museumgal
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Post by museumgal on Jan 11, 2011 1:43:14 GMT -5
I need some advice -- I just found out I'm pregnant and need some frugal budgeting tips for getting ready for this new family member. It's our first child so I don't at all know how to plan for this financially. How much should we be saving up? We have about $6000 we've already cut out of the budget we can set aside for this year. Our insurance is set up to cover maternity/delivery. Also it would great to know from parents on the board what is actually needed for a newborn and baby's first year -- there's all these "essential" lists of baby supplies all over the internet that seem to have a lot of, well, non-essential things.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2011 8:43:09 GMT -5
Congratulations!!! You are absolutely right about the non essential stuff. My best frugal advice in this situation is...BABY SHOWER!!!! Let your friends set you up!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2011 8:47:16 GMT -5
CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!
My advice is to stock the freezer with premade meals and buy lots of paperplates and plastic utensils.
Post a list of essentials and I'm sure we could whittle it down.
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newsmaker
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Post by newsmaker on Jan 11, 2011 9:11:15 GMT -5
Congrats on the baby! Before your friends and family plan for the baby shower try to look for second hands. Put out the word with your mommy friends and you will be amazed at how many things you can get for free! Car seat must be brand new (thus leave that item in your baby shower list). Many people will shower you with non-essentials like clothing for baby. I prefer to present the mother to be with a big box of diapers and another of wipes. As for maternity clothing, it depends on whether you work or not. I work FT thus I had to buy three suits. But I also got a lot of hand me downs.
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mommax4
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Post by mommax4 on Jan 11, 2011 10:36:41 GMT -5
Cribs & car seats are about the only thing you need to get new (or nearly new). We did get both of ours second hand, but from trusted family members. I don't think I would get those from strangers, although maybe a crib if it still has it's model number on it so you can look to see if it's been recalled.
Other essentials will be diapers & wipes, a few bottles (# depends on if you breastfeed or bottle feed), either a pump or formula (again, depending on bf or bottle feed), onesies/footed pj's depending on the time of year the baby is born, and a carrier/stroller of some kind. As someone else pointed out, most people will give you clothes/toys at baby showers, but definitely register for other things that you (think) you want because you'll get many of them as well.
After those items, everything else becomes personal preference. If you want, the Women in Red board has an entire thread devoted to pregnancy & motherhood. They've got a lot of great ideas, especially on different brands of items that worked (or didn't work) for them.
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Martivir
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Post by Martivir on Jan 11, 2011 10:36:44 GMT -5
Check out the garage sales this summer. I agree that the only thing that you need new is the car seat. Another thing to do is go over your coverage with a fine tooth comb. My original OB was ultrasound happy and my insurance only covered one. Unless I was considered high risk. So several of them came completely out of my pocket. Check out Baby Bargains book from the library. And what's an essential for some parents is useless to others. I had a few moms swear by their bouncy seat and said I needed one. My son hated it and preferred his swing. And hand me downs are great with kids because you don't really use anything that long so it's usually in great condition.
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mrslynch
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Post by mrslynch on Jan 11, 2011 11:50:54 GMT -5
congratulations!
everyone else has given great advice regarding the big stuff--car seats, strollers, etc. what i'm going to suggest is that you start putting line items in your budget for every day things like diapers, wipes, laundry detergent, baby food (even if you plan to make it yourself, budget for jarred baby food) and formula (even if you plan to bf, you never know what can happen) and, if necessary, daycare. if you start planning the money out of your budget now and get used to living without it, when the baby gets here it won't be such a shock. keep all the money your taking out of your budget in a savings account that can easily be accessed when you need the money. one of the best things we did was have a "baby" envelope. money was extremely tight when dd was a newborn and having the money in cash helped out substantially for those every day items that we did a poor job of budgeting for in advance.
for the shower (if you have one. i understand that not everyone does. i did not)--when you're registering or telling people what you would like, make sure you emphasize that you would like clothes in 3-6 month, 6-9 month, etc sizes as well. people have a tendency to buy only newborn and 0-3 month clothes and forget that babies grow. also, i do not recommend getting newborn sized anything. my dd was 8 lbs 6 oz when she was born and could not fit into newborn sizes from the get-go. if you do get lots of 0-3 or newborn clothes, see if you can exchange some of them for the next size or two up; that way you're prepared. my daughter basically went from 0-3 month straight to 6-9 months; i think she spent about 2 weeks wearing 3-6 month clothes. i wound up exchanging some of the onesies and other clothes for the larger sizes.
if your baby will need daycare, start looking now. infant spaces are very hard to come by, depending on where you live. check to see if yours or dh's work has a dependent care account that allows you to contribute, pre-tax, and then use the money for daycare. we do this and, based on the way we budget the money, we usually have about 6 weeks throughout the year when we do not pay at all (we pay for 2 weeks out of pocket and use the dependent care for the other 2).
i think that's all i've got. good luck and congratulations again!
