Author Topic: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn  (Read 48695 times)

jengod

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #50 on: November 05, 2016, 10:59:29 PM »
Quote
I say just spring for the behind-the-ear kind. I'm sure in-ear is more accurate... but nothing is accurate if you can't get the damn thing to take a reading.

Cosign. The in-ear digital thermometers are pricy but we use ours constantly and it is SOOOOOOOOO much easier to monitor a sick kid's temp with the ear method rather than trying to explain "no hold it under your tongue." Fancy ear thermometer was one of the very few baby purchases that were useful into big-kid age.

Another suggestion for expecting moms: You will be bleeding for four to six weeks after the birth, and the first couple of weeks can be very heavy flow. Stock up in advance on pads using coupons or discounts rather than paying full retail in a pinch on the way home from the hospital, etc.

Metric Mouse

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #51 on: November 06, 2016, 01:54:17 AM »
I recommend putting together a baby first aid kit ==> with baby tylenol or whatever your pediatrician recommends, thermometer, etc before baby comes home.

And see if you can get your hands on a chart that has the dosage by weight. Most of the bottles will say "ask your pediatrician" but they're not necessarily available at all hours. Oh and for thermometer, it's worth paying a couple extra bucks (if necessary) to get a quick-read one because sick, cranky babies are not known for quietly accepting it when someone shoves a thermometer up their butt and in my area at least the pediatricians want you to have a rectal temp rather than any other type.

I have a full set of flip-out medication charts that emergency medical personnel use - just plop the kid down and flip it out beside them, gives weight/dosage ranges for all sorts of stuff.  Haven't had to use it, and wouldn't spend money on it, but they're great to have for those times when you're stressed and regular charts become a pain.

brycedoula

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #52 on: November 06, 2016, 11:25:23 AM »
It would have been nice to know more about cosleeping (the bedsharing kind, not just the roomsharing kind) beforehand. It seemed like every source I heard from said "put your baby in a crib, crib crib crib, on her back in a crib, otherwise she'll die, everybody puts their baby on their back in a crib or they're a monster!"

If anyone's interested, the book Sleeping with your Baby: A Parent's Guide to Cosleeping by James McKenna was very helpful to us.

Also Sweet Sleep: Nighttime and Naptime Strategies for the Breastfeding Family (https://www.amazon.ca/Sweet-Sleep-Nighttime-Strategies-Breastfeeding/dp/0345518470/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478456410&sr=8-1&keywords=Sweet+sleep) is a good read if you are even considering breastfeeding & bed-sharing.

Many mothers/parents don't intend to bed-share, but then a fussy baby & parental exhaustion happen & suddenly you're "accidentally" bed-sharing. Unintended sleep with a baby on a couch, recliner, water bed, etc is definitely more dangerous than having a plan & preparing a safe sleep surface.

Kyle Schuant

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #53 on: November 06, 2016, 05:51:02 PM »
Honestly all you will need to buy is,

1. nappies - go disposable, if you're waking 4 times a night and recovering from childbirth the last thing you want to do is turn your house into a chinese laundry
2. wet wipes - for their poo and pee, but also later on, snot. Once the kid is at childcare or kinder, they will have colds almost continuously, I'm sure I've wiped up a larger volume of snot than poo.
3. Along with this will go some nappy cream - the poo/pee sitting on their bums more than momentarily will tend to produce rashes, sometimes the skin opens and bleeds, too. Once they're teething they get more bum rashes, too, and also when you start giving them solids, since they don't digest it that well just yet.
4. cot
5. after the first few weeks of swaddling they start wriggling out, so you get little sleeping bags - works like a swaddle but they can't wriggle out
6. breast pump & packets/bottles for storing, and/or formula if you want or need that
7. a few suits

They grow through clothing literally weekly in the first 6 weeks, and as this is your first child you will find everyone and their dog gives you stuff. Your friends and relatives will give you new baby clothes, and your friends with children will give you second-hand stuff from their kids. So you don't need as much as you think.

For a pram, it depends whether you're walking or driving. We got a larger pram second-hand, it has a little undercarriage so we can walk them to the shops and do a small amount of shopping. But if you're driving everywhere you just need a small cheap pram to whack in the boot of the car - most of the smaller and cheaper ones are for sitting up only, depends on the kid but most can sit up supported by several weeks. In fact you can often do without the small pram if driving, you just take the child straight to the shopping trolley and put them in there. But if you're going for a coffee or not to a supermarket then you might want the small pram.

Along with the pram you'll need a small bag. In this you put - nappy, wet wipes, spare suit, and milk bottle if you're expressing or using formula.

But really you'll be amazed at how much junk people give you.

midwifemustache

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #54 on: November 07, 2016, 11:10:19 PM »
On breastfeeding.
Chances are that you will be able to breastfeed exclusively if you do your homework and are committed, but you should know that the inability to exclusively breastfeed is actually surprisingly.  Note how I didn’t say the inability to breastfeed at all is common, just that the inability to exclusively breastfeed is. Most breastfeeding resources (including medical staff) paint an extremely biased and rosy picture of breastfeeding in order to encourage mothers to give it their best shot. No clinician wants to “give a mom a reason” to quit breastfeeding or decide it’s not for her, so the default is to act as though almost everyone can and downplay the reality of legitimate breastfeeding challenges that are not necessarily modifiable. You might hear bogus stats like “only 5% of moms can’t breastfeed!” as a way of reassuring women that they will be able to exclusively breastfeed. These stats are thrown around but only include those women who literally CANT breastfeed at all due to insufficient glandular tissue or other diagnosed physiologic problems. They do not include the countless numbers of extremely committed, well educated women who for unknown reasons did not have enough milk to fully keep an infant fed and thriving, or had an infant that could not effectively transfer milk and was never able to nurse despite repeat intervention and consultation. First time moms need to be aware that they are at particular risk of having milk supply problems, something none of my breastfeeding resources ever taught me.
My number one piece of advice when talking about breastfeeding would be to never, ever assume that exclusive breastfeeding is automatically a personal choice, and as a result, always have a back up plan just in case. Be flexible. Never assume you won't need formula at all. Doing so is kind of like assuming you never will need a csection - optimistic but unrealistic.
I highly recommend FedisBest.org if you want a sane, supportive place to learn all about breastfeeding safely, and how to best prepare yourself for a breastfeeding journey in a realistic and evidence based manner. They have a bunch of great resources, including an entire feeding plan you can bring to the hospital to ensure that you are making enough milk and breastfeeding successfully before discharge. Seriously if I had known about this website before I had my daughter, I don’t think she would have been rehospitalized for feeding problems and my breastfeeding may have lasted longer than it did.

This is very interesting. I noticed the breast-feeding mantra is strong in the medical community that we interacted with. While the support was great, breastfeeding didn't work for us, and the pressure of the expectations was actually kinda draining for a bit.

