Looking for hints. We have our 1st kiddo on the way!!!

[drakethib]

We are having our first baby in Sept and I am looking for hints on buying diapers, baby food, baby stuff in general.


I love coupons so if papmpers or any baby companys has give aways please point me in that direction.

Thanks

 

[jennifer293]

I have 2 DD's with the youngest turning a year old next month. As far a baby stuff goes first of all recruit family members to have you a baby shower. If you have all the big stuff crib, playpen, swing etc. then you could have a DIAPER SHOWER..I had one of these and I didn't buy diapers for either daughter till they were 6mths or older. Everyone brought Diapers of course and wipes, diaper rash cream, powder(which I have never used) and then a lot of people brought baby wash, lotion, Dreft, Snuggles, and dryer sheets.

As far as diapers go I would use a brand name diaper for a a few weeks to see if the baby is prone to diaper rash and if not go to the cheap brand they all work the same in my opinion. Huggies tend to leak with my girls. We use the Dri-bottoms at Wal-Mart and have been since DD was about 2 months old because I got a bunch of those at my shower.

Watch your local sales at grocery stores they run specials on baby food all the time stock up now it won't go bad for a while. I always bought the Del-Monte brand it is much cheaper than Gerber also liked Beech-Nut too. Both of my girls were only on baby food for 3 months before they went to all table food.

If you choose not to breastfeed , the generic formula is just as good as the brand names and they are about half the price. The powder is much cheaper than the liquid.


Clothing...I love baby clothes and bought everything I liked for DD#1 but when she grew out if it I washed it all up and packed it away and luckily when I got preggo again I had another daughter so we didn't need a stitch of clothing for her. I am now getting it all together as she is growing out of stuff and I am gonna sell it on E-bay..HAVING A GIRL???? I could hook you up...LOL

If you don't have all the big stuff I would buy used stuff because you won't use it long and it is too expensive to buy new. Go to resale shops and you can find all that stuff in almost brand new condition for cheap.

Hope this helps you out some...

Also there are several websites you can go to that you can print off coupons for free.!!!!

 

[GillieRose]

You can go to there websites and sign up for coupons. They all have little clubs. I still get coupons from pampers and huggies. You can also sign up for formula coupons. Sometimes they will send you samples. Sam's club and Walmart seem to have the best deals.

Congrads on your new little Baby to be.

 

[strasfamily]

Its been 7 years since my DD was born, but I remember somehow signing up with the baby formula companies and getting coupons in the mail that were sort of like checks - $3.50 off. I think I got them from a free baby magazine you can suscribe to. Check your OB's office - they usually have the magazine there.

A couple of baby items I remember were must haves: a shampoo hat and a vibrating bouncy chair. Couldn't live without them!

Also, when my baby got fussy at night, I would turn on the vacuum cleaner and that would calm her down. (unbelievable but true)

 

[Disney_1derland]

We are having our first baby in Sept and I am looking for hints on buying diapers, baby food, baby stuff in general.


I love coupons so if papmpers or any baby companys has give aways please point me in that direction.

Thanks

We have tried every diaper out there and for us, the Target brand is hands down the best and is cheaper than the name brands. I know it seems to be different for everyone but Target's diapers are the only ones that don't leak for my kids and they don't have that funny diaper smell that I hate.

Baby food, seriously consider making your own, it's not difficult, it's cheaper and it's healthier. I bought the book Super Baby Food and spent one sunday a month making food for the upcoming month, you freeze them in ice cube trays then just defrost however many cubes you need at a time. You can also stick a cube or two into a small tupperware and they will defrost while you are out and about and be ready for baby to eat. Not any harder than carrying the jarred stuff around.

Good Luck, it's an amazing journey you are about to set foot on

 

[Disney_1derland]

We are having our first baby in Sept and I am looking for hints on buying diapers, baby food, baby stuff in general.


I love coupons so if papmpers or any baby companys has give aways please point me in that direction.

Thanks

Also find out if they have kids consignment sales in your area and start frequenting them, you will save a ton of money! In my area it's kind of a secret society, you never know it exists until you have kids, hunt them down, they are worth it!