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museumgal
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Post by museumgal on Jan 11, 2011 16:18:58 GMT -5
Thanks for the advice everyone!
laterbloomer, I am having a baby shower -- but since I have people traveling quite a distance to visit, I want to have the shower after I have the baby so people can see the baby. So it still means I have to get all those first month essentials.
ArchietheDragon, I will try to find the "essential" list to post later -- I think it was so over padded I just dismissed it and didn't bother bookmarking it.
newsmaker, I do have a cousin with 2 young children -- I hope she still has some of her stuff to pass on to me. Other than her however I am unfortunately the first woman in my group of friends to have a baby, so I don't have a lot of resources on that front.
mommax3, thank you for your list of essentials... I will check out that WIR board, it sounds like a great resource.
martivir, garage sales are a great idea; I should have all summer to hunt for stuff. Good idea about going over the coverage with a fine tooth comb, DH and I will have to do that some time soon in case changes need to be made. I am pretty skeptical about the swing/bouncy/other such things..I'm hoping my cousin has some hand me downs on this sort of stuff so I can see what the baby likes without having to buy all of them myself.
mrslynch -- I'm going to have to do some research at the local stores to see how much all those daily use things cost in this area. I'm planning on breast feeding but you're right, I should add in formula just in case. Thanks for the clothing advice -- i'll try to register for older baby items. We won't need day care -- DH works at a university and can arrange his schedule to cover times when I'm not there.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Jan 11, 2011 16:45:40 GMT -5
If you're not already a member of your local Freecycle group ~ join. (www.freecycle.org) ... it's a great place to swap (offer/receive) baby and kids clothes. I do think you will need a handmade, heirloom quality Minky Snugglebunny from Auntie Jill ... www.auntiejillshop.com/id78.htmlAttachments:
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2011 16:46:49 GMT -5
Craigslist is also another good source for clothing, toys, etc. I've got a bassinet that was slept in for maybe a week if you want it! Just pay for shipping and I'll send it your way ;D
I would definitely recommend a changing station (not essential, but helps your back tremendously). For both my kids I used a double dresser as double duty. The clothes go in the dresser and on top I put a changing pad (there's straps that we attached to the back to keep it stable). I think a dedicated changing table is unnecessary - what are you going to do with after the kid's out of diapers? Using the dresser means that it can grow with the child (I've also had a friend who used an old buffet that she painted to match the crib)
Another "essential" is a rocking chair. I don't know if it's necessary or not, but I have enjoyed the ones in my children's rooms. And I found both on craigslist, borrowed a truck from a friend and spend about $20 for each of them.
One last tip - don't get sucked into thinking that you have to get a cute bedding set and all the accessories that go with it! I would suggest going for a theme that can grow with the child and it doesn't have to all be matchy-matchy.
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oreo
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Post by oreo on Jan 11, 2011 17:02:57 GMT -5
I can tell you NOT to go to Babies R Us and expect that the list of stuff they have is what you need. You won't need most of it. I agree that you can buy almost everything on Craig's list/Thrift Shops except crib and car seats. It is very tough because you don't know what you'll need (at least we didn't, we didn't know anyone with kids to ask what we needed and didn't) so you buy stuff that you never use.
You can buy diapers for a pretty reasonable price that work great at Target (Up and up brand). My son just turned 2 and we've been using Target diapers since his stump fell off (Target doesn't make a diaper with a stump cutout). We also had to supplement breast milk with formula and the Target stuff is great for that too if you end up needing it (and it is WAY more affordable than the name brands).
As for equipment you need, I'd say a bouncer seat (vibrates to help baby sleep when irritable) and an excersaucer. Those were the 2 most important things we had.
I still buy most of my son's clothes at thrift shops. You just have to look at each item carefully for holes and stains. We have some great stores run by churches in our area and you can get shirts and pants for $.38/each and pajamas for $.50. These stores are way cheaper than the Goodwill or Salvation Army. I also buy a lot of toys at thrift shops (as well as on Craig's list).
We also have some baby resale stores in our area and when my son was younger, we bought lots of stuff there. We bought a sterilizer there for $7 (they were $40 at Baby's R Us and Target) which I used every day to sterilize bottles, nipples, and my breast pump parts. I buy all of his shoes used at this point. You can get Stride Rite and other name brands that are barely used for between $1-$5.