Yes, I was shocked at how little objective and up-to-date education is provided to women on breastfeeding, even by hospitals and OBs/midwives. It's more propaganda than objective information - tons of info on benefits and how-to do it, but suspiciously little on risks/downsides. I mean really, no one EVER talks about risks with breastfeeding but infants like mine are living proof that they exist, regardless of how educated and committed a parent may be. And it turns out, all those risks (starvation related complications, excessive weight loss in infants, insufficient milk or delayed milk onset post birth, etc) are well documented in the medical and breastfeeding peer-reviewed literature but you need to know what to look for (ex: know about the problems to begin with) to even have a chance of finding anything. Absolutely no one seems to be willingly offering up this information to parents, despite the real need for it, and instead it remains almost completely hidden as if on purpose.

If there are any new parents to-be reading this, here is an easy litmus test to figure out if a newborn is receiving enough nutrition from the breast (great for anxious parents at home after discharge who can’t see a professional within a few hours): nurse baby until baby seems done/sleepy/pops off, then right after offer a bottle or syringe of a ½ oz pumped milk or ready-to-feed formula. If baby chugs it back and finishes it all, there is a really good chance baby is not eating to fullness/receiving enough at the breast yet. Offer an extra ½ ounce if needed. You can keep up with this nurse and top up system until baby refuses to take the extra food, or until you get professional help at your next appointment. This is basically a nurse on demand practice with a safe guard built in. If baby is truly not nursing effectively for whatever reason, the top ups will keep them hydrated and safe until you can get some help without compromising your breastfeeding. This is what we were taught to do in the hospital after my daughter was hospitalized for starvation related problems due to our inability to breastfeed sufficiently. I so wish someone had told me this BEFORE she deteriorated.

On a financial note - it is FAR more cost effective to prevent infant deterioration in the first place than wait for a baby to lose too much weight or get too dehydrated before you intervene. Formula supplementation for a couple days will set you back maybe 10 bucks and has been shown to actually improve your chances of successfully breastfeeding into the future, while blindly avoiding bottles and formula in an effort to preserve breastfeeding can land you with hundreds of dollars in medical bills, a sick baby, and a much more difficult time trying to get the baby back on the boob. Basically, when in doubt at all (especially when you are at home and not in the immediate care of a hospital), feed the baby an assured amount of nutrition first (ex: pumped milk or formula) and THEN worry about breastfeeding the so called "right" way. I learned this lesson the hard way, as have many other parents.

I am a midwife and lactation consultant. This information is not accurate. Please find a qualified healthcare provider to discuss breastfeeding with. Most women would be benefited by taking a class about breastfeeding.

havregryn

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #55 on: November 08, 2016, 12:55:50 AM »
This kind of attitude is exactly what people are talking about. She is sharing HER experience and yet you know it is not accurate because it dares to go against the holy breastfeeding mantra. There is really only one sentence that needs to be said when discussing breastfeeding and that is "Breastfeeding is best for your baby so try hard but if you feel it's not working, be happy you live in the western world in the 21st century where you have safe other options". Everything else comes down to a cult like obsession with breastfeeding which nowadays bullies more mothers away from breastfeeding than gets them into it, because all the crazy hippie all-things-natural types would have breastfed anyway. That site someone shared, fed is best, is the only sane view on this. Not to mention that all the breastfeeding hippies would do a lot more good being this aggressive about breastfeeding in areas where formula feeding actually can be quite dangerous due to limited access to sanitary water and just accepting that the civilisation has actually managed to make this easier for women should they need it or prefer it that way.
There it could save lives. In the western world it's just bullying young mothers.

little_brown_dog

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #56 on: November 08, 2016, 10:45:39 AM »
I am a midwife and lactation consultant. This information is not accurate. Please find a qualified healthcare provider to discuss breastfeeding with. Most women would be benefited by taking a class about breastfeeding.

I don't want to derail the thread anymore, so I posted a new topic in this section of the forum. I'd love for you to elaborate on the inaccuracy of my advice there, as I really try to only use reputable, peer reviewed and up to date stats, recommendations, and policy positions in the field to inform my opinions on this subject.

cats

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #57 on: November 08, 2016, 03:03:05 PM »
Not to dismiss the folks who have had challenges with breastfeeding, but it can also be a relatively easy and straightforward process, though it will still be REALLY time consuming for a while. If you are going back to work, pumping is a PITA, in my experience a good pump can make a huge difference.  I started off with an Ameda Purely Yours which was not that great, then switched to a Medela Pump in Style and the difference was unbelievable. If you don't have a comfortable chair to sit on at home, I'd also recommend looking for one.  We initially did not have a "nursing" chair, then happened to get a nice rocker for free...the rocker is SO much more comfortable, especially as the baby has gotten bigger.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned for saving money is to prep food (for yourselves) in advance.  We stocked our freezer and also dehydrated a bunch of simple bean-based meals.  We already owned a dehydrator, so it was very cheap for us to do this.  Our baby is now 8 months and the dehydrated meals have been a lifesaver in minimizing takeout or convenience foods, which many of my friends with babies have reported relying on for at least one dinner each week, sometimes more like 2-3.  In addition to the dehydrated food, we did a big Costco run of things like nuts and rolled oats--cheap and easy shelf stable snacks.  We found this approach to be good for both our wallet and our health.

Aside from that, we've also found cloth diapers & wipes to be a cost savings (have spent about $175 on supplies, laundry is about $5/month), and have gotten most of our clothing at swaps or as hand-me-downs.  We also got our crib and stroller for free via a local parents network.  Our stroller is not the fanciest but we mostly use a carrier so it's totally adequate for our needs. 

RelaxedGal

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #58 on: November 09, 2016, 08:21:04 AM »
One thing I haven't seen mentioned for saving money is to prep food (for yourselves) in advance.  We stocked our freezer and also dehydrated a bunch of simple bean-based meals.  We already owned a dehydrator, so it was very cheap for us to do this.  Our baby is now 8 months and the dehydrated meals have been a lifesaver in minimizing takeout or convenience foods, which many of my friends with babies have reported relying on for at least one dinner each week, sometimes more like 2-3.  In addition to the dehydrated food, we did a big Costco run of things like nuts and rolled oats--cheap and easy shelf stable snacks.  We found this approach to be good for both our wallet and our health.

Yes!  This!  Easy to make meals are important.  Our friends gave us a 2 pound container of mixed nuts which lived in the living room next to our big comfy chair.  Hungry while I have a sleeping baby in my lap?  No problem?  Hungry while I walk around to sooth a crying baby?  No problem!  Food that's easy to access one handed and silently, that got me through the days when my husband was back at work and I was still home on maternity leave.  With 2 adults around, food that's easy to prep while horrifically sleep deprived and have some flexibility on when to eat is a great idea.  I didn't do this, but I think pre-making some frozen slowcooker meals would be wonderful (e.g. http://helloglow.co/slow-cooker-freezer-meals/).

moof

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #59 on: November 09, 2016, 10:47:58 AM »
I'll second (or tenth) that kiddos have very few actual needs, and that most of the baby industry is a racket.  Most of the toys that our kid received ended up getting very little use before he outgrew them.  Our relatives spoiled him even long after we switched to only buying him clothes and books for birthdays and xmas.

