Expecting our first baby in April - what we should get prepared?

[Trying2bFrugal]

we living in two near by state and me driving 750 miles an week on average to be with wife, still deciding on the hospital to deliver our baby, and lot of other things going on life

STILL, we are very excited to welcome our baby girl in April.

Now what I/we should get prepared in terms of must have items to buy till must know stuff?

We are on our own with couple of supporting friends.

I know a lot of retailers/online give you option on baby registries, but dont know which one we should get (we right now thinking amazon).
Also how much expense we should look forward on normal vs C? (I have a ppo plan with 1300 deductible, not sure I am reading it right).

Is there any advice for her to get fit in 8/9 th month (she was 240lbs when she got pregnant, thats the time she was trying to shed some weight to become preg, lol).
-----------------------------------------------
Update: 02/13/2019

Wife is taking atleast 8 month break from work, from end of Feb.
So we can negate the mental tensions on the last minute and planned doctor visits in my place until due date.

We got below items as we see good prices when we cruised
1. Car seat: http://www.gracobaby.com/en-US/snugride-click-connect-30-infant-car-seat-103546
             from wally for $35 on clearence
2. Co-sleeper: https://www.amazon.com/SwaddleMe-By-Your-Side-Sleeper/dp/B00YBADM1O
             from FB Marketplace for $8
             we planned to sleep baby next to mama for first year so she can feed her without much struggle. At the same time, we want baby to be in her own safe box. lol.
3. Crib: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Delta-Children-Brookside-4-in-1-Convertible-Crib-White/33669977
            for $79 on clearence
            (we got this, as used one cost about $50 on FB Mktplace. We arent planning to open until we need it. Otherwise will return to wally.)
4. Stroller: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Urbini-Swiftli-Stroller-Electric/44656180
           for $17 from wally. But mostly will need to give it back as it doesnt seem to 'Click' graco. May find one on FB


Wife doesnt like idea of getting second hand cloth. She is okay with all other items except for cloths from strangers (we dont have many friends who had a baby yet. Our big family, is not from USA)

Other items we think we need
1. Pack n Play - mostly from FB
2. Cloth diapers - New
3. Breast pump - PPO Insurance covers for full set, I plan to get one mechanical for travel as out of pocket
4. Bloppy pillow - saw in FB, yet to decide on it.
5. Muslin blankets - checking for new in FB Marketplace, there are few postings on new
6. Disposable Diapers - we plan to use both cloth (day time) and disposable (night time or outside house). There are few people on FB sells NB or size 1 diapers claiming they are unopened pampers/huggies
7. Sleep sack/swaddle - i saw new ones posted for about 5 or 10 bucks. I read that new borns love to be in them for first couple months. What you guys think?
8. Digital thermometer - new
9. Nasal cleaner - new
10. Bottle warmer - for night time ($5 on FB Mktplace), will get when there is a need though
11. Feeding Bottles (glass bottles)
12. Playing mat - FB Marketplace (saw some for $10)
13. Stroller - I am thinking about just getting a light weight, collapsible graco stroller (not full size) as we currently live in an apartment.

There are about 5 or 6 friends who like to buy stuff for us. They will not be happy if i say they don't need to buy anything for our baby. Each would atleast want to spare $50.
I am drawing blank here as in our list, the ones which we need to buy as new wont cost much.

What are other things that we may need in first two years for the baby? What kind of first aid box supplies or outdoor necessities needed (we plan to camp after 5th month).
We plan a long flight trip (20 hour flight) - anything we need on that front? Outside country?

[Captain FIRE]

Congratulations!

The pre-baby time is a bit daunting as it seems like there are so many decisions to make.

There a lot of threads here about what's truly necessary for a baby.  Unsurprisingly, there's a lot of variance in the answers because it varies based on the baby, what you already have, available space, your priorities, etc.  Many things people will agree you don't need, but in a state of sleep deprivation you may *want* very much.  It's more expensive to get things last minute usually, so I encourage you to ask friends if they have any hand-me-downs and check thrift shops/garage sales now for what you'll need/want.  Check also if either of your towns has a buy nothing type group through facebook or other sites.  I personally found the baby bargains book (gifted to me) to be a great resource for explaining baby things (e.g. what is a onsie v. romper v. bodysuit?) and helping to prioritize items.  They have a free website as well, though the layout I find much harder to navigate.  I suggest making a list of required/wanted items first, seeing what you can get free or used, and then seeing if it makes sense to set up a registry and where.

If you do not live near your wife, I encourage you to plan out how you'll handle the actual labor in advance.  (Will you be able to stay near the last two months?  I know several people who delivered 6 weeks early.  Will a friend drop everything to come take your wife to the hospital, while you are driving to her?  Do you have a backup friend?)

I recommend she talk to her doctor about how to get fit rather than internet strangers.  We don't know her health background - nor are we doctors.  (For example, I know my doctor told me not to do crunches after week 24, I think.  Or my doctor said I could keep running if I was already a runner (I was not), but to be careful about picking up new things.  But that's just what *I* was told.  Advice for your partner may vary.)

[I'm a red panda]

My experience, YMMV.  I take a "babies don't need stuff, they need love and security" approach.

For my births, I've met the out of pocket max on my insurance for both a vaginal and a c-section; so that really didn't make a difference. I've also had the unfortunate luck to straddle over two years, so generally I've met it twice. YAY!   (My OOPM for my PPO was in the $6k range, deductible was $500.)

As for preparation, babies do not need a lot to get started. 
I personally had a pack and play with bassinet, a glider for nursing, a changing table (many people say to skip this and put a changing pad on a dresser, but we didn't have a dresser), and a bouncy chair when the baby was born.  ALL were hand me downs I got for free.  (Start trolling your buy nothing groups.)  I was given a rock and play, bumbo chair, swing and exersaucer at my shower, I returned them all, figuring I could rebuy them if I needed them. I never did.

We had 2 sets of pack and play sheets, and a blanket to lay on the floor.

I LOVED the boppy pillow (also a hand me down, I sewed a new cover)

I like to have 7-10 outfits in both newborn and 0-3 month size on hand.  Most of these will be pajamas, as newborns don't need much else.  In April I'd probably do cotton vs. fleece pajamas.

Our hospital gave us a sleep sack/swaddle, and I highly recommend having 1-2 on hand.

We had a car seat for each car. We do not use the infant bucket seat, but start with convertibles that will work until the child is into a booster seat. (I didn't spend the extra money on the "all in one", as booster seats are cheap, and i figured by that age they'd want input in what their seat looks like.)