 

[punkin]

Best money saver: breast feed. I exclusively breastfed my youngest, but I supplemented with my oldest. I never liked the powdered stuff (I was always afraid I was mixing the wrong proportions) so it was very expensive.

My kids had diaper rash with disposables no matter what I did or what brand I tried, so I wound up using cloth diapers. I used some disposables with the older one when we went out, but the younger one was always in cloth.

Don't rule out thrift stores for baby clothes. Babies grow so fast that sometimes they don't get to wear all the clothes people buy for them. You can get things at thrift stores with the department store stickers still on them. Also, you can get expensive dress outfits that someone only wore once or twice before outgrowing.

My big expense was a crib that I never used. My kids wound up sleeping wiith me (not intentional, but...) Also, I never used the changing table I bought. Bittom line, make sure you will use something before you buy it. What makes sense for some people may be all wrong for you.

Enjoy your new baby.

 

[Taja]

A colleague just had her first son (he's five weeks old). Clothing isn't an issue yet, as he's the first grandson on one side and first grandchild on the other, so the grandparents and great-grandparents over-supplied him for his first few months!

She has discovered disposable diapers are much cheaper at Costco. Haven't been in there for a long time, but they usually are limited to their own brand and one or two others.

Consignment shops, particularly those specializing in childrens' and infants' clothing are a great option, particularly for every day stuff that they outgrow quickly. Keep an eye out for sales at Baby Gap and major department stores for good brands (buy a size or two ahead) that you can hand down or resell. If you resell (consignment, yard sale or e-Bay), you'll only receive about 20% on the dollar (possibly a bit more, but it depends on the condition and what is popular at the time), so you may find it more beneficial to contribute them to a local charity. It's a matter of personal preference.

 

[crisi]

Thift stores and hand me downs. Babies wear their clothes for such a small time and go through their stages so quickly that it isn't worth it to buy new (but its so tempting). You spend almost $100 on something and three months later your child has outgrown it and you wonder why you spent the money. Borrow what you can (at least to try it out) - its a waste to buy a sling and discover you don't like having a child in a sling (never felt mine were safe, but I tried about four of them before I figured out I needed my hands on them to be comfortable), buy a swing and discover your baby howls, buy a single stroller and have another baby a year later (I should have just bought the double the first time!)

Breastfeeding is great if it will work for you....if not, I found that ordering formula over the internet was the cheapest alternative.

I wouldn't recommend stocking up on baby food....with both my kids they were in baby food such a short time that we ended up donating a ton of it to the food shelf - and we never really stocked up. I'm sure other kids are different, but mine went through less than one box of rice cereal, ate baby food for a month, and almost immediately started with small cut foods (peas, bananna, tofu is great for little kids).

A lot of places use name brand diapers as their loss leaders. Pay attention to whether its Target or WalMart and which particular location.

I seldom by "designer" for my kids (Gymboree, Baby Gap). If I had two of the same sex I would - the Gymboree stuff holds up so well! But my daughter isn't going to wear my son's handme downs, and we don't have another child to pass them to, and I don't bother with eBay -- so its way cheaper to buy most of their clothes at Target or Kohls or Old Navy for cheap and let them grow out of them, box up the few with useful life left, and hand them off to Goodwill.

 

[Kristi1357]

I know someone mentioned the Target diapers - I hate them! They leaked for DS every single time! Back to Huggies for us. Pampers leaked every time on DS too. I know all kinds of people that hate Huggies too. So, what I am trying to say is - don't stock up too much on any one brand until you know if they are a good fit for YOUR baby. I have 1/2 case of size 4 Target diapers that I am not going to use and have no idea what to do with now!

I was always against buying brand name kids clothes - they grow so fast, right? Well, after buying alot of cheap things and they look funny, shrink, etc. - I am a total Gymboree convert. I buy him less clothes, but good quality, from the clearance rack always! They look great and fit perfectly too. Sometimes, saving a few bucks costs you alot more in the long run. It's bad when the girls that work there know me by name!

Try consignment shops, yard sales, even eBay for deals on brand name clothing.