Toys that had sticking power:
1)  Books.  We read to our kid a lot, and have done so since he was brand new.  It is a good habit to get into.  Studies have shown a kid only needs about a dozen books to maximize the benefit, but as parents we need more variety than that to not go insane.

2)  Cardboard boxes.  Make a "drive in movie" car, let them beat on it with an old pot, let them play inside one, etc.  Cardboard boxes are awesome toys.

3)  Wood blocks.  We were given a big bag and he has got more gifted.  Build towers, houses, castles, etc.  Those have gone strong for a long time.

Most of the "tactile" toys, and other stuff is garbage.  Plenty of things around the house are safe for your kids even though they are not actual kid toys.  the best toy is you.  Kids need lots of human interaction, and while playing solo for 5 minutes w8ith a toy is great, they usually won't get bored with you for at least an hour or two if you can spare it.

dreamer8887

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #60 on: November 09, 2016, 11:28:12 AM »
I had a baby in July. In addition to the advice in this thread, there are numerous other existing threads that will also be useful.

My biggest advice: be aware of your rights. Under Obamacare [until it is repealed...welp], lactation support is considered preventive [caveat: you may not be entitled if you have a grandfathered plan whatever that means].

This means that if your pediatric practice has a lactation consultant or L/C-type person [mine was a CPN who while not a certified L/C was just as good in my experience - I had persistent pain for 3 + months and saw 5 different L/C and she was the one I kept going back to] then make sure they put YOU down as the patient and code it as breastfeeding support. If they do, it should be covered 100%.

I say should be, because I've had an awful time trying to get them to code my visits correctly. In the end it didn't matter as long as they put me down as the patient and not my baby, as I had met my max OOP for the year.

Second piece of advice: consider a convertible car seat rather than the click-in capsule. There are threads on this as well. They grow out of those capsules fairly quickly and I love the ease of just leaving the whole car seat in the car. People will vehemently disagree with me on this and that's OK. For us, convertible saves money and is more convenient [for variety of reasons including being on third-floor walk-up]. Consider trying the convertible - if you don't like it, no harm done, as you can use it later when they outgrow the capsule.

[We got the Combi Coccoro - fairly discounted on Jet.com - perfect for a small car with tall parents who need leg room.]

Third piece of advice: when baby arrives, if you are struggling, and you think of something that might help, don't feel guilty if you decide to just spend the money. I had grand plans to have baby in crib right from get-go. But she struggled to sleep there, understandably (google Fourth Trimester). First two nights we got about 3 hours sleep total. On day 3 at home, pediatrician recommended the Rock n Play. Might there have been other ways to get her sleeping, more economically? Absolutely - could have looked for a used one on Craigslist, could have toughed it out with the crib and trained her, etc. But for our mental/emotional health, heading straight to Target and dropping that $80 or so on the Rock n Play was the right decision for us. We felt grateful to be able to afford it and it saved our sleep.

BuffaloStache

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #61 on: November 09, 2016, 09:36:33 PM »
...the best toy is you.  Kids need lots of human interaction, and while playing solo for 5 minutes with a toy is great, they usually won't get bored with you for at least an hour or two if you can spare it.

This. People at work always look at me like I'm crazy when I explain to them that I plan on taking the full 12 weeks of FMLA-leave (and staggering with my wife and our parents so that we have at least 32 weeks with our newborn before the kid has to go to daycare), but I can't imagine not taking as much time as possible with the newborn.

MBot

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #62 on: November 10, 2016, 08:27:54 AM »
Ask your healthcare provider for samples.

Your midwife and especially pediatrician/family doctor probably has a ton they get from the companies (it's beneficial to the manufacturers to get you hooked on "their" stuff)

 I got a zillion little tins of diaper cream, lanolin, absorbent breast pads, aveeno baby wash, lotion, a ton of Tempra, a snotsucker and more.

Easye418

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #63 on: November 10, 2016, 10:17:53 AM »
Following.... July due :)

Metric Mouse

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #64 on: November 10, 2016, 11:51:16 PM »
...the best toy is you.  Kids need lots of human interaction, and while playing solo for 5 minutes with a toy is great, they usually won't get bored with you for at least an hour or two if you can spare it.

This. People at work always look at me like I'm crazy when I explain to them that I plan on taking the full 12 weeks of FMLA-leave (and staggering with my wife and our parents so that we have at least 32 weeks with our newborn before the kid has to go to daycare), but I can't imagine not taking as much time as possible with the newborn.

Give it a few weeks. Sleep deprivation and house arrest can make choices one never considered previously suddenly much more attractive. :D

ChiefMomOfficer

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #65 on: November 11, 2016, 02:46:49 AM »
I have three kids (now 13, 9, and 1 1/2) and these are the tips I've found most helpful:

-Cloth Diapers: Did this with the oldest but not the other two. It does save money but it takes a lot of time. I will say those old cloth diapers make the best rags too! There are so many cute options in cloth diapers today too. OR

-Diaper Deals: There are a lot of coupon/deal websites where you can find great prices on diapers to stock up. I've gotten big packs at Costco/BJ's, and some great deals at Target. At Target diapers will often go on sale with high value coupons and gift cards you get back. I stocked up at Target about three months ago for about $75 and still haven't run out.

-Nursing: I nursed and pumped for six months each with the oldest two and over a year with my youngest. I didn't find pumping stressful, and I did it three times per day. Heck I once traveled to San Diego for a week for a work conference and pumped the entire time. Nowadays you get a free pump with your insurance, which is awesome

-Used Clothes and shoes: Babies will often outgrow outfits before they can even wear them, or having only worn them a few times. You can find brand-new or almost new clothes at a fraction of the cost. I go to consignment shops and tag sales to get these

-Used toys and baby gear (except carseats): Similar to the clothes, many times parents get baby gear that the child outgrows so quickly that buying at a consignment shop or tag sale is a great option. Things like baby bouncers, exersaucers, baby swings, baby carriers-they'll be outgrown in months. Babies and toddlers also don't care about toys. Asking around to other folks who had babies/toddlers recently is another great way to score some deals. Heck they even usually will outgrow cribs and toddler beds before they're damaged.

-Convertible crib: For my youngest we got a crib from BJ's that converts into a toddler bed and then into an actual bed. This saves us from having to buy three separate pieces of furniture as they grow.