I used a baby carrier (I liked the Lillebaby All-Seasons best, I tried many that friends loaned me.)

Later on, we got a high chair, a stroller, and a crib from either buy nothing or craigslist.

She did not go into her own room until 1, at which time I spent $5 on a sound only monitor on craigslist.


I bought a few hand me down clothes at garage sales to start decking out a closet for the first year, and got tons given to me on buy nothing group. I returned all clothing I  could that was given to me at the shower. In her first 2 years she had so much clothing I rarely reused an outfit, it seemed to come out of the woodwork.  I used most of the gift cards (they were often Target...) to buy diapers.

I recommend having 1 box of newborn diapers and a few boxes of size 1 on hand to start.  For us, Target Up & Up subscription with red card has been so inexpensive that there has been no need to stockpile. Some babies never fit in newborn diapers, so I wouldn't get many of those.

We had formula samples on hand, and that was handy because she had a lot of trouble breastfeeding. Many many babies are supplemented with formula before becoming exclusively breastfed, so be prepared for this. I recommend the premie Dr. Brown's bottles if you plan to transition to nursing.

Insurance should cover a pump, sterilize this before you go to the hospital. I hated the hospital pumps and was glad to have my own.

I used Amazon for a registry, but a lot of older relatives wanted a store, so we used Target. In the end, Target was easier because I made a TON of returns. People really want to buy stuff...and I didn't want stuff.


As for get fit- unless the doctor instructs, she should not try to lose weight. Additionally, she shouldn't pick up additional exercise that she hasn't already been doing in the third trimester; usually the instruction for pregnancy is "keep doing what you were doing with some exceptions- no contact sports, horseback riding, or scuba diving, for example". First pregnancy I was told to stop ice skating after I couldn't tie my own skates anymore.

However, walking is wonderful exercise. Try to add an additional 10 minutes every week, if you doctor approves.  I had gestational diabetes my second pregnancy, and by the end I was walking 10k a night.

[nereo]

Seriously, I'd buy very little. Invest what time you have in finishing projects, meal-prep (putting dozens of ready-to-cook meals in the freezer) and decluttering.  It's good to research what services there are in your area for new parents (e.g breastfeeding courses, parenting classes, etc). Look to see if there are consignment stores that specialize in children's clothes.  Find other new parents if at all possible. If you plan on doing cloth diapers either have 20+ diapers available or look to see if htere is a diaper service in your area.

You will not know what your baby needs until she needs it. In the beginning you are unlikely to really need very much at all besides diapers, some burp cloths (which can be clean rags) and that's about it.  You will not need a crib for several months (we used a baby box - less is more with infant sleep).  A changing table is a good idea but we used the surface of an existing dresser with a changing mat on top. Every child is different, and planning is pretty futile before you've had months (or years!) with your particular child.

Things I would get now: 
A car seat that is certified for infants.  If you have two cars get two bases so one can stay in each car.
A wearable carrier
Some swaddling blankets and/or sleep sacks.  Don't go overboard because some babies can be swaddled, others hate it.
about 6-8 sets of clothes for an infant (0-3m) appropriate for your climate/weather/season.
A nursing pillow

check with your insurance about whether they cover breast pumps, and you can order one now.

[SimpleCycle]

I was a similar weight to your wife when I got pregnant, and I was also told "keep what you have been doing and gradually add some extra walking" as my prenatal exercise advice.  I was already fairly active but did add walking after I was out of the blorgs of first tri.  Please don't let anyone guilt your wife about her size and the pregnancy.  People of all sizes have uncomplicated vaginal deliveries, and people of all sizes have complicated deliveries and c-sections.  I personally had a mostly uncomplicated vaginal delivery, despite gestational diabetes.  Gestational diabetes risk is higher if you are overweight, as is your risk for a large baby, but both risks can be mitigated.

A lot of what baby gear you buy/obtain is personal preference, along with the preferences of your baby.  DD was SUPER fussy and we overbought devices in an attempt to soothe her - a rock n' play, an infant bouncer, a million baby carriers - and in the end, she was just super fussy and it passed with time.

I think some sort of safe sleeping environment is necessary for an infant.  We used a (gifted) cosleeper at first, and then switched to a pack n play.  It's recommended that baby share a room with parents for the first year, but sleep on a separate surface.

Other than that, I agree with previous posters, you don't need nearly what the registry templates say you do.  And there will still be stores post-baby.

[Trying2bFrugal]

Congratulations!

The pre-baby time is a bit daunting as it seems like there are so many decisions to make.

Thank you! She decided to take break from work one month early so we can have baby at the place I am living (where we lived most and have friends to help). We checked out a OBG doc and scheduled follow ups for 34th week onwards.
For her weight, we decided to just take it easy until baby is 3 months old or wife gets better. Then we will plan her diet and workout to burn those fat.

Please check the updated post.

[Trying2bFrugal]

My experience, YMMV. 

...
I LOVED the boppy pillow (also a hand me down, I sewed a new cover)
...
Our hospital gave us a sleep sack/swaddle, and I highly recommend having 1-2 on hand.
...
We had a car seat for each car.
---
I used a baby carrier (I liked the Lillebaby All-Seasons best, I tried many that friends loaned me.)
...
Later on, we got a high chair, a stroller, and a crib from either buy nothing or craigslist.
....
She did not go into her own room until 1, at which time I spent $5 on a sound only monitor on craigslist.
...

I recommend having 1 box of newborn diapers and a few boxes of size 1 on hand to start.  For us, Target Up & Up subscription with red card has been so inexpensive that there has been no need to stockpile. Some babies never fit in newborn diapers, so I wouldn't get many of those.
...
We had formula samples on hand, and that was handy because she had a lot of trouble breastfeeding. Many many babies are supplemented with formula before becoming exclusively breastfed, so be prepared for this. I recommend the premie Dr. Brown's bottles if you plan to transition to nursing.
...
I used Amazon for a registry
...
However, walking is wonderful exercise. Try to add an additional 10 minutes every week, if you doctor approves.  I had gestational diabetes my second pregnancy, and by the end I was walking 10k a night.

Thanks a lot. Most of the ones you mentioned, wife liked it. She started adding some to registry.
Did you used both Amazon registry or just Target?
Right now she is working, and easily put about 6-7k steps. She cooks every meal and count calories. She was put on insulin plan from 3rd month. Doc said she would get gestational diabetes but he doesnt want her to have any issues. So we are doing that. Damn, that insulin pen cost so high (I am just talking about $150 dollar co-pay, not the real INFLATED cost). I could get the same insulin (not pen) for about $50 (full price) in my home country.

