle warmers are unnecessary unless you have a finicky baby.

We loved the wipes warmer! Ds17 was born in early January. When we first saw one in a store while pregnant we thought it was for sissies. Til I had to put freezing cold wipes on him. Talk about shrinkage, whew! I felt so bad. I went out and bought the wipes warmer.

Also, people recommended a girdle to me too. I had a C-section and there's no way I could have something tight on me. The person who recommended the girdle never had a C so she had no idea how it feels post op. Even weeks later it still hurt just to laugh hard.

 

[jmsaj]

For the grandsons, I didn't even have a full size high chair, used the Small one that secures to a chair. It has now been thru 2 grandsons and put away for hopefully the next one. 2 car seats so you don't have to keep moving it from one vehicle to the other. Definitely a pack n play, I was able to pick up a nice one on a Facebook yard sale site. Check your area if you are on Facebook. Also bought a smaller portable bassinet that DD used at home as they slept in parents room for a bit before transitioning to a full size crib.

 

[etoiles]

When we had our little one we got most things used from Craigslist before hand which saved a lot of money.

We got our crib used and the ad we got it from had the model and number and that particular brand of crib has never been recalled so it saved us a ton. We did buy our own mattress though of course which is recommended.

We did get a new car seat which is recommended.

We did not have a stroller at first and just carried him in the moby wrap or car seat. AFter a while we wanted one so we found one on Craigslist that would fit our car seat and convert when he grew up. We only paid $40 which saved a ton.

We also got our pack and play from Craigslist!

We also got a huge lot of clothes from Craigslist which I felt we almost stole since it was such a good deal. We didn't buy a lot of toys right away but got enough as gifts to start with.

I agree with those that recommend to get your breast pump through your insurance. Saved a ton!

We did not need a diaper pail. We just save plastic grocery sacks and put poo poo diapers in there and tie them up before putting them in a big trash can.

I saved up gift cards to buy certain items like a monitor.

Some things I spent money on that I shouldn't have..

- bought breast pads and did not need them. Never had too much milk and now I have a ton of new boxes unopened that have no use.
- Baby did not like hardly any bottles so we had to buy one of a bunch of types until we finally found one he liked. He also never used a pacifier.

Some things we ran out to buy right away:

- swaddle blankets designed with velcro for swaddling
- extra burp cloths
- wish we would have bought the convertible whale baby bathtub earlier than we did because it made it so much easier

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

Can I just tell you what you WON'T need?

A Diaper Geenie or similar. Your baby will survive without it. If you have a patio or balcony and don't feel like walking to the dumpster, you can put a bag out there and throw it out when you get a chance to do it. Really, newborn baby poop doesn't smell THAT bad. (I had one formula fed and one breastfed) It's once they start eating solids when you start to smell it.

A changing table. When it's 3 AM in the morning and you're exhausted, you change your baby wherever they are. And if it's the afternoon you still change them wherever you are.

A breastpump-YET. Don't buy one until you are absolutely sure you'll need it.

I personally don't think a wipe warmer is necessary. Ball it up in your hand a little and blow your hot breath on it. LoL.

More than 1 pack of newborn diapers if you're doing disposable. Should you have an 8 pounder or bigger they'll outgrow them before they get to a second pack. If you get a bunch at a baby shower, hold on to them. Don't open them but exchange for a size up once you know you won't need them.

Don't buy and then open multiples of certain brands of diapers, formula, ointments, lotions etc. Anything that the baby can be allergic or sensitive to. You'll be stuck with a lot of unnecessary things if you open them and realize you can't use them.

Lots of newborn clothes. They grow SO fast-you won't believe it. Have maybe 6-8 outfits. No more unless you have a special outing you'd like to have another for. They might use up to 3 in a day(maybe) if they spit up or poop through but they'll outgrow them usually within 2 weeks.

You won't need a high chair until they're 6 months.

Suggestions TO buy:

I didn't see anybody post about a bath tub but certainly when they're so tiny it makes bath time easier. I liked to set it in the sink. Easier on my back.

Pac n Play. If you're in a small apartment this is all you need for now. They have convertible ones that start as a bassinet and have a changing table included.

Splurge on a convertible car seat. 3 in 1 if you can. You won't have to ever buy another car seat again since it goes from rear facing to forward to booster.

Best of luck and congratulations on the best gift in the world!

 

[kiramay]

Three kids, tiny 2br townhouse.
You need 1. A way to feed the baby. 2. A place to put the baby. 3. Diapers. 4. Clothes. The end.

 

[zoemariesmamma]

The teacher in me had to cut short fall break and add books. It is never too early to start reading to a child and exposure to reading is definitely a need. Congrats!

 

[dsneprincess]

I had a bottle warmer that was very handy at 2am so I wasn't standing at a stove with a pot of hot water waiting to warm the bottle.

Congrats on your baby.

I have 2 kiddos, 9&1/2 years apart. This is the one of 2 item I used daily & nightly with both. (other than car seat)

The other: a projector/sound machine at bed/nap time for relaxation/cue to sleep. I started using with both while pregnant. Oth still use in their rooms nightly. We rarely have a seep issue here, knock on wood.

Congrats on your baby!

 

[Jedana]

Things you won't realize you need until you really need them:

Thermometer (the ear or temple ones are good for babies)
Gas drops
baby tylenol


cloth diapers (even if using disposable, always have some as back up just in case--plus they make great spit cloths, or to put in the bra to soak up breastmilk!)

A baby car seat that can be removed from it's base and carried around. If the baby is sleeping, it's much easier to take the seat out, and just leave the baby in the seat in the house until he/she wakes up.

Our kids slept in a pack n play with a bassinet attachment for the first few months. Then we transitioned to a crib

Extra crib mattress plastic covers and sheets. Layer them on the mattress---cover, sheet, cover, sheet, cover, sheet. Then if there is a leaky diaper or spit up, you just peel the first sheet and cover off. No need to remake the bed at 1am!

 

[Teresa Pitman]

Or just use the powdered formula if you do not breast feed. Add powder to room temp water and you don't need to warm the bottle.

I just want to mention - powdered formula is not sterile. The recommendation is to use boiled water that is hot enough to kill any bacteria in the formula powder - it has to be at least 70 degrees Celsius - and then let it cool. Feeding formula made from powder and just adding room temperature tap water can be risky, especially if your baby is young or has weakened immune system.

http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/PIF_Bottle_en.pdf

Also, the recommendation is that the baby should sleep in the same room as the parents for at least the first six months - cuts the risk of SIDS in half.

TP

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I've seen two commercials recently on TV for a car seat and stroller. Both made by Graco. What I found interesting is: it grows with the child. No need to buy the infant one and then down the road all the other sizes you need. I especially liked the stroller...forward facing, rear facing, a "a buggy-like one"