-Formula samples: With my oldest two they did switch to formula at six months old (my supply crashed-the pump I had back then was not the best). You can get free samples and high-value coupons from all the formula companies. They want you to switch to formula because they know once you do you can't (practically) go back to nursing. With my youngest I got all the samples but he nursed the whole time, so I was able to donate them to a local charity organization

-Carseats: I agree with Dreamer8887 that the convertible seat is the most economical. The click-in carseat can be more convenient for when the baby falls asleep in the car and you don't want to wake them up, or if you have a stroller where that seat snaps in. For my oldest two they used the convertible and they were able to use it for many years until they switched to a booster seat. Decide which one works best for you

-Ask for practical gifts: People love to buy babies adorable newborn clothes (that they outgrow in a matter of months if not sooner), blankets (I counted something like 30 blankets for my oldest!), useless baby gear (baby washing seat for the tub?), and cute toys (that they don't play with). Ask for things like a thermometer, diapers (newborn and older size), 6/12/18 month onesies/socks/clothes, chipping in for a carseat, and other must-haves.

-Not strictly necessary things I liked: There are some "optional" things that you may or may not want to consider. I did like the all-in-one baby shampoo/wash but one bottle of the stuff lasted me a year. Strollers and baby carriers are optional, and you can often get them used. You can just carry the baby if you want to-they're very light at first. I actually liked the rectal thermometer over the ear because the ear one was often inaccurate.

-Don't buy a lot of things: There are so many things that people will try to sell you as "necessary" that aren't. Don't read lists of "things you need for a baby" because most of them are either useless or trying to sell you stuff. What you really need when the baby comes home is a carseat, a place for them to sleep, clothes, some kind of diapers, and food for them to eat (either nursing or formula). Everything else is optional. You don't need special baby detergent-if your baby has sensitive skin just buy regular dye/scent free detergent. Infant tylenol should be purchased when you need it because it will expire eventually. You can use a regular comb on their hair, and regular nail clippers on their fingers and toes. You can use an ordinary towel or washcloth on them. They don't need pacifiers (all my kids hated them) As someone said above companies love to put "baby" on their products and sell it at a high markup so don't fall prey to that. You can always buy something later if you find you need it.

MrsPete

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #66 on: November 11, 2016, 06:13:03 PM »
- breastfeeding is hard - pumping is worse
I'd say LEARNING to breastfeed is hard, but once the habit is established, it's easier than bottles.  Nothing to buy, nothing to mix, nothing to keep cool /warm up, nothing to transport, nothing to wash. 

Pumping though, that was indeed "worse".  All the negatives of bottlefeeding -- washing bottles, keeping things cool -- plus time at work.  It's the worst of both worlds, and it's difficult to maintain momentum.

I don't understand how there's no service out there for this already... they have subscriptions for maternity clothes, friggin high end purses but nothing in regards to a market where u can recycle (after thoroughly santizing of course) baby clothes, toys, etc.?!
Consignment stores, eBay, and Craigslist are all avenues for recycling gently used baby items.

If you have Amazon prime and sign up for Amazon mom, you get 20% off diaper subscriptions. Not sure about store-brand diapers, but for Pampers, this was the cheapest option I found.
When my kids were babies, a woman in our neighborhood sold second-quality diapers (no, I don't know her source).  She sold them by the case only on Fridays, and you never knew what brand you'd get, but the print would be off-centered or the edges'd be finished poorly.  In every case a few were missing tapes; I always saved those for nighttime and closed them up with duct tape -- it was perfectly safe when the baby was wearing a sleeper and couldn't reach the diaper or the tape.  These cases were about 60% the cost of store brand diapers. 

One thing I haven't seen mentioned for saving money is to prep food (for yourselves) in advance.
Excellent advice.  You're going to be exhausted in those first weeks, so a freezer full of casseroles is a Godsend. 
« Last Edit: November 11, 2016, 06:16:50 PM by MrsPete »

MBot

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #67 on: November 11, 2016, 06:56:56 PM »
I would also say... don't say "no" to anything, even if you think "I"ll never use that."

You can always give away the extra blanket, pacifier, white noise machine, or swing if you don't need it.

You don't want to be running out and paying full price in desperation for the item because your kid does, in fact, function a lot better with it.

Bakari

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #68 on: November 11, 2016, 08:36:23 PM »
  • Car seat system.  Having an easy way to click the kid into the car and get it out is awesome.  (optional, but nice: a stroller that the car seat clicks into)

This pediatric Occupational Therapist strongly advises against using a car seat anytime or place other than when driving in a car.
http://www.candokiddo.com/news/stroller-buying-guide
http://www.candokiddo.com/news/stroller-habits
Her facts and reasoning seem credible.
Which converges nicely with the goal of not spending more than necessary, as those systems tend to both be more expensive and get outgrown faster than the types that are healthier for a growing baby

LadyMuMu

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #69 on: November 12, 2016, 12:02:45 PM »
Some good advice. Here's my experience.

-breastfeeding (when possible and doable) is super easy and cheap once you get started. It does, however, require more effort from the mother whether feeding, pumping, etc than the father. Formula or pumping helps equalize the midnight feedings but are more expensive. I breastfed and then went straight into baby-led weaning. No baby cereals or jarred foods.

-babywearing reduces the need for strollers most of the time and leaves you with two hands free. No need to buy an expensive wrap or contraption. I bought a few yards of gauze from Joann Fabric and sliced it down the middle. Instantly had two baby wraps.

-I liked having a bouncy seat to put baby down in. Not a necessity but you can get these super cheap on resale.

-cloth diapers are great if you don't get into fetishizing baby stuff. Pockets like Fuzzibuns are nice but prefolds plus covers get the job done too. In my cost analysis 7-8 years ago, using them for 2+ kids made the most economic sense. For wipes I bought a yard of flannel and cut it up. No hemming even.

-clothes, really just need a few items. People will give you stuff.

-blankets, pacis, etc. At the hospital, they encouraged us to take everything home with us including blankets, nose bulbs, etc.

-medicine cabinet, make sure you have a thermometer and basic pain/fever meds. You'll appreciate having these in the middle of the night.

Christof

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #70 on: November 12, 2016, 04:11:54 PM »
Newborns are pretty inexpensive. We actually saved more money in things we couldn't do anymore than we spend on our son. ;)

The most important thing is to find your way and stop listening to others what they think you should be doing, feeling, saying, whatever. There's not only a whole industry out there that tries to convince you of products and services you must buy, it's also a highly emotional topic even (especially?) with people who do not have kids of their own.

We bought most things used. Kids grow out of not only clothing, but also furniture, toys, etc. so quickly. These things are either completely destroyed or hardly used. There is not in between. Kids do also not need a lot. Our son was as happy to play with toys he got as a present for the family (an unlimited source of stuff flooding your home) as he was with packages, bowls, spoons, empty plastic bottles, etc. He is approaching four now, and he hasn't yet discovered the concept of brands and the "need" of owning what other kids in daycare have. I'm sure that change some day.