Please check my updated post. if there are anything you could say will be helpful.

[Trying2bFrugal]

Seriously, I'd buy very little. Invest what time you have in finishing projects, meal-prep (putting dozens of ready-to-cook meals in the freezer) and decluttering.  It's good to research what services there are in your area for new parents (e.g breastfeeding courses, parenting classes, etc). Look to see if there are consignment stores that specialize in children's clothes.  Find other new parents if at all possible. If you plan on doing cloth diapers either have 20+ diapers available or look to see if htere is a diaper service in your area.

You will not know what your baby needs until she needs it. In the beginning you are unlikely to really need very much at all besides diapers, some burp cloths (which can be clean rags) and that's about it.  You will not need a crib for several months (we used a baby box - less is more with infant sleep).  A changing table is a good idea but we used the surface of an existing dresser with a changing mat on top. Every child is different, and planning is pretty futile before you've had months (or years!) with your particular child.

Things I would get now: 
A car seat that is certified for infants.  If you have two cars get two bases so one can stay in each car.
A wearable carrier
Some swaddling blankets and/or sleep sacks.  Don't go overboard because some babies can be swaddled, others hate it.
about 6-8 sets of clothes for an infant (0-3m) appropriate for your climate/weather/season.
A nursing pillow

check with your insurance about whether they cover breast pumps, and you can order one now.

For Baby, we planned to go with the ones you mentioned (given in the updated list).
What you mean by diaper service? Is there one? and after reading to forums, some mentioned like 'give nothing' or some, i need to figure that out.

We planned to use the bassinet i posted as her net and we will be using dining table or study table or night table with portable changing pad. We live in apartment and we like to keep minimal things as possible. The changing station is nice, but we dont want it to fill space.

We will need to order the pumps. Thanks for that!
Also she got FSA. We arent sure how to use it, thats my next step.

She doesnt like any frozen food, so do I. We cook 90% of times or get the freshly cooked meals. But for first couple days, we would survive on meals from friends house :)

[Trying2bFrugal]

I was a similar weight to your wife when I got pregnant, and I was also told "keep what you have been doing and gradually add some extra walking" as my prenatal exercise advice.  I was already fairly active but did add walking after I was out of the blorgs of first tri.  Please don't let anyone guilt your wife about her size and the pregnancy.  People of all sizes have uncomplicated vaginal deliveries, and people of all sizes have complicated deliveries and c-sections.  I personally had a mostly uncomplicated vaginal delivery, despite gestational diabetes.  Gestational diabetes risk is higher if you are overweight, as is your risk for a large baby, but both risks can be mitigated.

A lot of what baby gear you buy/obtain is personal preference, along with the preferences of your baby.  DD was SUPER fussy and we overbought devices in an attempt to soothe her - a rock n' play, an infant bouncer, a million baby carriers - and in the end, she was just super fussy and it passed with time.

I think some sort of safe sleeping environment is necessary for an infant.  We used a (gifted) cosleeper at first, and then switched to a pack n play.  It's recommended that baby share a room with parents for the first year, but sleep on a separate surface.

Other than that, I agree with previous posters, you don't need nearly what the registry templates say you do.  And there will still be stores post-baby.

Thank you!! We decided to co-sleep her in our bed for first year or 9 months (until she can run away out of bed by herself).
I was worried about her being overweight and delivering. Doctor clarified that for us. She doesnt feel bad, neither me of her becoming heavy weight now :).
We planned to keep minimal stuff and bought few as they were on clearance. She wanted a lot of stuff earlier, now she thinks we will keep the baby as old school way - the minimalist way.

[mamagoose]

Strollers: you can use the umbrella-style strollers and technically put the infant bucket-style carseat in it (Google "Duggar Car Seat Stroller Hack"). Lots of people claim it's unsafe, we did it and I'd say it's just about as safe as putting a carseat inside a little red wagon and pulling it around, or putting a carseat on top of a luggage rack at the airport, etc. Not rocket science, no need to pay hundreds for the "travel system" carseat + stroller clicking combo.

Baby Carriers: you can get the Ergo and similar style carriers used for a fraction of the price at places like Once Upon a Child, they are machine washable.

Cribs: many parents discover their kids don't even use the crib. You can go from pack-n-play to toddler bed (or toddler mattress on the floor like many parents do as well) pretty easily.

Baby Monitors: if you have an old cell phone around and are tech-savvy, you can use a car sticky mount and put an old cell phone in your kid's room and set up a streaming video to your computer instead of paying $$$ for the pre-made video baby monitors that do the same thing. This was the key in me being able to work during naptimes.

My other favorite hack: have your wife wear a camisole undershirt everywhere instead of bringing a separate change of clothes for kids. Saves room in the diaper bag and it's an easy thing to take off and put on your kiddo (tighten it into a dress using a hair tie).

Something like this (https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=207419062&CAWELAID=120299900001038470&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=59094350829&CATCI=aud-476261363670:pla-531742705415&tid=onpl000000&kwid=1&ap=7&gclid=CjwKCAiA45njBRBwEiwASnZT51Xj47IUw_2ahoDeccAtMpaZy6be7BSHhgg4LZ6RjXEP4H59sx-ZIhoCD3oQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)

[Trying2bFrugal]

Strollers: you can use the umbrella-style strollers and technically put the infant bucket-style carseat in it (Google "Duggar Car Seat Stroller Hack"). Lots of people claim it's unsafe, we did it and I'd say it's just about as safe as putting a carseat inside a little red wagon and pulling it around, or putting a carseat on top of a luggage rack at the airport, etc. Not rocket science, no need to pay hundreds for the "travel system" carseat + stroller clicking combo.

Baby Carriers: you can get the Ergo and similar style carriers used for a fraction of the price at places like Once Upon a Child, they are machine washable.

Cribs: many parents discover their kids don't even use the crib. You can go from pack-n-play to toddler bed (or toddler mattress on the floor like many parents do as well) pretty easily.

Baby Monitors: if you have an old cell phone around and are tech-savvy, you can use a car sticky mount and put an old cell phone in your kid's room and set up a streaming video to your computer instead of paying $$$ for the pre-made video baby monitors that do the same thing. This was the key in me being able to work during naptimes.

My other favorite hack: have your wife wear a camisole undershirt everywhere instead of bringing a separate change of clothes for kids. Saves room in the diaper bag and it's an easy thing to take off and put on your kiddo (tighten it into a dress using a hair tie).