As for registering for clothing, you definitely should ask for larger sizes. There are certain things I would NOT recommend in terms of clothing. I think those "sleep sacks" that go over the baby's head were the worst thing ever made! When your baby is that small, you don't want to have to put things over his/her head. You want to set the baby on it and wrap it around so I recommend the kimono shirts or outfits that zip/snap in the front. I had to change my son 3 times every night because the diapers were full and nothing wakes up a baby like struggling to not let their head flop around while you are trying to put a sleep sack on over it! One of the best things I found for my son was the fleece (my son was born in November) sleep sack that zipped in the front and was closed at the bottom.
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museumgal
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Post by museumgal on Jan 11, 2011 20:47:49 GMT -5
mollymouser -- freecycle is something we need to look into. Those bunnies are adorable!
RoseGarden -- I will definitely keep the bassinet offer in mind if my cousin has already gotten rid of hers. Craigslist is another thing we will have to check out, although its not very big in our area. We were going to use the dressing thing to avoid buying a changing table -- a changing table does seem like something you don't really need. I think the inlaws might have a rocking chair we can use. I think I'm going to go with a zoo animal theme -- lots of baby stuff comes with animals, all the stuffed animals will fit and its good for a boy or a girl. It's generic enough to make most anything work.
oreo -- I was noticing the Target diapers and formula are pretty cheap compared to the name brands -- its good to know they work, something with diapers you definitely want something thats going to hold up and I wasn't sure the store brand would do it. I imagine I'm going to end up buying whatever new essentials I need from Target. We'll have to hunt around for some thrift stores and its good to know what not to get -- I'll look for easy to get in and out baby clothes.
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Post by desertmover on Jan 11, 2011 21:11:15 GMT -5
Congratulations! This is a very exciting time for you.
The essentials for your baby's first year are: Love, warmth, oxygen, hydration, nutrition, security, protection from harmful things in the environment, something to suck, etc. You won't be able to register for these at a department store.
Most babies born in the world in 2011 will never have a bouncing seat and will still survive.
I had mostly hand me downs or thrift store purchased items for my children. This does not mean that I love them any less.
That being said, you will spend much more money than you think you might on things you would never think of. For instance, one of my kids would nap easily in the car. More than once, I kept driving and driving to induce a much needed nap.
Are you interested in cloth diapers? It was a cost (and environment) saving endeavor for me but I understand it is not for everyone.
Good Luck,
Mover
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sccdf
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Post by sccdf on Jan 11, 2011 21:35:35 GMT -5
Congratulations. I think the others have covered the basics well. My piece of advice is to buy all the same style of socks, I don't know how but baby socks escape one at time. If all the socks are the same, you won't be out a pair if one leaves.
A mesh laundry bag is handy also. Not only can you wash socks, but you will discover alot of other stuff you can (and will need to) wash.
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museumgal
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Post by museumgal on Jan 11, 2011 21:44:32 GMT -5
desertmover -- thanks for the advice. We're still discussing diapering options but I read...somewhere...that for one child cloth or disposable is about the same cost wise. Obviously evironmentally is the rub -- we're still debating the ease of disposable vs. the environmental benefits.
sccdf -- thank you for the sock tip! And I already have a mesh laundry bag..although now I'm curious, what else do you put through the washer? Toys?
Here's Consumer Reports new born baby check list. This is way better than the other list I had found, but any help saying "Yes you really need that" or "No you can skip" would be great. Also if there's anything missing-- they left formula off the list so there might be something else.
I'd like to pare it down to things you only need the first month, because I'm going to have a baby shower after 1 month and will be registering for older baby needs then.
Tooling around _____Car seat. _____Stroller. (Do you really take a newborn in a stroller? Aren't they too small?)
Beds and linens _____Crib. _____Crib mattress. _____Bassinet/cradle (This one drives me nuts -- the baby only uses it a few weeks! And if I have one can't I wait on the crib and register for it, since the baby'll be in the bassinet anyway?) _____Two to three fitted crib sheets. _____Four or more waffle-weave cotton receiving blankets for swaddling baby _____Two mattress pads. _____One to two waterproof liners (for crib or bassinet).
Diaper duty _____Diapers. Disposables: One 40-count package of newborn (birth weight under 8 pounds) or of size 1 (birth weight over 8 pounds). Cloth: Two to three dozen, plus six to 10 snap-on, waterproof outer pants, and two to three sets of diaper pins, eight to 10 all-in-ones or diaper system covers; two to three dozen diaper system inserts. _____Diaper pail (with refills or bags as needed). (Is this a need? We live 10 steps from the dumpster, we can just take it downstairs.) _____Diaper bag. (I can't use one of the large bags I already have?)
(I'm adding "changing pad" here)
Dressing baby _____Four sleeping outfits or one-piece sleepers with attached feet. _____Six side-snap T-shirts. (...do I need these in addition to the onsies, at least at first? I believe I lived in onsies when I was a baby unless I was going outside the house.) _____Four to six one-piece undershirts that snap around the crotch. _____A small baby cap (although the hospital will probably give you one). _____Six pairs socks/booties. _____Two to three soft, comfortable daytime outfits. Get only a few items in newborn size. Then, go for clothing in the 6-month size--your baby will grow into it quickly. _____Cotton sweater or light jacket.