The other important skill as a parent is to read and think (harder to do when the newborn is there so make good use of any time before that). There are so many things that seem to make sense initially, but not after some thinking, like most special food for kids (there's baby drinking water) or most of the utilities you can buy. Start by having a need and looking for a solution, instead of buying a solution for a problem you haven't experienced.

There are few things that are really dangerous to a newborn, and those should be pretty obvious: Shaking a baby, feeding vodka instead of milk, dropping it on the floor... Most other things are bothersome, suboptimal, but hardly permanently damaging including feeding (wrong food, breast feeding, not breast feeding), clothes (too warm, too cold), handling (letting cry, waking up, cloth diapers, sleeping on the back, etc.). On most things you can take your time to form your own opinion.

dreamer8887

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #71 on: November 14, 2016, 03:23:32 PM »
  • Car seat system.  Having an easy way to click the kid into the car and get it out is awesome.  (optional, but nice: a stroller that the car seat clicks into)

This pediatric Occupational Therapist strongly advises against using a car seat anytime or place other than when driving in a car.
http://www.candokiddo.com/news/stroller-buying-guide
http://www.candokiddo.com/news/stroller-habits
Her facts and reasoning seem credible.
Which converges nicely with the goal of not spending more than necessary, as those systems tend to both be more expensive and get outgrown faster than the types that are healthier for a growing baby

This was a major factor behind getting the Combi Coccoro (all-in-one, stays in the car), that I mentioned in my earlier post. And baby is so used to being put in/taken out of car that she usually stays asleep and can be transferred to her cot when we get home.

Only trouble is she's getting verrrrry heavy now (17 lbs at 3.5 months, she's a whopper) so I need to start using a sling to get her up/down the stairs. My friend sent me a Lenny Lamb ring sling that she found secondhand in England. We also got a Lillebaby (like Ergo but better back support IMO) as a gift and love that too.

We held off on getting a pram until 3 months. Newborns are so easy to carry in a sling. Yet another reason not to get a capsule system IMO.

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #72 on: November 15, 2016, 03:10:00 PM »
I wish I had gone to our local babywearing group and tried out some carriers, rather than all online research. The Ergo was great for a long time and may be all you ever need, but around 20 lbs the Lillebaby lumbar support has made all the difference. I tend to wear for hours upon hours though.

Great post on how to select fabric for a DIY wrap
http://manicpixiedreammama.com/baby-origami-diy-style-the-fabric-store/

The "Babywearing on a budget" Facebook group often has Ergos for $40 or so and everything is below $100. Plus you can sometimes resell for close to what you paid.

Another link for a DIY Moby wrap for $6-$10 for when they are very tiny, but you can often get those used for cheap too
www.rookiemoms.com/how-to-make-a-moby-wrap/



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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #73 on: November 16, 2016, 05:20:05 AM »
  • Car seat system.  Having an easy way to click the kid into the car and get it out is awesome.  (optional, but nice: a stroller that the car seat clicks into)

This pediatric Occupational Therapist strongly advises against using a car seat anytime or place other than when driving in a car.
http://www.candokiddo.com/news/stroller-buying-guide
http://www.candokiddo.com/news/stroller-habits
Her facts and reasoning seem credible.
Which converges nicely with the goal of not spending more than necessary, as those systems tend to both be more expensive and get outgrown faster than the types that are healthier for a growing baby

Those click-in car seat systems are a scam. We just had a simple (free from hospital) bucket-style carseat that attached by pulling the seatbelt over the top (into open-end slots to prevent shifting) - after a bit of practice it took less than 5 seconds, you don't have to lift the carseat as high (to clear the base) - you don't have to position it right on the first try (easy to put it down immediately in the back seat, then slide to the center) - and you don't have a big chunk of plastic crap cluttering up the back seat all the time.

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #74 on: November 16, 2016, 05:40:41 AM »
Where are these free hospital car seats? The best my hospital did was have a certified car seat inspector (who was also a lactation consultant in training) who does regular classes and went with my husband to look at the seat in our car before we left with the baby so she could triple check that it was installed right.

Austin, TX. No idea if it's widespread. After we had toured their L&D, they sent a postcard noting they offered 'em.

Interestingly, the install approach was the opposite of yours: Here's a carseat, good luck! No check that it was installed correctly.

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #75 on: November 16, 2016, 09:52:17 AM »
Where are these free hospital car seats? The best my hospital did was have a certified car seat inspector (who was also a lactation consultant in training) who does regular classes and went with my husband to look at the seat in our car before we left with the baby so she could triple check that it was installed right.


I had the same question, but when I looked it up, what I discovered instead was a "rule" that many hospitals have that they will not a//ow you to leave with the baby without a car seat.  Even if you don't own a car. 
If you live walking distance to the hospital or planned on taking transit, might want to make sure the hospital staff understands the need for an exception well in advance.

Apparently our local hospital just gives out diaper bags and blankets, no free car seats.  Although does make you wonder what they do if you do have a car and no car seat?  They must have an emergency stash somewhere, that they don't advertise, right?

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #76 on: November 16, 2016, 11:07:12 AM »
  • Car seat system.  Having an easy way to click the kid into the car and get it out is awesome.  (optional, but nice: a stroller that the car seat clicks into)

This pediatric Occupational Therapist strongly advises against using a car seat anytime or place other than when driving in a car.
http://www.candokiddo.com/news/stroller-buying-guide
http://www.candokiddo.com/news/stroller-habits
Her facts and reasoning seem credible.
Which converges nicely with the goal of not spending more than necessary, as those systems tend to both be more expensive and get outgrown faster than the types that are healthier for a growing baby

Those click-in car seat systems are a scam. We just had a simple (free from hospital) bucket-style carseat that attached by pulling the seatbelt over the top (into open-end slots to prevent shifting) - after a bit of practice it took less than 5 seconds, you don't have to lift the carseat as high (to clear the base) - you don't have to position it right on the first try (easy to put it down immediately in the back seat, then slide to the center) - and you don't have a big chunk of plastic crap cluttering up the back seat all the time.

On the other hand, car seats and cars that use the LATCH system are wickedly awesome compared to just using the seat belt, which I found exceptionally hard to secure tightly and the darn little belt "locking clip" always left too (2"?) much give unless I got "physical" with it during the install. 

FYI -- our fire department does child safety seat checks for new parents... 

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #77 on: November 16, 2016, 12:30:03 PM »
On the other hand, car seats and cars that use the LATCH system are wickedly awesome compared to just using the seat belt, which I found exceptionally hard to secure tightly and the darn little belt "locking clip" always left too (2"?) much give unless I got "physical" with it during the install. 