Something like this (https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=207419062&CAWELAID=120299900001038470&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=59094350829&CATCI=aud-476261363670:pla-531742705415&tid=onpl000000&kwid=1&ap=7&gclid=CjwKCAiA45njBRBwEiwASnZT51Xj47IUw_2ahoDeccAtMpaZy6be7BSHhgg4LZ6RjXEP4H59sx-ZIhoCD3oQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)

Thanks!
We may get a light collapsible stroller from FB Marketplace.
We decided no baby monitor as wife gonna be home most times and mother in law will also be home but will see if i can use the old phones.

We werent sure on crib as many said differently. We just got the wally clearance one for $79. We got 3 months to decide. Mostly we would just co-sleep her on our bed for first couple months, later once she started crawling, will use the crib (they said its 4 in 1, so you say toddler is still better?)

Is there any real people compared the cloth vs disposable in terms of diaper rash?

[I'm a red panda]

Based on update:

Unless you plan on strolling a lot, I wouldn't bother with the "click" stroller- it's easy to use a baby carrier or wrap for tiny infants, and once they can sit up they can go in the regular stroller. We never traveled with a stroller when she was little, even though I had the travel system. It's more trouble than it's worth.  Also PLEASE don't do the "duggar stroller hack". It's not safe. Neither is an infant carrier in a wagon, on top of a luggage cart or in the seat of a shopping basket. Maybe it's because I live near a major trauma hospital, and participate in loss support groups, but I've seen first hand and second hand way too many cases of babies seriously, sometimes permanently injured from these unsafe practices.

I personally really loved my boppy pillow, could not have nursed without it. Other people are fine propping on regular pillows. I'd buy used and use a cover (washed or new).

I'd skip the pack and play since you have a cosleeper and crib. You can later decide if you need it.  We personally use one, but in place of cosleeper or bassinet.

This is the nasal aspirator we use. We LOVE it- and it doesn't need a new filter each time like the nose frida. Cheaper too. A friend sent it to use from japan, swearing it was better than the nose frida. I haven't used both (she has)- but it does the job great.
https://www.amazon.com/Nasal-Aspirator-Vacuum-Suction-Pigeon/dp/B005JBXG7Y/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2G6FW2Y9QUVCD&keywords=pigeon+nasal+aspirator&qid=1550525675&s=gateway&sprefix=pigeon+nasal+%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-5


(I did use both a Target and Amazon registry first pregnancy. Most people bought from Target. It was easy to return and get gift cards to use later.)

[chaskavitch]

I'd say cloth diapers are more prone to diaper rash ONLY if you don't change them often enough.  Disposable diapers do an excellent job of keeping the moisture contained in the diaper and not next to baby's skin.  Babies in cloth diapers aren't steeping in their own waste or anything, but they can definitely feel the wetness more than disposable diapered babies, and they'll let you know.  Also, you can't use normal diaper cream in cloth diapers (it never comes out and reduces absorbency), so if you DO get a rash, you either cover it with coconut oil or a special cloth diaper safe cream, or switch to disposable + Desitin until it's gone.

That being said, I cloth diapered our first and I'm planning on it for our second.  I got almost all of our diapers secondhand or from friends, so my costs weren't too high.  It is ridiculous how many diapers babies go through, especially at first, and for me the reduction in trash volume is 100% worth the extra laundry. 

We did disposables for the first week or so because of meconium poops and getting used to having a baby, and after that we switched to cloth for day and disposable at night.  I think the cloth diapers helped with potty training, too, because once our kid decided he didn't like feeling wet, he was really ready to use a toilet. 

[CNM]

Yes, a lot of what you buy ends up being personal preference and baby preference.

I, for one, would have been miserable without my reclining glider (with footrest).  I slept many nights in that thing.  My 1st baby really liked baby swings - the kind that are plug-in or battery operated and swings them from side to side.  I also used a clicking stroller a lot.  It was difficult to wear baby #1 while he was an infant when babies are that young, they need to be carried in the front, rather than the back like a backpack.  Front carrying would really bother my back if I was walking for any extended period of time.  Also, because you will likely need to carry a diaper bag and supplies when out and about too, the stroller made it much, much easier to do so.

The spots I got the best and cheapest stuff was at garage sales.  Craigslist sort of drives me crazy and I seem to have better luck with Facebook marketplace these days.  I'd also recommend looking for large baby consignment events (sometimes called "mommy's markets") where you can get a bunch of things all at once and seeing if there are baby meet up groups for you to join.  Honestly, I get a lot of baby stuff from friends or other parents who are looking to give the outgrown stuff away to the next in line.

[Sugaree]

We did cloth diapers full time at home, but day care refused to use them.  So if your wife will be going back to work after the first 8 months then make sure to know what you'll need to provide them.  When I did the math, I figured that we broke even on diapers somewhere around 2 years old even taking into account having to send disposables to day care and the (used, from Craigslist) portable washing machine that we used as the dedicated diaper machine (seriously, I credit this with being the single most important factor in us making it to the finishing line with cloth).  When we started we had not ruled out the possibility of a second kid, and that kid would have been diapered for free from the beginning.  Now that we've decided not to have another, I'll be selling them in the upcoming consignment season.  The best thing about cloth to me was not having to worry about running out.  If it was 9:00 at night and we realize that we only have three clean diapers then it's just a matter of running a load of laundry.  There's no getting dressed, bundling the kid up, trekking to the store, and spending money on diapers.  And there's no having to brave Wal-Mart at 5:00 on a Friday evening because we're running low.  It was awesome.

We bought a set of newborn diapers and then moved into one-size diapers and those lasted until potty training.  I think we probably could have gotten away with putting him in the smallest setting on the OSs, but it would have been iffy.  In the NB sizes, we had 10 fitted diapers and 12 prefolds and maybe 8 covers and I did laundry every day, sometimes twice a day.  After that, we used hybrid all-in-two style diapers that were WONDERFUL.  It was a waterproof cover with an insert that snapped in.  They were as convenient as an all-in-one, but cheaper and the inserts could be put in the dryer while the cover was hung up.  The cover dried in like 10 minutes, so it was possible to give it a quick rinse and reuse it in the same day rather than waiting on an all-in-one to dry.  There were no pockets to stuff or unstuff(yuck).  At night, we used WAHM fitted diapers or one of the like 2 all-in-ones that we had.  The key seemed to be that you could get away with a good cover and a lower quality inner or a good inner and a cheaper cover.