Summer babies _____Brimmed hat.
Feeding time If you're planning to breast-feed: (This is me, I'm planning it anyway) _____Three to five nursing bras. _____A box of washable or disposable breast pads. _____Breast pump if you expect to use one (manual or electric). _____Four small baby bottles with newborn nipples for storing expressed breast milk. _____Bottle-drying tree. _____Bottle brush. (Can't I use the dishwasher?) _____Insulated bottle holder for diaper bag. _____Three packs of cloth diapers or burp cloths. (3 packs? They come in packs of 10 -- that's like 30! Do you need that many? Can't I use old towels/washclothes?)
If you're planning to bottle-feed: _____Six 4- to 5-ounce bottles, plus nipples, rings, and a dishwasher basket if you use a dishwasher.
(......anyone notice that the formula is left off this list?? I'm not doing formula, hopefully, but it makes me wonder abotu this list!)
Bathing/Grooming _____Plastic infant bathtub. (Is there something wrong with the sink? I've seen those foam inserts to pad the sink but do I really need a whole separate tub?) _____Three soft hooded towels. (...really? Can't I use my towels?) _____Two packs of baby washcloths. (same thing -- is there something special about these other than being smaller?) _____Baby body wash that doubles as shampoo. _____Pair of blunt-tip scissors or baby-sized nail clippers. _____Zinc-oxide-based diaper rash ointment. _____Soft brush and comb. _____Mild laundry detergent. (Do I have to buy baby-specific kinds or can I get a fragrance free, gentle formula? I've noticed Dreft and even the store brand equivalent are really expensive.)
Medicine chest essentials _____A pain-and-fever reducer recommended by your baby's doctor, such as Infant's Tylenol. _____Cotton pads/swabs. (We already stock these) _____Nasal aspirator. _____Digital rectal thermometer. (We have this already) _____Rubbing alcohol. _____Petroleum jelly.
Keeping baby happy _____Pacifiers.
Extras: Nice but optional _____Baby monitor. (are these helpful? I mean, they recommend keeping the baby in the same room you are for 6 months, do they really help after that?) _____Changing table. (already eliminated) _____A rocker or glider. (can probably get one from inlaws) _____Sling or strap-on soft carrier. (I'm not really interested in this, I might get the back pack kind when they're older.) _____Boppy, a doughnut-shape pillow designed to make holding baby during breastfeeding or bottlefeeding easier. (I've seen this....does it really help?) _____Nursing coverup. Attaches at your neck and allows for private breastfeeding when you and your baby are in public. (I'm going to do expressed breast milk for public events) _____Infant swing. (I hope my cousin has this) _____Bouncy seat. (And also this one, because I'd hate to buy it and then the baby doesn't like them) _____Night-light. (Sure that's like $2, I have no problem with this one)
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2011 21:50:38 GMT -5
Tooling around _____Car seat. need_____Stroller. (Do you really take a newborn in a stroller? Aren't they too small?) If you want to take them out, it is nice to have a stroller that the car seat hooks right into. I think they are called a snap and go.Beds and linens _____Crib. Need_____Crib mattress. Need_____Bassinet/cradle (This one drives me nuts -- the baby only uses it a few weeks! And if I have one can't I wait on the crib and register for it, since the baby'll be in the bassinet anyway?) Optional_____Two to three fitted crib sheets. Need_____Four or more waffle-weave cotton receiving blankets for swaddling baby Our hospital gave us a ton of cloths._____Two mattress pads. Optional_____One to two waterproof liners (for crib or bassinet). OptionalDiaper duty _____Diapers. Disposables: One 40-count package of newborn (birth weight under 8 pounds) or of size 1 (birth weight over 8 pounds). Cloth: Two to three dozen, plus six to 10 snap-on, waterproof outer pants, and two to three sets of diaper pins, eight to 10 all-in-ones or diaper system covers; two to three dozen diaper system inserts. _____Diaper pail (with refills or bags as needed). (Is this a need? We live 10 steps from the dumpster, we can just take it downstairs.) Optional_____Diaper bag. (I can't use one of the large bags I already have?) Optional(I'm adding "changing pad" here) Dressing baby _____Four sleeping outfits or one-piece sleepers with attached feet. _____Six side-snap T-shirts. (...do I need these in addition to the onsies, at least at first? I believe I lived in onsies when I was a baby unless I was going outside the house.) _____Four to six one-piece undershirts that snap around the crotch. _____A small baby cap (although the hospital will probably give you one). _____Six pairs socks/booties. _____Two to three soft, comfortable daytime outfits. Get only a few items in newborn size. Then, go for clothing in the 6-month size--your baby will grow into it quickly. _____Cotton sweater or light jacket. Summer babies _____Brimmed hat. Feeding time If you're planning to breast-feed: (This is me, I'm planning it anyway) _____Three to five nursing bras. Need, wife didn't have that many, though_____A box of washable or disposable breast pads. Need_____Breast pump if you expect to use one (manual or electric). Was helpful. manual was kinda worthless_____Four small baby bottles with newborn nipples for storing expressed breast milk. Need. also storage bags if you want to freeze milk_____Bottle-drying tree. Optional_____Bottle brush. (Can't I use the dishwasher?) _____Insulated bottle holder for diaper bag. Optonal_____Three packs of cloth diapers or burp cloths. (3 packs? They come in packs of 10 -- that's like 30! Do you need that many? Can't I use old towels/washclothes?) Our hospital gave us a ton of clothsIf you're planning to bottle-feed: _____Six 4- to 5-ounce bottles, plus nipples, rings, and a dishwasher basket if you use a dishwasher. (......anyone notice that the formula is left off this list?? I'm not doing formula, hopefully, but it makes me wonder abotu this list!) Bathing/Grooming _____Plastic infant bathtub. (Is there something wrong with the sink? I've seen those foam inserts to pad the sink but do I really need a whole separate tub?) Optional, but nice. We had one with a little hamock type thing in it. You could just put some towels in the bottom of the sink though._____Three soft hooded towels. (...really? Can't I use my towels?) _____Two packs of baby washcloths. (same thing -- is there something special about these other than being smaller?) _____Baby body wash that doubles as shampoo. Need_____Pair of blunt-tip scissors or baby-sized nail clippers. _____Zinc-oxide-based diaper rash ointment. Need_____Soft brush and comb. Need_____Mild laundry detergent. (Do I have to buy baby-specific kinds or can I get a fragrance free, gentle formula? I've noticed Dreft and even the store brand equivalent are really expensive.) We just used any brand that was fragrance and dye free. No Dreft for us.Medicine chest essentials _____A pain-and-fever reducer recommended by your baby's doctor, such as Infant's Tylenol. Need_____Cotton pads/swabs. (We already stock these) _____Nasal aspirator. Need_____Digital rectal thermometer. (We have this already) We use a temporal thermometer instead._____Rubbing alcohol. Need_____Petroleum jelly. NeedKeeping baby happy _____Pacifiers. Need, but our daughter never used one.Extras: Nice but optional _____Baby monitor. (are these helpful? I mean, they recommend keeping the baby in the same room you are for 6 months, do they really help after that?) Optional, we can hear out daughter when she wakes up, no matter where we are. But it was good if we were outside when she was napping, or something_____Changing table. (already eliminated) _____A rocker or glider. (can probably get one from inlaws) Optional_____Sling or strap-on soft carrier. (I'm not really interested in this, I might get the back pack kind when they're older.) Optional, but very handy. I like the slings and they are pretty cheap_____Boppy, a doughnut-shape pillow designed to make holding baby during breastfeeding or bottlefeeding easier. (I've seen this....does it really help?) optional, but handy. Our daughter liked hers and it helped a to keep her sitting up._____Nursing coverup. Attaches at your neck and allows for private breastfeeding when you and your baby are in public. (I'm going to do expressed breast milk for public events) Optional, my wife liked hers_____Infant swing. (I hope my cousin has this) Optional, some babies don't even like them. Some parents swear by them as the only way to get their babies to sleep_____Bouncy seat. (And also this one, because I'd hate to buy it and then the baby doesn't like them) Optional_____Night-light. (Sure that's like $2, I have no problem with this one) Read more: notmsnmoney.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=smartspending&action=display&thread=1380#ixzz1AmlpBtFL
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Sharon
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Post by Sharon on Jan 12, 2011 0:50:19 GMT -5
Just a few comments on some of the things you noted. A bottle brush is inexpensive and we still use ours (DD is 17) for cleaning thermos's etc. The bottle brush was used extensively during grade school since she took a thermos everyday for lunch.
The hooded towels are good because you can keep their wet heads covered well and get baby good and wrapped up. They also make a great superman cape or bridal veil later on for dress up.
I did not use wipes at home (they were required for daycare) and the baby sized wash clothes were the right size for babies bottom.
I received the towels and wash clothes as shower gifts.
My Mom bought my stroller and it was a godsend. I would put DD in there starting shortly after we came home from the hospital. I ended having a c-section and I would walk to help build up my strength since I knew I only had 6 weeks off of work.