We used to buy formula and diapers at Sam's Club - great prices. I also signed up on Huggies, Pampers and Similac's websites and got coupons all the time. When a grocery store or any other retailer had a good sale on anything baby-related, I bought in bulk and stored it away: baby food, disposable bibs, diapers, shampoo/soap, etc.

You'll get some great ideas here. CONGRATS!

 

[corndog]

1. Your pediatrician's office will have a bunch of free samples, including containers of formula and tylenol. Stock up everytime you go.

2. Either cut or rip your diaper wipes in half -- our daughter was 2 before we ever needed to use the whole wipe.

 

[crisi]

2. Either cut or rip your diaper wipes in half -- our daughter was 2 before we ever needed to use the whole wipe.

Lucky you....we had the explododiaper long before two.... Six wipes, a bathtub, clean the carpet, repaint the room. throw away whatever the kid was wearing.....

 

[MOMO2DK]

Hi,
Costco for diapers- they carry huggies.

Breastfeed, if you need a pump, the hospital grade ones that are available to rent are the best, but the portable ones are good too. Don't give up on breastfeeding until your baby is 3 months. At that time you will be a veteran, at less than three months you will still be a rookie, and it will be easier to give up (all my friends are still thanking me for this advice). I hate to bring this up, but if you choose not to breastfeed- don't do the generic formulas. The government has not changed the standards for formulas in many many years- the generic brands are manufactured to meet the older standards while the brand name (Ross and Mead Johnson) are manufactured to standards higher than the governments requirements. Keep in mind that cow milk and formula are designed to grow cows (bones and muscle- not brains) while breastmilk builds brains and lots of other good things like antibodies (babies are
protected from getting chicken pox as infants as a result of antibodies passed on to the babies). If you want to breastfeed get all the help you can and make sure you see a lactation consultant before you leave the hospital, and followup with them after you are discharged.

I have 2 DKs and when they were infants the best books I read were "Nighttime parenting" - helped me understand the individual rythyms of my babies. (If you ever read Ferber- don't read it w/o also reading "nighttime parenting"). I also remeber books on breastfeeding were helpful.

Buy lots of little snap crotch t-shirts- between wet bottoms and spitting up, I remeber one day my daughter went through 3 of those w/in 2 hours.

Pick a pediatrician whose life is similar to yours. My pediatrician works full time, and is breastfeeding mother of three. Many times she has known my situation as she has gone through it before me (breastfeeding, working, child care etc...). And I gained even more respect for her when I watched her treat my son in an emergency situation. She is also part of a small practice- it's just her and another MD, so they both know my kids well. Interview pediatricians early.

Good luck!

 

[MrsPete]

Within reason, babies can be as expensive or as cheap as you want them to be. Take a walk through Babies R Us, and you'll see that most of the stuff they sell there is unnecessary.

Car seat, crib, changing table, rocking chair, stroller, etc. -- All these big purchases can be found at consignment stores or even yard sales for pennies on the dollar. Since you'll use these things for probably 2 years per child, it makes sense to purchase the items you really want, even if you have to buy them new. Several warnings about these major purchases:

Car seat that've been in wrecks can have hidden damage; I wouldn't buy a car seat from a stranger. Do get a "basket style" infant seat, then a toddler seat later -- infants are just too small for those "convertible" seats.

You probably want to start out with a full-sized stroller that fully reclines; this will be a necessity before the baby can sit up and hold its head up. Make sure you choose a stroller with plenty of storage underneath. Once the child is about 6 months old, you'll probably want a small umbrella or mid-way folding stroller as well. You'll find out quickly that the full-sized stroller is so big and cumbersome that you will only use it for extended outings; you'll want the small stroller for quick trips.

High chair -- You'll be using it three times a day for about three years, so buy the best high chair you can find. Consider a chair that can be pushed up to the table so the baby can eat with the rest of the family.

A changing table isn't a necessity, but it's very handy. I had a $20 yard sale changing table, and it was well worth that price. It's not worth a couple hundred at a store.