If you go new, make sure that you prep them before you need them.  We found that even the microfiber inserts that said they didn't need to be prepped did.  I took them at their word and was very unhappy for the first two or three weeks until the absorbent part got broken in.  For diaper rash, we used California Baby cream.  Target was the only place I could find it out here in BFE.  I also got some fleece fabric from the clearance bin and made liners for diapers.  That helped some.  Speaking of fabric, what do you plan on doing about wipes?  I bought two yards of flannel and made maybe 3 dozen cloth wipes (2 dozen smaller ones and 1 dozen bigger ones for bigger messes).  They can take the same wash routine as the diapers.  We used plain water, which came back to bite us because no one realized that DS was allergic to something in the non-sensitive version of disposable wipes until he went to daycare and broke out in a horrific rash. 

For gear, check out consignment sales and Craigslist/FB marketplace.  In fact, I bought my high chair used off Craigslist, from what turned out to be the wife of one of DH's high school friends, and sold it just recently for about what I paid for it.  I see you've already got a carseat and a crib.  In both cases, we bought models that were convertible.  I would highly recommend if you plan on converting the crib to a full bed (if it's one of those models) to go ahead and buy the conversion bedrail kit if you have room.  Several of my friends have bought the crib intending to convert it to a full bed only to find that the style has been discontinued 3-4 years later when they are ready to move to a full bed.  We skipped the whole "travel system" thing.  The baby pod is convenient, I guess, but they outgrow them SO fast.  My kid is 5.5 and using the same carseat, now converted to a booster seat, that he came home from the hospital in.  I wore him in wraps and slings until my back just wouldn't let me do it anymore and then we opted for an umbrella stroller ($15 at a consignment sale).   Consignmentmommies.com has a list of sales local to you.  The spring season should just be getting underway. 

[WSUCoug1994]

This is so subjective but I will tell you my mansplaining view with a 3 year old and a 7 month old.

Take an infant CPR class
Rock and Play rules - both our babies LOVED IT until they got too big
Pack and Play's - so worth it as we travel a lot with our little ones
Swaddling is legit and hard to do in the beginning - I took a class and now I am a swaddling ninja lol.
My wife can't sleep without video monitor - I suspect the older one will wear it to school at some point.
Both kids loved our swinging chair - you can also remove it and carry the little one around the house and just sit them down.  That rocking really puts them to sleep.
We had an awesome rocking chair as a gift - maybe spent 3 minutes in it between two babies lol
My wife could only breastfeed for a few months due to a medical condition.  Bottle warmers are whack (we served cold breast milk and room temperature formula) - but bottle drying stations are legit
Bobby pillows = legit
Bouncy stations (is that what they are called) are a life saver - - we also have a little Jeep that once they are 3-4 months that can move all over the house and follow us around.  Great for building leg strength for walking
We got something similar to a diaper genie - but uses regular trash bags - it was great for disposable diapers but expensive
Book, books, books - especially the ones with the little flappy things that they can open
SLEEP TRAINING IS LITERALLY THE BEST THING YOU CAN EVER DO - along with a structured bedtime routine. I suggest 6 months but YMMV
Car seats and putting children into car seats might be the worst part of parenting
Our second baby was a barfer - like 1000 times a day - we needed a lot of burp clothes and changes of clothes for this guy
Your relationship with time and sleep will change dramatically
I can't imagine a life without children

With the exception of gifts and car seats - almost everything we got was second hand.  The second hand market for toys, clothes, furniture, and books is ridiculous.

Don't judge - parents are unbelievably judgey of each other.  Do what you feel is best for your little one.  The internet seems to breed a lot of hate towards mothers/fathers and how they raise their children.  Be good people and raise them as you see fit. 

[MrThatsDifferent]

Ptf

[Trying2bFrugal]

Based on update:

Unless you plan on strolling a lot...
 boppy pillow..
I'd skip the pack and play ...
This is the nasal aspirator ..

(I did use both a Target and Amazon registry first pregnancy. Most people bought from Target. It was easy to return and get gift cards to use later.)

We went a little crazy and bought the Graco stroller set from wally (2/23 wally sale for babies) for $121. But will be returning it as my office friend just got a bigger stroller for his 14 month daugther and he said i can take his stroller. We know him and he lives in same place as we. So if wifey is okay, we will return the car seat ($35 is really good deal for new though) and the stroller.

No, we wont be using any hacks. I thought since its a very good price and a lot better than any umbrella stroller, either gifting to a friend (another friend got a 1.5mo baby) or keep ourselfs (that would be stupid to store something 6 mos). So we will be returning the stroller.

On Pack n Play, wife decided not to get. We watched our friend daughter, when she was tiny, her grandparents always watched her. When she started crawling, she doesnt like her cave. Technically they never used it. So we will be deciding on it after 6 mos or if we plan to go for camping.

Thanks for the nasal suggestion. I think wife added something else on registry. will try this instead.

[Trying2bFrugal]

I'd say cloth diapers are more prone to diaper rash ONLY if you don't change them often enough.  Disposable diapers do an excellent job of keeping the moisture contained in the diaper and not next to baby's skin.  Babies in cloth diapers aren't steeping in their own waste or anything, but they can definitely feel the wetness more than disposable diapered babies, and they'll let you know.  Also, you can't use normal diaper cream in cloth diapers (it never comes out and reduces absorbency), so if you DO get a rash, you either cover it with coconut oil or a special cloth diaper safe cream, or switch to disposable + Desitin until it's gone.

That being said, I cloth diapered our first and I'm planning on it for our second.  I got almost all of our diapers secondhand or from friends, so my costs weren't too high.  It is ridiculous how many diapers babies go through, especially at first, and for me the reduction in trash volume is 100% worth the extra laundry. 

We did disposables for the first week or so because of meconium poops and getting used to having a baby, and after that we switched to cloth for day and disposable at night.  I think the cloth diapers helped with potty training, too, because once our kid decided he didn't like feeling wet, he was really ready to use a toilet.

We decided to use coconut oil and no tubes for baby for treating any normal rashes. We currently use Costco Kirkland extra virgin coconut oil. What brand do you use?
One thing wife dont want is, used cloths or cloth diapers. She doesnt like other baby fluids. I know, but i couldnt convince her. We could get simple cloths on sale from kohls/wally. So i am not much worried. Cloth diaper, she isnt sure if we can do. Right now our plan is to do cloth diaper in day and disposable for overnight and outside visits.

Another friend suggested to use plantex diaper genie for avoiding smell. What did you use with minimal cost? and how did you stored the cloth diaper after soiled?

