Author Topic: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn  (Read 48698 times)

MrsCoolCat

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Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« on: October 31, 2016, 01:22:22 PM »
Hi! Kinda been missing in action here on the forum bc of research and planning for this baby. So we're expecting our first daughter in January of 2017! I am already trying to start couponing/stockpiling diapers. I did a few registries just for the coupons, samples and free random items of pacifiers and bottles. Any advice? In this day and age the market has become very saturated with baby products of which I am trying to differentiate b/t need and want, like who the f*ck needs a $900 stroller?? Does it reverse itself with turn signal warnings, like really? Any advice will help. Like what to absolutely buy. Has anyone tried cloth diapers; verdict? Can you believe my company is grandfathered in not to cover a damn breast pump... I plan on a typical hospital birth. Idk I'm not ready though I know there are plenty of successful parents out there before this internet and Pinterest era, so I should be ok....
« Last Edit: October 31, 2016, 01:24:06 PM by MrsCoolCat »

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2016, 02:30:15 PM »
Step 1: quit watching TV shows about babies.
Step 2: you don't have to buy everything before the baby comes.
Step 3: babies have very few actual needs.
Step 4: slapping "baby" on the label inflates the cost, and "normal" stuff (like wash cloths) works just as well.

That being said, here's an off-the-top-of-my-head list.  We have 6 kids now, and some of our gear has lasted remarkably well.:
  • 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) We've used the graco system, and it has worked well for us.  We only had the single stroller (purchased separately from the car seat) for a couple years, until we had a second kid, and at that point we got a compatible double stroller.  We still have that Duoglider stroller, and the thing is a beast--we've taken it across the country many times, through DisneyWorld several times, up and down stairs (with kids in it), etc.
  • A place for baby to sleep.  We got a Graco Pack 'n' play 12 years ago with our first kid, and our babies have always slept in our closet for the first year or so. Six kids later, the padding has shifted a bit, but the thing won't quit.  Bonus:  when you travel, you can take it with you.  And we have done just that on many trips.
  • Receiving/swaddling blankets Make sure you get blankets that are at least 30x40", otherwise they won't swaddle for long :)
  • Burp cloths Nothing fancy.  Wash cloths will do
  • Onesies Babies don't need anything fancy to wear.
  • Nursing pads and lanolin
You'll get a better feel for what you need once the baby arrives.  Don't worry about being caught unprepared--you can always buy more stuff later if the need arises.

Examples of things you don't need:
  • Baby monitor - This one's controversial, but DW and I developed a keen sense of hearing for a baby's cries.
  • Full-size crib - we got one as a gift, but only used it after the baby turned a year old.  And even then, the baby still napped in our closet in the pack 'n' play
  • wipes warmer - the baby will hate getting its diaper changed, no matter the temperature of the wipes
  • diaper genie - expensive refills, and we take out the trash often enough that we don't smell the diapers

FLBiker

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2016, 02:38:10 PM »
YMMV, but we didn't do a carseat system.  We got a free carseat from the hospital, and a secondhand Britax B-Agile stroller.  Rather than keep DD in a carrier, we typically wore her (and still do, she's now 19 months).  We got a secondhand Ergo, but there are a bunch of other brands out there.  My wife also likes wraps and ringslings, but they require more skill to use.

Totally agree that babies don't need very much.  For the first three months, we almost never put our DD in clothes -- just a diaper (FL summer).  She frequently slept on us (although we did have a bassinet).  No toys or anything like that.  She didn't like pacifiers.  We breastfed.

I strongly recommend consignment sales.  The big one in our area is "Just Between Friends".  We've got almost all of her clothes there, plus a lot of toys, cloth diapers, etc.

Yankuba

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acroy

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2016, 03:01:39 PM »
More or less what zolotiyeruki said! :)
Babies are quite small and pretty easy really.
congratulations & good luck!

havregryn

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2016, 04:46:12 PM »
I thought I'd do cloth diapers, gave up before I tried, but after I saw how much our firstborn could poop. I admire everyone who does it, I really do, it's more environmentally conscious and probably cheaper but it's also a lot of work compared to disposable. I usually get good deals on diapers buying in bulk on Amazon.
 
Best money saving tip for a newborn is breastfeeding. High quality formula costs a fortune. Dont get discouraged if it's hard at first.

Stroller actually depends on your lifestyle. If you don't have a car you will want a good stroller. especially if you live somewhere with proper winter. But buy used. Climate actually plays a role, when I had a baby in late November in Sweden biggest expense was buying proper stuff to take that baby out in.

Not only do you not need a wipes warmer, you don't need wipes, it's best to use cotton pads and water.

Clothes you should all buy second hand because the early sizes they wear for a month at best, then a few months, it's only after age two that kids actually have time to wear out clothes.