The things listed above, however, are not make-or-break items. No matter whether you choose used or new items, you will probably only buy them once. What will kill your budget is the consumable items:

Clothing. This is where you can really over-spend. Since your baby is due in September, I'd suggest that for everyday use you buy a package of onesies and a package of terrycloth sleepers in each size. And tiny socks. Those re the "baby standards". You'll receive many cute little outfits as shower gifts -- many of them probably won't even be worn. Take a stroll through a consignment store; you'll find all the expensive name brands, but they'll be 10-20% of their original cost!

Diapers. Try all the different brands to see which ones you like. Toys R Us and Walmart brands are every bit as good as the name-brands, but they cost significantly less (even with coupons). I also liked Luvs. Don't over spend on something that'll go into the trash in a few hours.

Wipes are a different story. You can get by with cheap-o wipes for the first few months when the baby is exclusively milk-fed. Once you introduce solids, plan to buy the better wipes. They're thicker, which means you can use just one.

Going back to diapers for a moment: When my second daughter was born, I used to buy diapers from a lady who lived near me (she had 2 sets of twins, all boys!), and she'd found a source for second-quality diapers. She even delivered them to my house for less than Walmart diapers! I don't know where she found them though.

Food. I can't say enough about breastfeeding. I would have done it just for the savings, I would have done it just for the health benefits, I would have done it just for the convenience. Having all three together . . . well, few things in life are so perfect. Having said that, breastfeeding isn't always easy in the first few weeks. You'll be recovering physically, you'll be without sleep, and you'll be uncertain of everything. It's easy to give up. Benefits of breastfeeding: Nothing to buy, nothing to mix, nothing to wash, nothing to transport or warm up. Breastmilk doesn't stain clothing (formula does -- especially ready-to-feed or concentrate types). In general, breastfed babies spit up less, get sick less, and are less likely to have colic. Yes, it means that all the feeding tasks fall to you, but it's only for a short time -- consider it an enforced rest break for you. Once you and the baby have learned how to breastfeed, you don't even have to be awake!

With my second daughter, I had a pillow that was sort of C-shaped; oh, I loved that thing! It helps hold the baby up to just the right height for nursing, and it made life so much easier. With my first child, I always used a bed pillow, but this nursing pillow was so much nicer! I give those pillows to everyone now for shower gifts.

If you need formula, ask at each doctor visit if they have any samples to give away. I breastfed but did use an occasional bottle when the babies went to grandma's house, etc. Because the doctor gave me 2-4 bottles of concentrate every time I went for a well visit, I literally never bought formula (this certainly wouldn't have been enough for a formula-fed baby, but it was more than enough for the occasional supplemental bottle).

When you introduce solid foods, try to minimize your use of those small jars. They're very expensive! Invest now in a small food processor ($40-50). I bought no-salt green beans, carrots, etc. and ran them through the food processor; then I froze them in ice cube trays and saved the "cubes" in ziplocks. I could pull out one cube of pinto beans and one cube of carrots, and warm them in the microwave -- easy and cheap! I always kept a few jars on hand for taking to my mom's house or a restaurant. And babies do need baby cereal; there's really no adult alternative. These hints save TONS of money!

Toys -- Choose a few simple toys; babies don't need a whole toybox full. A few stuffed animals and a few chew-able plastic toys are plenty. The electronic toys are not all they're cracked up to be. Don't skimp on heavy board books though (and I wouldn't buy them used since they really can't be cleaned, and you know they've been chewed).

I think the biggest thing you can do to save with a baby is NOT buy stuff, stuff, and more stuff that you don't need. You don't need an infant feeding chair, a bouncy chair, an exersaucer, an electric swing, and a car seat. You don't need a thing to keep your wipes warm, a cooler for night time bottles, or 100 baby outfits. If you buy with common sense, you can provide your child with everything he needs now AND start his college fund.

 

[EthansMom]

Personally, I've found the Wal-Mart "White Cloud" diapers to be one of the best buys for disposable diapers. I also like the Wal-Mart "Parents Choice" brand of formula.

