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The secondhand clothing and buying on clearance are two I do all of the time.
My babies lived in sleepers. No need for "real" clothing. You can get stretchy cotton for summer nights and fleece for the winter. Onesies are cheap new but secondhand stores often carry them as well.
The Cosco Scenera is a very well-respected inexpensive car seat. Where it skimps is on the upholstery, not on the safety features.
Diapering - we cloth diaper and use the White Cloud diapers from WM. They are of an acceptable quality for me (previously used Luvs).
I breastfed and it saved a lot of money but if you do have to formula feed, the store brands are just as good and a whole lot cheaper. I used Parents Choice for sippy cups and mixing into cereal.
Other things like toys and such you can find at thrift/secondhand stores. Just check them out and clean them. One item I really like is the infant to toddler seat/rocker by Fisher Price. Everything else is take it or leave it for me.
I don't really have anything else to add to what has already been said.
Thank you so much. All of your have been a lot of help. I have "one" more question: we were thinking about cloth diapers. Is it hard to clean them, or do you just put them in the washing machine? If I produce enough milk, we were thinking of breastfeeding at first. I saw that there are even some economic breast pumps if there would be need for them. As long as the clothes and toys are in good condition, of course I wouldn't refuse them. Wallmart, and other stores seem reasonable. After all, we will not buy designer brand baby clothes. It is really not necessary. Being that we would be first time parents, we are not experienced at all, and we are glad we got some advice from you. We thought we would need everything...Thank you again. If you think of anything else that would be useful for first time parents or others...Thank you.
Cloth diapers are easy: we did the "dry pail" method, and just washed as normal after scraping off whatever solids there were (and there aren't, when the baby is exclusively breastfed), with less detergent than you use for clothes. Google is your friend when it comes to learning about cloth diapers.
Only something like 5% of women don't produce enough breastmilk... for the vast majority, it's a matter of deciding to do it, and then doing it, without supplementing. Once you start supplementing with formula, your supply goes down, and you have to give more formula, and your supply goes down more, etc. If yo'ure not planning on working, there's not much of a need for a good pump (you'll likely only be pumping on the occasions that you go out without baby), but if you need to return to work, an electric pump can be invaluable... many women can't let down for the hand-pumps enough to supply a care provider with enough to feed the baby on a regular basis.
There are probably lot of tips on cloth diapers and care on internet.
I'm with you, if I had another baby, I'd go cloth, and that would mean washing, I know. But I would also do that thing that other cultures do - holding an infant above a potty or toilet starting from 3 months old, after feeding and at certain intervals. By 10 -12 months, they do get the idea of toilet then.
Just enjoy the bonding you'll have with your baby--they grow up so fast! It'll be a life-altering experience, for sure. And I'd rather you focus on the little moments and getting to know him/her than the outside-- the most expensive clothes, toys, baby accessories, etc.
I never used breast pumps (I stayed at home). The feeding things were right there at the right temperatures for the kids. With the first child, my milk disappeared at 7 months - but the reason partly was because my first child was more advanced (geting her first tooth on her 3rd month birthday, sitting in a restaurant entertaining the crowd in a high chair at 7 months).
With the second child I could have kept breastfeeding, I was a milk machine - but I got tired after a while...
The first child had formula for a while, and the second a little before switching to cow's milk. If I had another baby though, I would try to stay away from any formula - same reason as for cloth diapers - and the melamine scare. Mother's own is the best.
I agree with the above...be careful about second hand toys and furniture for safety reasons. Lead paint...dangerous cribs or strollers.
Clothes, second hand or more, especially when little..yes! I gave away so many clothes I got from my sister (3 of her four had worn them before) in good condition.
Ask around, people done with having children will oblige or maybe let you borrow and give back the clothes..
Buy bigger sizes...do not bother with 3 months...get 6 months in snuggles and so on.
Diapers are going to be your major expense, along with formula.
Hi everyone,
Me and my husband are finally thinking about kids. I say finally because although we are married for almost three years, a lot of people used to tell us when will you have kids and will you have kids. At that time we were not ready, and we didn't care that other people were asking us kids stuff. However, looking at prices of baby clothes, formulas, diapers etc., it all adds up, and its not all that cheap. However, I was wondering where do you buy clothes that is reasonable? And other stuff as well? How do you "cut" costs with baby stuff and do you...They outgrow their stuff so fast. That is why we wouldn't like to spend a lot of money on stuff that they won't wear for a long time. We are new to all this, so any advice related to newborns and babies would be appreciated. Thank you.
I am doing some itemizations for our taxes right now & was looking at our expenses from the summer. In Sept, I stopped nursing our son & went to formula (he was 8 months)...spent $140 in formula and $65 in diapers. So, basically, $200 in a month on formula & diapers. I've heard newborns can go through up to 3 cans a week of formula. Most formulas are about $20/can.
I have a friend who has been working full-time since her baby was 6 weeks. Her baby (and this is her 2nd & she did this also with #1) is almost 11 months and is STILL nursing & pumping. I am so proud of her. She's worked out a great agreement with her supervisor so she can pump.
I tell ya....beside the very obvious benefits of nursing & cloth diapering...you will see a very significant savings.
But, good, healthy & happy babies who are raised on Pampers & Similac are nonetheless loved by their parents, either
Buy bigger sizes...do not bother with 3 months...get 6 months in snuggles and so on.
...
this made me think of another thing. Don't buy too much of any size. Three of my 4 babies were tiny and my youngest (now 18 mos and in size 12 -18 mos) has worn out all clothes sized 12 mos and under. My oldest was in 18 mos size by 9 mos and his clothing sized 12 mos and under was in good condition after he was too big for it.
Oh, and Gerber sleep and play clothes are sized really really small.
Oh - one more thing...when perusing Target or Walmart, I look for garments I can modify to make more fashionable...
I love looking through BabyStyle and Garnet Hill kids, but some of those prices are unrealistic. Really. So instead of paying $30., $40. for a pair of 4T cotton jersey cropped raw-hem pants, I'll pick up the $3.00 Wally Garanimal deals and cut the hems myself...find a good wide leg, measure your desired inseam and SNIP... Wash and let the hem roll.
Ditto little T-shirts. Works on jersey (smooth knit) or fleece but not so well on ribbed fabrics.
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Thank you again. If you think of anything else that would be useful for first time parents or others...Thank you.