You don't need any kind of crib shoes, I have two kids and still don't get what that is for.

Toys they don't need.

With first one I had a new electric breast pump for 150$ now I have a second hand manual one for 15 and I can't tell the difference.
 
I never got the point of baby monitors but we live in an apartment, maybe it's different for people in large houses who leave the baby upstairs and go downstairs or smth like that.

My only hipster baby product that I really love is this https://www.bloomingbath.com/
With first one we had a regular baby tub now I got this and I love it (my equipment for two kids 3 years apart changed so immensely because they're happening in two different countries without having moved the stuff in time), it is so much more comfy for the baby and so much less of a hassle to store.

Newborns don't need any kind of shampoos and stuff like that you can wash them with water only.

We spend far less on our kids than I get as child allowance, making them a profitable side hustle for me, I regret not having a lot more :D Small kids are really not expensive if you discount childcare when the time comes.

seattlecyclone

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2016, 05:15:33 PM »
We've done cloth diapers and it has worked out well so far. Hard to say how much actual money this has saved us since laundry does cost money, but it has to be something and the environmental benefits were the big reason behind that decision.

Join a Buy Nothing Project group in your area if one exists. We got a crib, changing table/dresser, rocking chair, lots of baby clothes, maternity clothes, and other miscellaneous stuff through there...all for free! Also look around at garage sales. We've gotten nice baby clothes for $1/item at garage sales. Between Buy Nothing and garage sales we've had to buy essentially no new items for the baby.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2016, 05:26:24 PM »
I cloth diapered (two babies, for a while), but I had free utilities. Frugalwoods calculated that their savings would be minimal; YMMV. They definitely don't hold as much as disposables. Even Walmart brand disposables seemed to me like magic pee-absorbing devices that just lasted and lasted and lasted.

Personally, if there were ever a third Baby Paragon, I wouldn't do it again without something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Spray-Pal-Diaper-Sprayer-Splatter/dp/B00S1I4P1S

Because I am DONE sticking my hand in a toilet full of poop. I hope so. Fingers crossed that my four-year-old has had his last accident.

MrsCoolCat

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2016, 08:12:37 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.

Metric Mouse

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2016, 08:27:14 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.

Meh; some babies do, some babies don't.  I would go used, just because they grow out of them so fast.

bogart

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #10 on: October 31, 2016, 09:18:10 PM »
Congratulations on your growing family!

Most women I've known -- myself included -- have been really happy to have a breastpump when baby arrived -- we faced either oversupply or undersupply (my issue was the latter) and either way a pump is a useful tool.  I did take a used one from a friend, sterilized or replaced the obvious touched-the-milk parts, and didn't sweat the rest. 

Other than that, when baby arrives, you need around a week of seasonally appropriate clothes, enough diapers of whatever flavor you want to have handy for about the same length of time (a week's worth), some receiving blankets, some random and scruffy (or not) cloths for wiping up messes, somewhere safe for baby to sleep, almost certainly a carseat, and lots and lots and lots of ready-to-eat (or nearly ready-to-eat) food (for you!). 

There's other stuff you do or will need, and no harm in trying to anticipate it, but in my experience you will develop really strong opinions about what those things are and they will not jibe with what you thought before baby arrived.  Turns out for example that I have really, really strong opinions about appropriate baby clothes:  only onesies, and all short-sleeved onesies should have full snap fronts (so they don't have to be pulled over baby's head) whereas all long-sleeved/legged onesies should have zippers and NO SNAPS because who the heck wants to be trying to line those stupid snaps up after a 2 a.m. diaper change?  No one.  And at ~2 (?) months I had a desperate need for a battery-powered mobile that could be attached to the crib and that would run uninterrupted for 15 minutes -- as opposed to the lovely, free windup one we had been given that ran for 5 minutes.  The battery-powered one meant I could leave a content-yet-awake baby alone in the crib long enough that I could (wait for it) take. a. shower.  Magical.

And we had a carseat with a base that also went into a (simple, inexpensive) stroller -- they were Graco products -- and OMG did I love both of those things with all my heart.  But other parents will tell you that the carseat-base system is an abomination and that strollers are evil (and for the record I also baby-wore, though I was not a fan of, among other popular options, the Ergo or Beco, which many others swear by, but I STILL loved the stroller AND the lift-out carseat as well as the inexpensive sling carrier I eventually found as something that worked well for me.  The Boppy pillow that many had sworn was the Best Thing Ever, in contrast -- eh.  I mean, I didn't hate it, but I didn't use it much either).