Things that are a waste of money: bottle warmer (even though it is not recommended by formula makers, we microwave the bottle for 28 seconds and then shake it), bassinett (there is no reason that the baby can't sleep in the crib right off), cutesy matching bedding sets (you can buy generic one-color pieces at Babies R Us for cheaper -- get at least 2 white sheets), changing table (waterproof changing pads are much more useable and washable).

Do you have any friends with children that are slightly older? Ask if they will let you borrow (and return) their old baby clothes. Just use a permanent marker to put a small mark on the tags so they can be returned to the appropriate person after baby grows out of them.

Never buy clothes that are more than one size larger than baby -- he/she will grow fast at some times and slow at others and the clothes bought far in advance may not fit for the correct season.

Do invest in some spray Shout or similar. Also, Oxiclean. I can get out most any stain by soaking it liberally in Shout for a day or two. Then soaking in the washer with Oxiclean for 24 hours and then laundering. Also, on clothes that are used and have lost some color, try washing with vinegar in the washer. Despite the advertizing, most babies do not need their clothes washed in special detergent -- any regular detergent is fine.

If you've got a Babies R Us near you, they are great for selection, though prices tend to be a bit high. Register with them (can do this online) and they will send you coupons good toward some of the bigger purchase items.

For carseat/stroller, I recommend getting one of mid-price sets that matches and the infant seat can clip into the stroller. If you've got two cars, buy an extra base so you can pop the carseat in either car. Realistically, your stoller isn't going to last through more than one kid, but if you spend $80/stroller and get a couple years out of it you're probably doing pretty good. Make sure that your stroller has good storage beneath the seat and reclines, looks comfortable, and is easy for both Mom and Dad to open/close/lift to store in the car trunk.

For a crib, I got a mid-range crib that isn't convertible into a todller bed or regular bed and have been very happy with it. My son used his mid-range mattress in the crib and then in a toddler bed and we just tossed it when he went into a twin bed. Toddler beds and twin beds are pretty easy to find used.

You don't use a high chair until baby is at least four months old and starts eating food, so don't buy it right off. Like others, I agree that making your own baby food is a great way to save some money.

I did love my bouncy seat, electric swing, and exersaucer for both kids. But all of ours were once-again mid-price-range Graco products. Lasted well for two kids and have gone on to Goodwill and/or cousins. These are great items to ask for gifts from people who want to get something "fun".

Once baby is born, make sure to let the Grandparents know what size and season clothes you need most.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I have 5 kids and each one of them used a different brand of diapers. I started them all out with Huggies (sign up for coupons on their website) and if they didn't work I would try Pampers (can also get coupons from their website) and then I would try out store brands. I think it's because of the different sizes/shapes of the babies that certain diapers leaked while others didn't. My fifth baby is the only one that has stayed on Huggies!

Watch the ingredients of the formulas very carefully, read how much sugar is in them, etc., some are better than others and you don't want to skimp on nutrition (if you aren't breast-feeding that is). I switched one of my babies to Carnation from Similac and my pediatrician sat me down with the labels of both and I was shocked at how unhealthy the Carnation was. If cost is a problem consider applying for the WIC program in your area, it is also for breast-feeding mothers and provides support for them, too. Similac has a club, I can't remember what it's called right now, but if you do a search for "Similac" it'll come up on their website and they'll send you checks that you use like coupons.

I don't know if it's still the case, but it used to be that cloth diapers were a cheap alternative to burp cloths.

I second the idea of making your own baby food, I didn't do that until my fifth baby and it was surprisingly easy, but there are a couple of different foods that you shouldn't do that with, you should research it a little before doing it, but I used a blender and ice cube trays and it saved us quite a bit.

Microwaving a bottle can cause hotspots in the liquid so it isn't really safe, even if you shake it, but we always ran a bowl of hot water and sat the bottle in it to warm it up so a bottle warmer still wouldn't be necessary, but they are really nice to have when you're travelling.

I'm not sure if this was mentioned, but a changing table while nice to have, isn't really necessary. You can use a bed until the baby can roll or put a changing pad with a seatbelt on a dresser, or a towel on the floor. My first four didn't have a changing table and the one I had for my fifth baby we only used for 3 months before he was way too wiggly for us to use it safely.