This really depends on the car seat. We had one of the click-in systems for our son when he was a newborn, and installing it with the seatbelt was pretty easy. Getting it as tight with the LATCH hookups was harder than the seatbelt with that one. We upgraded to a bigger car seat and it's designed a bit differently, where the LATCH system is much easier to get installed tightly than using a seat belt.

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #78 on: November 16, 2016, 12:34:23 PM »
Where are these free hospital car seats? The best my hospital did was have a certified car seat inspector (who was also a lactation consultant in training) who does regular classes and went with my husband to look at the seat in our car before we left with the baby so she could triple check that it was installed right.

Austin, TX. No idea if it's widespread. After we had toured their L&D, they sent a postcard noting they offered 'em.

Interestingly, the install approach was the opposite of yours: Here's a carseat, good luck! No check that it was installed correctly.

Normally when leaving with a newborn they just check to be sure you have a car seat, the reason she looked at our car specifically was because we asked her to because we were convinced we had installed it wrong somehow. Luckily the car seat itself was free from a coworker who had gotten it from another coworker. I know and trust both of them when they say it hasn't been in a car accident. The fabric is starting to wear in places but we have it stashed in a closet in case we decide to have a second kid, so that's quite a bit of mileage for one car seat.

Just an FYI - they do expire. Plastic weakens, so after a certain amount of time (5 years for most but a lot are approved for up to 10 years) you should get a new one.

dreamer8887

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #79 on: November 16, 2016, 01:25:36 PM »
Adding to my previous post -  things that people told me I DEFINITELY need that I haven't needed yet (4 months and counting):

- baby nail clippers [I just use regular ones + good overhead lighting]
- bath temperature gauge [I have faith in my + DH's ability to tell if bath water is too hot. I'm sure some people appreciate the gauge - but I tended to think, did my grandmother have this? If not, do I really need it?]
- baby wash cloths [they give them to you at hospital]
- baby hats [ditto - free from hospital - and generally unnecessary when indoors]
- baby towels (just use normal bath towels)
- baby hairbrush (free from hospital)
- nose aspirator (free from hospital)
- diaper wipe warmer [toughen up, baby]
- pacifiers [free from hospital - if your baby likes it/takes to it, you can buy more if needed. Our baby can't keep one in so the few we bought beforehand have gone to waste]
- fancy $50 forehead thermometer - rectal is STILL more accurate! Rectals cost about $5 and are SO easy to use!
- baby socks - ugh, so annoying. Get footed pants.
- baby booties - ditto, get footed pants.
- glider/rocking chair - controversial in the US (apparently, at least in my DH's family - they just wouldn't let it go when we told them we weren't getting one - house too small, seems unnecessary) but IMO and in my experience, a want not a need. (In our case, not even a want - I don't want 'baby furniture' that can't go the distance in an adult space)

Thing I indulged in that isn't a necessity but has been really nice:

- a lambskin for baby to lie on - cool in summer, warm in winter, great for snuggles

firelight

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #80 on: November 27, 2016, 03:52:56 PM »
We did cloth diapers and cloth wipes for baby#1 and it's still going strong after 2+ years of use. We use pockets since that was what her daycare said will use for cloth and I've found it very easy to use.

We also use disposables (1 box over 2-3 months) for night time and going-out occasions. Cloth diapering is not an all or nothing deal - you can mix and match based on your requirements.

We breastfed and used bottles since I was pumping and that worked out great for us. We bought all clothes new and on sale - with the kid needing so few clothes, i didn't feel the need to skimp on it and save maybe $50 in total.

Same with car seats. We have the graco bucket seat and snap n go stroller which was awesome for the first year. We then splurged on a graco forever and plan on letting our kid rear face till 4, which is important to us. Well worth the $250 bucks we paid considering we use it every.single.day.

Also have a baby jogger stroller which is light weight, let's the kid face front and back, let's the kid sleep flat if needed and worked with our bucket seat in a pinch - brought it for $100 and am pretty sure I can sell for same when we are done. Makes going out with kid very easy and not a chore.

We have a rocker which is one of the best things we got for ourselves. Saves your back when you are trying to rock a baby night after night. Also it's great even now for snuggling for a reading session. YMMV.

All the remaining ones that we were gifted, like toys, blankets, etc, were good while they lasted but nothing was a need.

We also did baby led weaning and let our kid try everything she wanted to from our plates. As a result, she ate adult food (mashed with hand in case of carrots, etc) and got her teeth earlier (not sure if these are related but most of her teeth were almost all out before she was 1) and eats everything now. Cut down on cooking and making special food for her.

+1 for having easy to cook meals. If you can, try having some friends or family to take care of the house logistics for the first few weeks so you can stop stressing about it.

We cosleep since my kid hates cribs - the crib is the only useless purchase we did (esp considering how everyone swears by it). But I guess we needed it to give it a shot and know it won't work.

My suggestion would be to not skimp on the ones you use daily like the car seat, stroller etc and figure out the rest I once the baby is here.

Expecting baby#2 soon and I'm sure we'll just do the same for baby#2. Will skip on the crib though :)

Juneboogie

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #81 on: December 19, 2016, 06:10:17 PM »
Wow, great advice everyone! Thanks! Keep it coming. I didn't find similar advice online with my Google searches. U guys rock. Hmm idk but I never thought about used clothes since babies just throw up all over them? I'll have to look into it. And yes, the crap they suggest u buy is insane.

I wouldn't say they puke so much all over themselves as much as they puke all over you ;) They usually puke when you burp them after feeding, the most common landing area for my son's puke is my shoulder.
More issues with clothes we have when there are poop leakages, but those you wouldn't try to sell to someone later,  you throw them away.

But even if you buy all new you can still get it cheap. I actually had first two sizes all new for the second boy as I didn't get around to buying anything before he was born so once he was had to opt for an option with delivery home and the stuff from his brother is still locked away in a storage 1300km away. I am in Europe so selection of stores will probably mean nothing to you, but point is, if you don't follow the mantra "cute and fancy" but rather just look for 100% cotton and functional you can buy baby clothes for peanuts either way.

Every baby is different- after a few days of trying unsuccessfully to burp mine, I gave up and never looked back.  She never spat up or puked. 

Another tip:  after dirty diaper removal and cleanup, use a hair dryer on the low, warm setting to briefly dry baby's bottom before putting on new diaper.  I was able to avoid the mess and expense of diaper creams plus the discomfort of diaper rash for my baby....she never got a diaper rash.  We kept the blow dryer near the diaper change area.

"Super Baby Food" was a helpful intro to making our own baby food, with tons of well researched and annotated nutritional advice. 


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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #82 on: December 19, 2016, 10:03:17 PM »
Another tip:  after dirty diaper removal and cleanup, use a hair dryer on the low, warm setting to briefly dry baby's bottom before putting on new diaper.  I was able to avoid the mess and expense of diaper creams plus the discomfort of diaper rash for my baby....she never got a diaper rash.  We kept the blow dryer near the diaper change area.