Long story short, there are a few things you want to have on hand for sure when baby arrives -- see list above, and those others have offered.  If you live in the US, are middle- to high-SES, and this is a first baby, there are things people will want to give you (ether as gifts or hand-me-down) and you should let them, trying to provide guidance encouraging them to get you the stuff you think you most need/want, if appropriate.   If possible, you should just hang on to everything you are given until baby is 2 or 3 months old and then return (or pass along) the stuff you don't use (if it's infant stuff, obviously, stuff for later stages, save 'til later).  If you live in a dense urban area (or elsewhere) in a tiny place, then you may need to be more strategic about what you keep/pass along sooner.  And you should anticipate that you'll get some things wrong or otherwise identify stuff you need/want that you didn't anticipate needing/wanting, and when that happens, you should get it (within reason of course).  Because the early months really aren't the time to try to tough it out, instead, take gentle care of yourself as well as your little one as you adapt to the many changes s/he brings to your life. 

And remember, Amazon (etc.) will ship stuff to your home, you don't, in fact, need to have everything on hand at the beginning -- just the essentials.

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #11 on: October 31, 2016, 09:22:56 PM »
I cloth diapered (two babies, for a while), but I had free utilities. Frugalwoods calculated that their savings would be minimal; YMMV. They definitely don't hold as much as disposables. Even Walmart brand disposables seemed to me like magic pee-absorbing devices that just lasted and lasted and lasted.
^^^ This.  We actually use Huggies for the newborn size, but after that, it's Walmart ("Parents' Choice") brand all the way.  Even though they're the cheapest, they've performed really well for our kids.

Not only do you not need a wipes warmer, you don't need wipes, it's best to use cotton pads and water.
Kudos to you for doing that--we could never get that to work.  On the subject of wipes, we have a strong preference for the Pampers brand--other brands seem to stick to the skin/poop/whatever and tear, while the pampers wipe everything up without getting stuck.

okits

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #12 on: October 31, 2016, 10:02:51 PM »
Free wipe warmer: scrunch it up in your hand, hold for 30 seconds (or warm it with your breath).  Check before opening the diaper if there's poop; for a pee diaper one wipe is enough.

appleblossom

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #13 on: October 31, 2016, 11:47:17 PM »
Posting to follow.
I'm due in Feb

K-ice

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #14 on: November 01, 2016, 12:16:45 AM »
The baby box is a great list of what your baby really needs.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22751415


Anatidae V

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #15 on: November 01, 2016, 03:42:55 AM »
The baby box is a great list of what your baby really needs.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22751415
I have been drooling over those boxes. Some bright spark had the idea of selling their own version, and you can still put bub to sleep in it (it has a mattress and linen), and they are so cute. Yes the marketing got to me... But I haven't bought one yet.

http://www.babyboxco.com

https://www.finnishbabybox.com

https://www.thecardboardbox.com.au

catccc

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #16 on: November 01, 2016, 01:37:28 PM »
Our babies cost us so little!  I'm repeating some of what was said above, but breastfeeding is a big money saver.  If you haven't already been in contact with a support group or lactation consultant, set up a connection now so you know who to call if you run into problems.  I was pretty determined to have a successful and long nursing relationship w/ my kids and I did, with a little help.

Cloth diapers.  I probably spent about $200 diapering both of my kids.  And "elimination communication."  Not having to change poopy diapers after month 2 or 3 was great for everyone.  My babies much preferred doing their business in a potty rather than in their pants.  Clean up is so much easier.  It's just a couple of swipes with TP or a cloth wipe instead of wet wipe after wet wipe after wet wipe.

We had one place for baby to sleep - a portable sized crib that was in our bedroom.  AAP now recommends cosleeping (not bedsharing) for at least the 1st 6 months and preferably for the 1st year.  No swings, no pack and play, etc.  We did have a safe baby seat to put baby in on the floor of the kitchen or living room, so I could do other things and attempt to get them to entertain themselves.

A good quality baby carrier was a much better choice for us than a fancy stroller.  A baby carrier and an umbrella stroller for later when baby can sit up properly ended up being a good combo.

I never bought a single disposable diaper or any baby food.  No jarred food, no puffed rice melty things, none of that.  Look up "baby led weaning."  My babies ate real foods that were age appropriate and safe for them.  No weird additives, no weird preservatives.  Just good whole foods.  And food was just for fun until they were one.  And even after that they still got a lot of nutrition from nursing.

Rather than getting an infant bucket car seat that baby would grow out of, we got 10 year life diono radian seats.  I found it much easier to wear my littles than trying to carry around a baby in a bucket car seat.