I had no money when DD was born. The bassinette she was in has been passed down throughout the family since the 1930's. Her crib was one that was at my Grandpa's house for who knows how many years. I did not have a baby monitor and our rooms were on different floors. I did not have a swing, changing table, rocking chair, bouncy chair etc. The men at work bought me a pack n play for my work shower. It also was used alot. She would nap in the shade outside while I weeded flower beds.
DD survived and thrived just fine without all those things.
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newsmaker
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Post by newsmaker on Jan 12, 2011 7:15:17 GMT -5
I agree with Sharon and Archie that the stroller is a must. Better if you can attach a car seat. Mine was a Peg-Perego (very light frame, snap and go) that came with the car seat and I bought a bassinet (called Navetta-little bed) for the first few months. It was god-send because I could take the Navetta out and keep the baby inside in his little "crib" when visiting friends, relatives, etc. Many strangers complimented me on this pram looking stroller. The car seat was also a good idea because you can snap the car seat from the car to stroller and baby does not have to wake up. I must say to this day I highly recommend Peg-Perego. Also, I think this will be a good time to get a life insurance policy, if you don't have one, or revise the current one.
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newsmaker
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Post by newsmaker on Jan 12, 2011 7:19:43 GMT -5
Attached you will find a link to see their strollers. They can be expensive but you can get it used and buy the car seat brand new. I bought mine for $99 (stroller) in 2003, the car seat was also $99 and the Navetta $69 (plus shipping). It is like a modular system. Too bad my cousin (to whom I passed it on) gave it away because I would have sent it your way! global.pegperego.com/babyproducts-catalog/2010/Pliko+P3+Modular
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doxieluvr
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Post by doxieluvr on Jan 12, 2011 7:32:39 GMT -5
Every parent will give you a different list of essentials. For instance both my children were in size newborn clothes for the first month of their lives. Here is the essential list of items that we use or have used. Our baby is 2 months old. We formula feed
- A place for baby to sleep, we use a pack n play with the bassinet in our room. We have a beautiful crib in the nursery, and he has yet to sleep in there. We have two mattress covers and two sheets for each of these items.
- A diaper caddy. We have a munchkin brand one that we carry through the house, it contains diapers, wipes, butt cream, extra binky, toy, and socks in the side pockets. We have used the changing station in his nursery less than a handful of times. We change him on the couch.
-A diaper bag. We have a Skip hop dup deluxe and its perfectly big enough to carry whatever we need for outings
-A baby bath tub, shampoo/body wash combo, lotion (we like Aveeno) 6-8 washcloths and 2-3 hooded towels.
-Formula, 6 bottles, 2 formula dispensers, and a bottle brush. - Pacifiers - 6-8 Footed Sleepers in each size -12 onesies in each size -4-5 Receiving blankets (we use these to cover him up in his bouncy, car seat, or to lay him on in public to change diapers.) - 3-4 outfits in each size -2 Swaddleme swaddles -an infant car seat with a cozy shower cap style cover if you have a winter baby. -a stroller. We have a Graco cadillac sized travel system, and we use the stroller all the time. Yes it does take up the entire trunk of my larger SUV. But we use it so much its worth it. Carry the infant seat a few times and you will want the stroller, and my baby is only 9lbs. - A place for baby to sit. We have an infant to toddler vibrating rocker that he loves. It has longevity so we picked this over a bouncer.
I would recommend not stocking up on diapers. We did and the brand ended up not working for our lo. He is long & skinny and every diaper leaked except Huggies Little Snuggies.
I think that covers it.
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Post by jsjjkelly on Jan 12, 2011 10:57:39 GMT -5
Congrats on your first baby coming soon!
I was very fortunate that my aunt called me as soon as I found out I was pregnant and said "Start going to garage sales!" I definitely second everything everyone has said so far is to buy it second hand if you can. Each child is particular, so I never felt bad if my daughter didn't like the swing, but liked the exersaucer. Either way, I only paid a few bucks for it and could just resell it at my own garage sale.
As far as your stroller goes, make sure you register the thing!! My new stroller for my daughter was recalled by the time my son came around. I called them, sent them a piece they wanted (which would break or bend or something), and in the UPS in about 2 weeks they sent me a brand new stroller!!! So my son had a new stroller as well!
Also, if you plan on bottle feeding, there are plenty second hand. Decide on a style you want to use, then buy them used. You'll want to buy your own nipples of course. I used the Playtex ones with the plastic liners inside. But I caution on buying too many nipples in advance. For each child, there were 2 styles to choose from, and child #1 didn't use the same kind as child #2. So I had 1 or 2 of each, then whichever they liked, I'd go out and buy another 10.
Same for pacifiers. If this is your thing (my kids loved them), I bought 10 from the get go. Then when they get older, careless, etc, my rule became when they're gone, they're gone. My daughter lost her last and was like "OK". My son loved his, and would keep them under his pillow. When he turned 3, we had to send his pacifiers to the fairy who gives them to babies who are brand new and don't have pacifiers yet!