"Super Baby Food" was a helpful intro to making our own baby food, with tons of well researched and annotated nutritional advice.

Great tip! Also, how/what were the primary things you made for baby food?

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #83 on: December 26, 2016, 09:17:09 PM »
What is needed clothing wise for a baby born in summer?

We live walking distance to lots of shops so we plan to pick up most of what we need after the baby has arrived and we know what we need/like. We will need some clothing to get us started though and I'm clueless when it comes to size and how warm/cool the clothing needs to be.

It is a dry climate where I live with average daily max around 30°C (86°F) for the month baby is due but can have days up to 40°C (104°F) and much cooler days as well.

I'm also pretty committed to cloth nappies. I'm leaning towards prefolds for the economy as well as dry time as we are in an apartment with very limited line drying options. Opinions more than welcome as I suspect I might be a bit optimistic regarding the effort required.

firelight

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #84 on: December 26, 2016, 10:56:12 PM »
We let the baby live in diapers with just a few clothes for taking them out. Much easier to cool off when there are less clothes on the baby.

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #85 on: December 26, 2016, 11:13:39 PM »
What is needed clothing wise for a baby born in summer?

We live walking distance to lots of shops so we plan to pick up most of what we need after the baby has arrived and we know what we need/like. We will need some clothing to get us started though and I'm clueless when it comes to size and how warm/cool the clothing needs to be.

It is a dry climate where I live with average daily max around 30°C (86°F) for the month baby is due but can have days up to 40°C (104°F) and much cooler days as well.

I'm also pretty committed to cloth nappies. I'm leaning towards prefolds for the economy as well as dry time as we are in an apartment with very limited line drying options. Opinions more than welcome as I suspect I might be a bit optimistic regarding the effort required.

I've been told a good rule is that baby needs one more layer than the mum (or caregiver). So if you are in a t-shirt, then baby needs a singlet and a cotton onesie for example.
Also that the best place to check if they are too warm/cold is to stick a finger down the back of their neck.

I'm due in mid feb when temperatures here will be low 20sC on average. So we have a few merino singlets, and a number of cotton short onesies and seperate pants so we can layer as required.

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #86 on: December 27, 2016, 06:33:05 AM »
What is needed clothing wise for a baby born in summer?

We live walking distance to lots of shops so we plan to pick up most of what we need after the baby has arrived and we know what we need/like. We will need some clothing to get us started though and I'm clueless when it comes to size and how warm/cool the clothing needs to be.

It is a dry climate where I live with average daily max around 30°C (86°F) for the month baby is due but can have days up to 40°C (104°F) and much cooler days as well.

My baby was born in summer (up into the 90's F with lots of humidity) and has always tended to run warm - we kept the a/c running and put him in one onesie and a diaper. Pants or additional clothing were never required. You can bring along one of those baby blankets if you want to, they roll up very small and can be tucked around baby for additional warmth. I think I used them more for cleaning up messes than warmth or for a cover when breastfeeding in public (or attempting to, anyway). Muslin swaddle blankets are totally the way to go in warm climates, we have aden + anais Classic Muslin Swaddle Blanket 4 Pack, B-Jeweled and they're still in great condition.
Absolutely agree--onesies and diapers are plenty.  Extra clothing simply creates more hassle when you have to change the kid's diaper.

MrsDinero

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #87 on: December 27, 2016, 07:35:54 AM »
What is needed clothing wise for a baby born in summer?

We live walking distance to lots of shops so we plan to pick up most of what we need after the baby has arrived and we know what we need/like. We will need some clothing to get us started though and I'm clueless when it comes to size and how warm/cool the clothing needs to be.

It is a dry climate where I live with average daily max around 30°C (86°F) for the month baby is due but can have days up to 40°C (104°F) and much cooler days as well.

My baby was born in summer (up into the 90's F with lots of humidity) and has always tended to run warm - we kept the a/c running and put him in one onesie and a diaper. Pants or additional clothing were never required. You can bring along one of those baby blankets if you want to, they roll up very small and can be tucked around baby for additional warmth. I think I used them more for cleaning up messes than warmth or for a cover when breastfeeding in public (or attempting to, anyway). Muslin swaddle blankets are totally the way to go in warm climates, we have aden + anais Classic Muslin Swaddle Blanket 4 Pack, B-Jeweled and they're still in great condition.
Absolutely agree--onesies and diapers are plenty.  Extra clothing simply creates more hassle when you have to change the kid's diaper.

We keep our little ones in the long sleeve/long pant zipper one pieces until they are walking.  We find they are the easiest for diaper access and they don't bunch as much when lying down.  When they start walking then we will opt for the cuter more complicated (2-3 piece) outfits.

boarder42

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #88 on: December 27, 2016, 08:58:45 AM »
welp we're expecting so i'm glad i followed this earlier.  still adding up the cost of these baby things -- assuming you use slickdeals and craigslist really doesnt seem all that pricey to me.  i think people blow things out of proportion considerably.  minus the daycare i dont see this affecting the old bottom line too much. (really hoping Trump makes all daycare tax exempt)

MichaelB

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #89 on: December 27, 2016, 09:08:23 AM »
Posting to follow--first baby is coming in April.

charis

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #90 on: December 27, 2016, 10:14:05 AM »
welp we're expecting so i'm glad i followed this earlier.  still adding up the cost of these baby things -- assuming you use slickdeals and craigslist really doesnt seem all that pricey to me.  i think people blow things out of proportion considerably.  minus the daycare i dont see this affecting the old bottom line too much. (really hoping Trump makes all daycare tax exempt)

This would be nice - it should at the very least be doubled.  The current max is obtuse.

boarder42

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #91 on: December 27, 2016, 10:19:35 AM »
welp we're expecting so i'm glad i followed this earlier.  still adding up the cost of these baby things -- assuming you use slickdeals and craigslist really doesnt seem all that pricey to me.  i think people blow things out of proportion considerably.  minus the daycare i dont see this affecting the old bottom line too much. (really hoping Trump makes all daycare tax exempt)

This would be nice - it should at the very least be doubled.  The current max is obtuse.

and also hasnt moved in years.

PROPOSAL: The Trump plan will rewrite the tax code to allow working parents to deduct from their income taxes child care expenses for up to four children and elderly dependents. 

as long as you earn under 250k. would be just fantastic.  i estimate our costs at 7800  which would make that plan around a 2500 a year savings at 31% assuming the state follows the fed. or around 800 more than is currently available. 

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #92 on: December 27, 2016, 01:47:25 PM »
Thank you all for your input. We are going to start trying to have a baby in the next couple months here and this information is so helpful. Just looking at different places it seems like there are so many things that a baby "needs" its hard to not want to get everything!

appleblossom

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #93 on: December 27, 2016, 04:06:19 PM »
Thank you all for your input. We are going to start trying to have a baby in the next couple months here and this information is so helpful. Just looking at different places it seems like there are so many things that a baby "needs" its hard to not want to get everything!