It's a good idea to wait and see on some of the things what kind of items will work with your baby and your lifestyle. For example, the hospital freebie diaper bag may work fine until you figure out your routine and how much stuff you actually need to carry, then buy a good diaper bag that suits your needs. An infant swing may be a waste of money if your baby doesn't like movement/stimulation or a lifesaver if it's the only way to soothe a colicky baby.

 

[luv2nascar]

I recommend www.mycoupons.com
They have shopping boards with all kinds of money savings tips and sales
the B & M will give you details for brick and mortar stores
or you can get online deals
I watch their boards and always know where to get diapers ro wipes or whatever is hot at the moment
I got a bouncey seat for around $6.00 from target that was regularly $40
My DD used it 6 mos then I sold it at gargage sale for $5.00 can't beat that
I actually got all the gerber graduates my daughter could possible eat and then some for free & pennies a jar with coupons & matching sales
I use coupons for everything and do quite well
good luck

 

[mom2mira]

Well, I am a big couponer and clearance shopper, so I always buy ahead and I save bundles.

Start now watching for clearance sales for clothes/baby items and start stocking up on diapers. Target is one of the best for baby clearance of large items, but the major one already happened this year. I've gotten all the things we needed this time around(travel system, bouncer, extra car seat) at 75% off there. I know that some of the KMart stores have been clearancing baby items, so I would check there. You won't need a high chair until the end of the year, so give yourself time to find a bargain on that one. I can't remember if the Target one is usually December or January, but that may be one to try.

I also buy ahead on clothes, but until the baby is born(or you know 100% what the sex is), it's hard to for the first season or two's clothes. I don't know if the sales in TX are as seasonal as they are here in Ohio, since you don't have such a difference in weather, but 80% or more of my DDs clothes are bought this way. Once the baby is here, start watching for seasonal clearance to buy clothes for the next year. I usually get stuff at 75%+. Kohl's is one of my faves for seasonal clearance, but pretty much every store does some. You can also watch stores that sell "lines" of clothes, like Gymboree, since they will clearance the old one once the new one starts. I haven't had as much luck with Gymboree clearance(mostly because I don't like paying more than 75% off prices), but they do have great re-sale value.

Diapers, you can always do generic, but I find that I can stock up just as cheaply on name brand with coupons and sales. When my dd was a baby(she's 4 now), I wouldn't pay more than $4-$5 a jumbo pack for Huggies or Pampers, but it's hard to get those deals now. Now I won't do more than $6-maybe $7. Make sure to e-mail all the companies and ask at the ped/ob/hospital like everyone else said. I belong to a coupon board, so I trade for coupons there, but ebay always has people selling multiples of lots of baby coupons. When a store has the diapers cheap with coupons, buy lots. I know that I have seen some $1/1 Huggies wipes on ebay lately, and these are great if you have any stores that super-double(double $1 coupons to $2). These will go for a lot on ebay, so you have to calculate your savings. Here, I can get them for under $1 with that coupon, so it will be worth it to get some eventually.

Are you on a prenatal vitamin? If so, another way to get some extra money for buying things is to take advantage of the gift cards stores will offer for new or transferred scripts. I know Target has a $20 printable one right now. Lots of pharmacies will let you use a competitor's coupon also. For example you could use this one at Target one month and get a $20 GC and them take the coupon to CVS and use it there for another $20 GC the next month(our CVS will take Target ones). I transfer my scripts often to get GCs

The coupon/deal board I belong to also posts on-line and store sales/clearances and of course baby items come up here and there. I don't know if I can post it here, so feel free to e-mail me if you want the site. It's a great site to watch for deals.

Congrats by the way! I am due to have my 2nd on September 17th, so I am right there with you.

***Okay, somehow I missed Luv2Nascar's post before I posted. Mycoupons is the board I was talking about too

 

[mickeymel]

Have used most brands of diapers with all 3 of my children, but ended up using Target brand. They have worked as well as the others, but less expensive.

 

[lajones81]

I'm not a parent, but let me say congratulations! I do come from a large extended family (I'm one of twenty four grandchildren!). Yeah!