[Trying2bFrugal]

reclining glider (with footrest). .. garage sales.. Facebook marketplace these days.. "mommy's markets") where you can get a bunch of things all at once and seeing if there are baby meet up groups for you to join.  Honestly, I get a lot of baby stuff from friends or other parents who are looking to give the outgrown stuff away to the next in line.

We got one free reclining glider with foot rest, so we are good there :)
Had good luck with fb so far but will check the mommy market, thanks, i never knew.

For now, we have three families with recent babies and two families with two 10-15mo old babies. I will see if we can do the meet often to share ideas.

We decided to go minimal baby stuff, so most of the stuff will be bought after necessity is proven.

[MrThatsDifferent]

I'd say cloth diapers are more prone to diaper rash ONLY if you don't change them often enough.  Disposable diapers do an excellent job of keeping the moisture contained in the diaper and not next to baby's skin.  Babies in cloth diapers aren't steeping in their own waste or anything, but they can definitely feel the wetness more than disposable diapered babies, and they'll let you know.  Also, you can't use normal diaper cream in cloth diapers (it never comes out and reduces absorbency), so if you DO get a rash, you either cover it with coconut oil or a special cloth diaper safe cream, or switch to disposable + Desitin until it's gone.

That being said, I cloth diapered our first and I'm planning on it for our second.  I got almost all of our diapers secondhand or from friends, so my costs weren't too high.  It is ridiculous how many diapers babies go through, especially at first, and for me the reduction in trash volume is 100% worth the extra laundry. 

We did disposables for the first week or so because of meconium poops and getting used to having a baby, and after that we switched to cloth for day and disposable at night.  I think the cloth diapers helped with potty training, too, because once our kid decided he didn't like feeling wet, he was really ready to use a toilet.

We decided to use coconut oil and no tubes for baby for treating any normal rashes. We currently use Costco Kirkland extra virgin coconut oil. What brand do you use?
One thing wife dont want is, used cloths or cloth diapers. She doesnt like other baby fluids. I know, but i couldnt convince her. We could get simple cloths on sale from kohls/wally. So i am not much worried. Cloth diaper, she isnt sure if we can do. Right now our plan is to do cloth diaper in day and disposable for overnight and outside visits.

Another friend suggested to use plantex diaper genie for avoiding smell. What did you use with minimal cost? and how did you stored the cloth diaper after soiled?

I love the idea of cloth diapers but after watching a YouTube video to see how it actually works I’ve decided, no way in hell! Who has the time and energy for that much work and that much washing? No wonder parents are exhausted.

[I'm a red panda]

I'd say cloth diapers are more prone to diaper rash ONLY if you don't change them often enough.  Disposable diapers do an excellent job of keeping the moisture contained in the diaper and not next to baby's skin.  Babies in cloth diapers aren't steeping in their own waste or anything, but they can definitely feel the wetness more than disposable diapered babies, and they'll let you know.  Also, you can't use normal diaper cream in cloth diapers (it never comes out and reduces absorbency), so if you DO get a rash, you either cover it with coconut oil or a special cloth diaper safe cream, or switch to disposable + Desitin until it's gone.

That being said, I cloth diapered our first and I'm planning on it for our second.  I got almost all of our diapers secondhand or from friends, so my costs weren't too high.  It is ridiculous how many diapers babies go through, especially at first, and for me the reduction in trash volume is 100% worth the extra laundry. 

We did disposables for the first week or so because of meconium poops and getting used to having a baby, and after that we switched to cloth for day and disposable at night.  I think the cloth diapers helped with potty training, too, because once our kid decided he didn't like feeling wet, he was really ready to use a toilet.

We decided to use coconut oil and no tubes for baby for treating any normal rashes. We currently use Costco Kirkland extra virgin coconut oil. What brand do you use?
One thing wife dont want is, used cloths or cloth diapers. She doesnt like other baby fluids. I know, but i couldnt convince her. We could get simple cloths on sale from kohls/wally. So i am not much worried. Cloth diaper, she isnt sure if we can do. Right now our plan is to do cloth diaper in day and disposable for overnight and outside visits.

Another friend suggested to use plantex diaper genie for avoiding smell. What did you use with minimal cost? and how did you stored the cloth diaper after soiled?

I love the idea of cloth diapers but after watching a YouTube video to see how it actually works I’ve decided, no way in hell! Who has the time and energy for that much work and that much washing? No wonder parents are exhausted.

I feel very guilty about the excess waste of disposable diapers, but have done my best to reduce waste in as many other areas as I can.
Even with diapers (though a lot go out at daycare...) we still only have biweekly pickup of a 35 gallon can.  It is extremely common in our neighborhood to have weekly pickup of a 65 gallon can; and those are often overflowing. 

[Sugaree]

I'd say cloth diapers are more prone to diaper rash ONLY if you don't change them often enough.  Disposable diapers do an excellent job of keeping the moisture contained in the diaper and not next to baby's skin.  Babies in cloth diapers aren't steeping in their own waste or anything, but they can definitely feel the wetness more than disposable diapered babies, and they'll let you know.  Also, you can't use normal diaper cream in cloth diapers (it never comes out and reduces absorbency), so if you DO get a rash, you either cover it with coconut oil or a special cloth diaper safe cream, or switch to disposable + Desitin until it's gone.

That being said, I cloth diapered our first and I'm planning on it for our second.  I got almost all of our diapers secondhand or from friends, so my costs weren't too high.  It is ridiculous how many diapers babies go through, especially at first, and for me the reduction in trash volume is 100% worth the extra laundry. 

We did disposables for the first week or so because of meconium poops and getting used to having a baby, and after that we switched to cloth for day and disposable at night.  I think the cloth diapers helped with potty training, too, because once our kid decided he didn't like feeling wet, he was really ready to use a toilet.

We decided to use coconut oil and no tubes for baby for treating any normal rashes. We currently use Costco Kirkland extra virgin coconut oil. What brand do you use?
One thing wife dont want is, used cloths or cloth diapers. She doesnt like other baby fluids. I know, but i couldnt convince her. We could get simple cloths on sale from kohls/wally. So i am not much worried. Cloth diaper, she isnt sure if we can do. Right now our plan is to do cloth diaper in day and disposable for overnight and outside visits.

Another friend suggested to use plantex diaper genie for avoiding smell. What did you use with minimal cost? and how did you stored the cloth diaper after soiled?

I love the idea of cloth diapers but after watching a YouTube video to see how it actually works I’ve decided, no way in hell! Who has the time and energy for that much work and that much washing? No wonder parents are exhausted.