What helped me was getting organized from the start. I'd buy clothes I thought were in good shape and cute at garage sales. Then I had plastic tubs with the size on it so when the child actually grew into the next size, I just had to pull down a tub to see what I needed. Once I started acquiring stuff (I still do this) I wrote down what I needed and the size on an index card I kept in my purse. Then if I was at garage sales and saw something, I knew what I needed and what I already had. Sounds time consuming, but it's really not. And if you live in colder areas where your little one is going to need a jacket, I suggest buying 2 per size. That way if they go out and get it wet/muddy, etc you have an extra play jacket. You'll be surprised at the coats you can get for a couple of dollars. I always wondered if those kids ever played, because my kids are harder on their clothes.
Depending on your situation, you may want to consider cloth diapers. I used Kushies (or is it kooshies) with my kids and they were wonderful. I then saved them and reused them with my son. I worked with my daughter, but stayed home with my son. I completely noticed the difference with my son. I'd use disposable when we'd be gone for a long time. But trips to the store, running errands, etc? I just left him in the cloth diaper. I wrote it down in his baby book, but most months up until he was potty trained, I never had to buy diapers. And it really wasn't that much extra work. 2-3 extra loads of laundry per week.
Good luck! Shawn in FL
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mommax4
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Post by mommax4 on Jan 12, 2011 14:50:05 GMT -5
I'd say that Archie pretty well answered your list. I will add that when you're looking for diaper bags (or a bag you already have to use as such), make sure you can close it! I prefer a zipper on the top myself. This is so you don't spill everything out of it and it makes it harder for your little one to unpack it--trust me, s/he will.
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on Jan 12, 2011 15:34:49 GMT -5
Those gowns were our favorite! First off I never had a problem getting it over their heads. Then it is nothing to slip it on the rest of the way on. This way when they wake up needing a diaper change you just pull up the skirt and change the diaper. It is MUCH easier than having to remove a sleeper or pants. Mine wore them to sleep for almost 6 months. My trick with these was I would put a fitted sheet on the mattress covered with a water proof mattress pad covered by another sheet. That way when the baby had a blow out at night, not often for us but when it happens it is not fun, all you have to do is remove the top sheet and the pad underneath. Then after baby is changed put them back and the dirty laundry in the basket to do. Trust me much easier than stripping the bed and then getting it remade in the middle of the night while your other half holds the baby. Now you get to learn that everything about babies will have people with different opinions.
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museumgal
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Post by museumgal on Jan 12, 2011 16:04:21 GMT -5
ArchietheDragon -- thank you that was a very detailed response! Very helpful in narrowing things down. Sharon -- okay I understand a little better about the brush and the towels...it's good to know they don't really need all that stuff! I'm still hoping to get some hand me downs from my cousin. newsmaker -- I will be looking into the strollers -- I like the idea of the ones where the seat locks in -- but this is probably something I'm going to try to register for. We don't especially have a walking friendly area (no sidewalks) so its not a big priority for me the first month. doxieluvr -- thank you for the detailed list. It's good to know what things I need to price for -- its early but I want to start saving up now because DH works at a university and funds are usually tight going into summer. it's good to know about not stocking up on diapers too -- I know a lot people bring them as shower presents but it's probably good to find a brand that works first. jsjjkelly -- I definitely need to hit the garage sales! I am (planning on) breastfeeding so hopefully I won't need too many bottles, but I'll definitely stock up on the pacifiers. I also like your organization system for the clothes -- I have a bunch of old totes I can put to use for that. We're still researching diapering options...since we're only planning one child the reuse benefit doesn't really help with that, for us it would mainly be an environmental thing. mommax3 -- thank you for the zipper tip -- I have a big zippered tote I use to um...smuggle snacks and drinks into the movies I'm hoping its big enough -- if not I'll just add a regular diaper bag to the registery but hopefully it should do for the first month. I never thought about the little hands getting into it later -- that is definitely a concern I wouldn't have thought of! 973beachbum -- Sleep sacks vs side button items -- I guess we'll just have to experiment and see what works best... I'll just try not to buy a ton of any one item so if it doesn't work I don't get stuck with a lot. And thank you for the tip with the sheets! I'm sure that will make accidents easier.
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Frugal Nurse
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Post by Frugal Nurse on Jan 12, 2011 16:32:15 GMT -5
I just wanted to say as a nurse (not yet a parent, and haven't worked peds), I have been instructed that rectal temp. taking is no longer recommended as it could possibly cause damage to the sphincter and/or stimulate a vagal nerve response which could cause heart rate issues. I would recommend a thermometer that you stick in the ear or roll across the forehead.