You might get everything anyway if you let it be known that you will take unwanted things. We have almost eveything we need, and have spent only about $300 of our own money.
I have had family, friends and workmates load us up with (gently) used things that they no longer need. My cousin is having success getting her 4yr old to part with things by saying that the baby needs them.

Some of the used things we have arent used at all, just surplus or the baby grew out of them. There is so much of that around.
We will use what we need and then pass it on or donate.

We intended to buy the cot and car seat/stroller (came together) as those were important to me to get new from a safety POV, but our parents brought us those anyway.

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #94 on: December 27, 2016, 04:10:40 PM »
Thank you all for your input. We are going to start trying to have a baby in the next couple months here and this information is so helpful. Just looking at different places it seems like there are so many things that a baby "needs" its hard to not want to get everything!

You might get everything anyway if you let it be known that you will take unwanted things. We have almost eveything we need, and have spent only about $300 of our own money.
I have had family, friends and workmates load us up with (gently) used things that they no longer need. My cousin is having success getting her 4yr old to part with things by saying that the baby needs them.

Some of the used things we have arent used at all, just surplus or the baby grew out of them. There is so much of that around.
We will use what we need and then pass it on or donate.

We intended to buy the cot and car seat/stroller (came together) as those were important to me to get new from a safety POV, but our parents brought us those anyway.
How would you bring this up? I thought about a Facebook post but that seems rude, so I'm likely going to have to contact people I know have had kids individually and ask awkwardly in person instead.

cats

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #95 on: December 27, 2016, 04:49:58 PM »
Thank you all for your input. We are going to start trying to have a baby in the next couple months here and this information is so helpful. Just looking at different places it seems like there are so many things that a baby "needs" its hard to not want to get everything!

You might get everything anyway if you let it be known that you will take unwanted things. We have almost eveything we need, and have spent only about $300 of our own money.
I have had family, friends and workmates load us up with (gently) used things that they no longer need. My cousin is having success getting her 4yr old to part with things by saying that the baby needs them.

Some of the used things we have arent used at all, just surplus or the baby grew out of them. There is so much of that around.
We will use what we need and then pass it on or donate.

We intended to buy the cot and car seat/stroller (came together) as those were important to me to get new from a safety POV, but our parents brought us those anyway.
How would you bring this up? I thought about a Facebook post but that seems rude, so I'm likely going to have to contact people I know have had kids individually and ask awkwardly in person instead.

Just announce you are expecting, and if people you know have stuff available, they will be dying to give it to you!

appleblossom

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #96 on: December 27, 2016, 04:56:19 PM »
How would you bring this up? I thought about a Facebook post but that seems rude, so I'm likely going to have to contact people I know have had kids individually and ask awkwardly in person instead.

Most of the people who gave us things have offered when they heard I was pregnant rather than us ask, although some of those offers have come about from me mentioning that someone else had given us X, and then that person has said "If you are looking for things we have Y, would you like it?" to which my answer has always been, "yes thanks". A couple of my workmates said they weren't sure if I would want used things (even the guy who is giving us new things because his baby grew out of them before they could put it in them).

With family it has been a bit different, I told my parents that we would appreciate if they could help us get the cot, because I knew otherwise my mother would spend the same amount on clothes, so it was better to channel that.

I wouldn't think a facebook post was rude, but it's all in the wording.

boarder42

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #97 on: December 28, 2016, 01:55:02 PM »
what about household temperatures.  My wife and i are in a debate right now i see 65-74 which to me means i'm keeping my house at 65 in the winter and 74 in the summer with a newborn but there are sites that say 68-72 which seems absurd to me.  how did babies survive in prehistoric times. 

any thoughts.  i dont want to be frugal to the point of endangering our child but cmon ... basically keeping a house at 70 degrees year round seems dumb.

cats

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #98 on: December 28, 2016, 05:04:29 PM »
what about household temperatures.  My wife and i are in a debate right now i see 65-74 which to me means i'm keeping my house at 65 in the winter and 74 in the summer with a newborn but there are sites that say 68-72 which seems absurd to me.  how did babies survive in prehistoric times. 

any thoughts.  i dont want to be frugal to the point of endangering our child but cmon ... basically keeping a house at 70 degrees year round seems dumb.

Prehistoric babies were probably snuggled next to their parents at night, which would have provided a nice constant source of warmth.  These days, co-sleeping is not recommended (SIDS), and in my personal experience, having your baby in the bed is not always that restful.

All that aside, 65F sounds like a perfectly reasonable minimum temperature to me.  Our apartment does not really have good all-around heating and pre-baby we simply sucked it up and didn't bother with heating, which probably had our indoor nightttime temperatures going down to 60F or so during the colder parts of the year.  This year, we decided that probably was too cold for the baby and so he now gets a space heater in his room at night.  We set it to 60F but it feels warmer to me...I suspect the temperature there is more like 65F.  I do think it has helped a bit with getting him to sleep for a slightly longer period at night, which is a BIG deal to us.  We keep him pretty bundled up at night, but I think he really did need that extra heat (heck, on colder nights I wake up if my husband rolls away from me, so it's hardly fair to expect kiddo to rely on only his body heat+bedding overnight if I can't hack it!) Next winter, he'll be old enough for stuff like blankets and I figure we'll invest in a down comforter that can be used for multiple winters, and put him to bed with a hot water bottle under the sheets.

I have heard warnings about letting babies sleep in rooms that are too hot/stuffy but I imagine if you are already keeping the place at 74 in the summer you could just run a fan near the crib at night to make sure air is circulating.

Bakari

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #99 on: December 29, 2016, 07:03:51 PM »
Who knows what prehistoric people did, but the thermostat is a late 20th century invention.  Almost all people who have ever lived survived without carefully regulated temperatures, even in infancy.  In fact, most people in the world today still do.


We have a natural instinct to err on the side of caution with our offspring, and now that we live lives with essentially no form of danger or disease, we have to invent things to be paranoid about.  Too hot is more dangerous than too cold.
Baby Center UK says 16-20, 60 to 68 in fahrenheit for sleeping.
For all the attention it gets, SIDS affects 0.05% (not half, but half of a tenth of a percent), and that's with average risk factors.
If you don't smoke or drink, they sleep on their back (50% reduction in risk) without extra pillows or blankets around, no preexisting health factors (95% of all cases!), then the risk - even with co-sleeping - is pretty negligible (less than 0.00005%, or one in 2 million).  All other thins being equal, cosleeping increases risk 5 fold - but that means 0.25% instead of 0.05%, with average risk factors)




On a totally separate note, regarding "trying" to have a baby - We're trying not to "try".  I recommend it:
http://www.randomthoughts.fyi/2016/11/make-love-not-babies-reframing-trying.html