We bought a portable washing machine (used, off Craigslist).  It sat in the bathroom closet and it doubled as the diaper pail.  Our water heater sits in the same closet so we were able to plumb it directly into the water heater and the sink.  We'd throw the dirties in and when it was time to do a load of diaper laundry it was as simple as pushing three buttons.  If there was a smell, a quick cold rinse usually took care of the problem until a full wash routine could be done. 

[Trying2bFrugal]

I'd say cloth diapers are more prone to diaper rash ONLY if you don't change them often enough.  Disposable diapers do an excellent job of keeping the moisture contained in the diaper and not next to baby's skin.  Babies in cloth diapers aren't steeping in their own waste or anything, but they can definitely feel the wetness more than disposable diapered babies, and they'll let you know.  Also, you can't use normal diaper cream in cloth diapers (it never comes out and reduces absorbency), so if you DO get a rash, you either cover it with coconut oil or a special cloth diaper safe cream, or switch to disposable + Desitin until it's gone.

That being said, I cloth diapered our first and I'm planning on it for our second.  I got almost all of our diapers secondhand or from friends, so my costs weren't too high.  It is ridiculous how many diapers babies go through, especially at first, and for me the reduction in trash volume is 100% worth the extra laundry. 

We did disposables for the first week or so because of meconium poops and getting used to having a baby, and after that we switched to cloth for day and disposable at night.  I think the cloth diapers helped with potty training, too, because once our kid decided he didn't like feeling wet, he was really ready to use a toilet.

We decided to use coconut oil and no tubes for baby for treating any normal rashes. We currently use Costco Kirkland extra virgin coconut oil. What brand do you use?
One thing wife dont want is, used cloths or cloth diapers. She doesnt like other baby fluids. I know, but i couldnt convince her. We could get simple cloths on sale from kohls/wally. So i am not much worried. Cloth diaper, she isnt sure if we can do. Right now our plan is to do cloth diaper in day and disposable for overnight and outside visits.

Another friend suggested to use plantex diaper genie for avoiding smell. What did you use with minimal cost? and how did you stored the cloth diaper after soiled?

I love the idea of cloth diapers but after watching a YouTube video to see how it actually works I’ve decided, no way in hell! Who has the time and energy for that much work and that much washing? No wonder parents are exhausted.

We bought a portable washing machine (used, off Craigslist).  It sat in the bathroom closet and it doubled as the diaper pail.  Our water heater sits in the same closet so we were able to plumb it directly into the water heater and the sink.  We'd throw the dirties in and when it was time to do a load of diaper laundry it was as simple as pushing three buttons.  If there was a smell, a quick cold rinse usually took care of the problem until a full wash routine could be done.

Wow, i am checking portable machines on amazon at same time of this reply.
Only issue we have, we live in apartment where any additional plumbing needs approval.
The laundry is in 3rd door of our main door, ie., i have to walk out and get in another entrance (in winter its a huge issue for multiple times a week, but we are lucky to get a summer baby :).

So i have to get a pail, but wife doesnt like getting 2nd hand (crazy) but i know she doesnt trust shlt of others, lol. Seriously, this one is waste of investment that is why i am thinking hard on option if i had to absolutely get new for her sake.

[Trying2bFrugal]

We did cloth diapers full time at home, but day care refused to use them.  So if your wife will be going back to work after the first 8 months then make sure to know what you'll need to provide them.  When I did the math, I figured that we broke even on diapers somewhere around 2 years old even taking into account having to send disposables to day care and the (used, from Craigslist) portable washing machine that we used as the dedicated diaper machine (seriously, I credit this with being the single most important factor in us making it to the finishing line with cloth).  When we started we had not ruled out the possibility of a second kid, and that kid would have been diapered for free from the beginning.  Now that we've decided not to have another, I'll be selling them in the upcoming consignment season.  The best thing about cloth to me was not having to worry about running out.  If it was 9:00 at night and we realize that we only have three clean diapers then it's just a matter of running a load of laundry.  There's no getting dressed, bundling the kid up, trekking to the store, and spending money on diapers.  And there's no having to brave Wal-Mart at 5:00 on a Friday evening because we're running low.  It was awesome.

We bought a set of newborn diapers and then moved into one-size diapers and those lasted until potty training.  I think we probably could have gotten away with putting him in the smallest setting on the OSs, but it would have been iffy.  In the NB sizes, we had 10 fitted diapers and 12 prefolds and maybe 8 covers and I did laundry every day, sometimes twice a day.  After that, we used hybrid all-in-two style diapers that were WONDERFUL.  It was a waterproof cover with an insert that snapped in.  They were as convenient as an all-in-one, but cheaper and the inserts could be put in the dryer while the cover was hung up.  The cover dried in like 10 minutes, so it was possible to give it a quick rinse and reuse it in the same day rather than waiting on an all-in-one to dry.  There were no pockets to stuff or unstuff(yuck).  At night, we used WAHM fitted diapers or one of the like 2 all-in-ones that we had.  The key seemed to be that you could get away with a good cover and a lower quality inner or a good inner and a cheaper cover.

If you go new, make sure that you prep them before you need them.  We found that even the microfiber inserts that said they didn't need to be prepped did.  I took them at their word and was very unhappy for the first two or three weeks until the absorbent part got broken in.  For diaper rash, we used California Baby cream.  Target was the only place I could find it out here in BFE.  I also got some fleece fabric from the clearance bin and made liners for diapers.  That helped some.  Speaking of fabric, what do you plan on doing about wipes?  I bought two yards of flannel and made maybe 3 dozen cloth wipes (2 dozen smaller ones and 1 dozen bigger ones for bigger messes).  They can take the same wash routine as the diapers.  We used plain water, which came back to bite us because no one realized that DS was allergic to something in the non-sensitive version of disposable wipes until he went to daycare and broke out in a horrific rash. 

For gear, check out consignment sales and Craigslist/FB marketplace.  In fact, I bought my high chair used off Craigslist, from what turned out to be the wife of one of DH's high school friends, and sold it just recently for about what I paid for it.  I see you've already got a carseat and a crib.  In both cases, we bought models that were convertible.  I would highly recommend if you plan on converting the crib to a full bed (if it's one of those models) to go ahead and buy the conversion bedrail kit if you have room.  Several of my friends have bought the crib intending to convert it to a full bed only to find that the style has been discontinued 3-4 years later when they are ready to move to a full bed.  We skipped the whole "travel system" thing.  The baby pod is convenient, I guess, but they outgrow them SO fast.  My kid is 5.5 and using the same carseat, now converted to a booster seat, that he came home from the hospital in.  I wore him in wraps and slings until my back just wouldn't let me do it anymore and then we opted for an umbrella stroller ($15 at a consignment sale).   Consignmentmommies.com has a list of sales local to you.  The spring season should just be getting underway.