Also, on the diaper issue: As far as cost goes, I have found lots of sales on disposables where they are free or under $3 for about 50 diapers. I know cloth diapers are very expensive. I also read that cloth diapers are just as environmentally unfriendly as disposables after you factor in all the washing/drying/disposable liners. I guess this is another area where everyone is going to tell you something different.
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starearedkid
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Post by starearedkid on Jan 12, 2011 16:40:12 GMT -5
I am actually pregnant with my first--and some of those ideas are really helpful to me!
I am so overwhelmed with baby items right now, because everyone uses something different--and every kid is different. My good friends' daughter was such a little peanut when she was born (she wasn't early, just really small) that they didn't have many newborn clothes at all. Her husband had to run out and pick some up!
As of now our list is: Crib Stroller/Car Seat Bassinet (Our house is two floors, and I want something that the baby can sleep in our bedroom and easily move it downstairs if need be) Baby Monitor (again, two floored house) Changing Table
I figured since our baby is going to be more in Mid May-I'll have her in onesies most of the summer. I was thinking about 10 new born ones, 10 0-3 month and 5 3-6 month. At least in the beginning, I will have something for all sizes and won't have to scramble if she is born bigger or smaller.
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museumgal
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Post by museumgal on Jan 13, 2011 0:47:47 GMT -5
frugalnurse -- thank you for letting us know about this. I'll get a different kind.
starearedkid -- everyone has been so helpful! The clothing does intimidate me a bit but I bet I'll get a ton of stuff from friends and relatives so I'm going to try not to go overboard buying cute outfits.
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Frugal Nurse
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Post by Frugal Nurse on Jan 13, 2011 8:04:48 GMT -5
museumgal- You're welcome! As for clothes, wait until you find out what you are having, then shop the end of season clearance sales to find great prices on some cute outfits, get the rest of them from a resale shop and yard sales. I got lots of gender- neutral onsies, wash cloths, towels, burp rags, etc. last spring and summer at yard sales for liek 10 cents a piece. I brought them home, soaked them in bleach, then washed them. Good as new! Also, I would suggest buying just a couple of outfits brand new that you like and picked out. I know everyone will get you baby cothes, but shopping for baby is part of the fun of pregnancy!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2011 9:45:59 GMT -5
"laterbloomer, I am having a baby shower -- but since I have people traveling quite a distance to visit, I want to have the shower after I have the baby so people can see the baby. So it still means I have to get all those first month essentials." Seeing the baby is what christenings are for. Or whatever the equivalent is in your belief system. Don't just go throwing these gift getting situations out the window!
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oreo
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Post by oreo on Jan 13, 2011 14:33:10 GMT -5
I'm going to recommend that you either take a class or read up on breastfeeding because it may or may not come naturally to you. I didn't do any prep and my son just didn't take to it at all and I stupidly didn't insist on more help in the hospital. I wonder if I'd done some research (I'd been so busy researching other things and thought this was just a biological thing that would happen easily so I didn't bother researching it) if I would have been successful. As it is, I pumped for a full year so at least my son would have some mother's milk (he had about 1/3 my milk and 2/3 formula).
Also, if you end up doing any type of bottle feeding it would be easiest if you had both 4oz bottles and 8oz bottles (for when they get older unless you want to fill the 4oz bottle twice I suppose). I think we had like 6 4-oz bottles and 12 oz bottles. I had glass for the house but ended up buying BPA free plastic to carry around (glass was too heavy). I used the glass bottles to store milk too but since I didn't produce a ton, I didn't run out of bottles or anything. You can buy 3-packs of Evenflo bottles for like $3. The ones I bought came with the latex nipples so I bought silicon ones at the dollar tree (I think you got 4 for $1.) I also bought the Dr Browns caps that sort-of worked (leaked a little if tipped upside down) but at least they weren't as large as storing the nipples with the caps.
If you are going to buy a drying rack, I'm going to recommend the Dr Browns one. We bought one used so it wasn't too expensive. I guess if you go with plastic bottles some of the other brands might be ok but with glass bottles the others weren't so good. The pegs were not designed to accommodate the weight of glass bottles.
I think the thin towels are useful because your baby has such small features that using a big thick towel won't dry them as well (at least I didn't think so). I didn't use the baby wash cloths nearly as much as I thought originally I would but now I keep a bunch in the kitchen to clean his hands and face after meals. They are small enough so you don't end up having to do a ton of extra laundry.
I also think a stroller is essential. We bought a "travel system" which had an infant seat, car seat base, and stroller. We stupidly bought it new before we started using Craigslist and before we found the used baby stores. We are still using the stroller though so we've gotten a couple of good years out of it so far. It is still ok but as DS gets heavier, it becomes harder to push so we're looking for another one that will meet different needs. We'll still use this one a lot of the time though. Our system is a Graco which is probably less expensive than some of the other strollers around.
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