Thank you!! Thats good info. Is there any brand on hybrid that we can look for?

I wasnt thinking of the fact, once she is in day care, on homecare vs daycare differences.
May be i should use creams in addition to coconut oil, different disposable diapers to save some issues.

We got the carseat as infant, as we visit friends house every weekend and dont want to wake baby.
A friend offered to give stroller and infant car seat as his kid is not 14 mos. If I get them, will return these.

[CNM]

The diaper pail we used for our dirty cloth diapers was more of a waterproof sack made by Planet Wise. 
What we did is got flushable diaper liners that would catch any poo.  They sort of look like dryer sheets and come in rolls of 100 or so.  They aren't absorbent at all; their only purpose is to catch poo.  You can't, obviously, wash diapers with poo on them. After poo was flushed, the diaper went into the sack.  The Planet Wise sack did a good job keeping down odors.  We could wash every few days using this method, rather than every day. 
We didn't have a separate washing machine for diapers, but we used a good splash of Bio-Kleen Bac-Out (a diaper safe enzyme cleaner) to keep out odors.



Example of pail here: https://www.amazon.com/Planet-Wise-Hanging-Caribou-Bloom/dp/B01MTITM8Y/ref=asc_df_B01MTITM8Y/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216497554205&hvpos=1o21&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15351710982575310009&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1022588&hvtargid=pla-391111455529&th=1

[Sugaree]

We did cloth diapers full time at home, but day care refused to use them.  So if your wife will be going back to work after the first 8 months then make sure to know what you'll need to provide them.  When I did the math, I figured that we broke even on diapers somewhere around 2 years old even taking into account having to send disposables to day care and the (used, from Craigslist) portable washing machine that we used as the dedicated diaper machine (seriously, I credit this with being the single most important factor in us making it to the finishing line with cloth).  When we started we had not ruled out the possibility of a second kid, and that kid would have been diapered for free from the beginning.  Now that we've decided not to have another, I'll be selling them in the upcoming consignment season.  The best thing about cloth to me was not having to worry about running out.  If it was 9:00 at night and we realize that we only have three clean diapers then it's just a matter of running a load of laundry.  There's no getting dressed, bundling the kid up, trekking to the store, and spending money on diapers.  And there's no having to brave Wal-Mart at 5:00 on a Friday evening because we're running low.  It was awesome.

We bought a set of newborn diapers and then moved into one-size diapers and those lasted until potty training.  I think we probably could have gotten away with putting him in the smallest setting on the OSs, but it would have been iffy.  In the NB sizes, we had 10 fitted diapers and 12 prefolds and maybe 8 covers and I did laundry every day, sometimes twice a day.  After that, we used hybrid all-in-two style diapers that were WONDERFUL.  It was a waterproof cover with an insert that snapped in.  They were as convenient as an all-in-one, but cheaper and the inserts could be put in the dryer while the cover was hung up.  The cover dried in like 10 minutes, so it was possible to give it a quick rinse and reuse it in the same day rather than waiting on an all-in-one to dry.  There were no pockets to stuff or unstuff(yuck).  At night, we used WAHM fitted diapers or one of the like 2 all-in-ones that we had.  The key seemed to be that you could get away with a good cover and a lower quality inner or a good inner and a cheaper cover.

If you go new, make sure that you prep them before you need them.  We found that even the microfiber inserts that said they didn't need to be prepped did.  I took them at their word and was very unhappy for the first two or three weeks until the absorbent part got broken in.  For diaper rash, we used California Baby cream.  Target was the only place I could find it out here in BFE.  I also got some fleece fabric from the clearance bin and made liners for diapers.  That helped some.  Speaking of fabric, what do you plan on doing about wipes?  I bought two yards of flannel and made maybe 3 dozen cloth wipes (2 dozen smaller ones and 1 dozen bigger ones for bigger messes).  They can take the same wash routine as the diapers.  We used plain water, which came back to bite us because no one realized that DS was allergic to something in the non-sensitive version of disposable wipes until he went to daycare and broke out in a horrific rash. 

For gear, check out consignment sales and Craigslist/FB marketplace.  In fact, I bought my high chair used off Craigslist, from what turned out to be the wife of one of DH's high school friends, and sold it just recently for about what I paid for it.  I see you've already got a carseat and a crib.  In both cases, we bought models that were convertible.  I would highly recommend if you plan on converting the crib to a full bed (if it's one of those models) to go ahead and buy the conversion bedrail kit if you have room.  Several of my friends have bought the crib intending to convert it to a full bed only to find that the style has been discontinued 3-4 years later when they are ready to move to a full bed.  We skipped the whole "travel system" thing.  The baby pod is convenient, I guess, but they outgrow them SO fast.  My kid is 5.5 and using the same carseat, now converted to a booster seat, that he came home from the hospital in.  I wore him in wraps and slings until my back just wouldn't let me do it anymore and then we opted for an umbrella stroller ($15 at a consignment sale).   Consignmentmommies.com has a list of sales local to you.  The spring season should just be getting underway.

Thank you!! Thats good info. Is there any brand on hybrid that we can look for?

I wasnt thinking of the fact, once she is in day care, on homecare vs daycare differences.
May be i should use creams in addition to coconut oil, different disposable diapers to save some issues.

We got the carseat as infant, as we visit friends house every weekend and dont want to wake baby.
A friend offered to give stroller and infant car seat as his kid is not 14 mos. If I get them, will return these.

We used Best Bottoms.  6 covers and 18 inserts ran about $180.  As far as the portable washing machine goes, it doesn't actually have to be permanently plumbed in.  It's made to hook to the faucet in the sink and drain back into the sink.  I *think* it can be rigged to go directly down the drain, but we didn't do it that way.  I know the thought of dirty diaper laundry water in my sink isn't appealing. 

I will say this about in-home day cares.  My best friend used one for her oldest daughter.  It was fine at first.  The provider wanted the major holidays and a week in the summer off.  Generally in day care, you pay for the slot, not the time, so these were paid vacations.  It wasn't a huge deal at the time because she was a student and had the summers and holidays off anyway.  But the provider kept adding paid holidays.  Her birthday, her kid's birthdays, her anniversary.  It got to the point where she had something like 15 paid holidays throughout the year plus any time she was sick there was no back up care.  If your job isn't flexible enough to handle that, then a center might be a better option.