There is just so much stuff you do not need that people get.  It's insane.  We didn't even baby proof our home.  We just watched our kid the old fashioned way and taught them not to stick objects in electric sockets.


havregryn

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #17 on: November 01, 2016, 02:32:32 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.

woopwoop

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #18 on: November 01, 2016, 02:54:18 PM »
The one thing I didn't get and ended up needing: nursing tops and bras.
The one thing everybody told me I absolutely needed and I didn't: nursing pads.

Seriously, everybody told me I'd be shooting milk all over the house like a firehose, but I ended up with a low milk supply and never needed a single nursing pad. Moral of the story: don't buy stuff unless you're absolutely 100% sure you need it.

MrsPete

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #19 on: November 01, 2016, 05:42:06 PM »
Four rules: 

- Spend whatever it takes to buy quality in the items you'll use every day and/or things that you may use with future children:  This includes crib, stroller, high chair, and car seat.  These things'll make your life easier every day, so don't worry about the cost. 

- Try to borrow the big items -- or buy them used.  You can't know which items you (and the baby) are going to enjoy.  For example, I bought an electric swing for my first child.  She LOVED it, and I was able to put her in it while I prepared dinner.  My second HATED that swing, as she HATED to be contained in any way and wanted to be placed loose on a blanket on the floor. 

- Skimp on things that won't be used long.  Clothing comes to mind first, of course.  Baby clothing is very easy to find used.  If you don't already have one, buy a small food processor; you can mush up the food from your own table much more cheaply than you can buy little jars of baby food (though it does make sense to keep a few on hand for when you're having something spicy, or when you're going out).  The one baby food you do need to buy is baby cereal; it's iron fortified, and no adult equivalent really exists. 

- If you're wondering whether you need a certain item, ask yourself whether it existed in the 1950s.  Other than a car seat, if it didn't exist then, you probably don't need it.  You may decide to go ahead and buy the item anyway, but you'll have identified it as a luxury. 

Specifics:

- Don't stress about a breast pump; they're not necessary -- I only know one person who actually kept up pumping more than a few weeks, and her child was in the NICU, so her motivation was stronger and she wasn't caring for a baby at home.  If you're going back to work, it's stressful enough to juggle baby and work without adding in pumping, and nursing part-time is easy -- IF you take care of yourself, especially by drinking plenty of water.  What you DO need is a nursing pillow; it saves strain on your back, and the shape is more convenient than a bed pillow. 

- Splurge on a nice stroller.  You'll use it for about three years, so it's worth some money.  Choose a model that lays flat for a newborn, has a reversible handle, four wheels that swirl, and includes storage. 

- Don't skimp on taking photographs or reading to the baby.

little_brown_dog

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #20 on: November 01, 2016, 05:56:00 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.

Metric Mouse

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #21 on: November 01, 2016, 08:10:59 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.

havregryn

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #22 on: November 02, 2016, 02:04:43 AM »
Breastfeeding mantra is even worse on mom forums.  First step is really realizing that it is not the end of the world if you can't breastfeed but that it is worth trying hard for. Not only is it best for the baby, if you have this added motivation of wanting to save money it really makes a huge difference as babies drink A LOT of EXPENSIVE milk.

You must be realistic about what it means to have supply issues and also know that you don't need to give up breastfeeding if you start supplementing with formula. My first kid never tried formula before 7-8 months. My second had to be supplemented still in the hospital and I still now keep formula and make a bottle to go out to make my life easier. Militant mom forums will have you believe that breastfeeding is an all or nothing matter, either your kid will never catch a glimpse of a bottle or you can just as well ask to be given lactaction stopping drugs.

And yes, as ladies have said, you simply don't know. I would never have expected issues with the second kid after the first was a breeze but he had much lower birth weight than his brother and I guess he lacked sucking strength and didn't manage to kick off the production properly. At the same time, weight loss for a tiny infant is more of an issue than for a big one (brother weighed 4000g at birth, little one 3160) and it quickly set off the need to supplement. But it's not impossible to return to breast only if you have the time and patience. And you must have a pump! Every time you give your kid formula you need to pump as the boobs must think that is the amount they need to produce. And again, don't let yourself be bullied by militant breastfeeders on this, I honestly feel that for me the bigger motivation for making this work anyway was the fact my job comes with a breastfeeding related perk (I get 2h off each day if I can prove with a medical certificate it's to go nurse an infant) and not the insane mantra that you will scar your kids for life if you don't breastfeed. It's really not a disaster not to breastfeed but if you are wondering about cost, it is very worth trying to stick with it through anything.


frooglepoodle

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #23 on: November 02, 2016, 04:38:39 AM »
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.

All of what little_brown_dog and havregryn said are great points. I had the (probably naive) thought that since breastfeeding is the how our bodies are set up to feed babies, that it would be automatic and easy. I was in for a surprise when I discovered that it would be excruciatingly painful for the first few weeks while my body got used to it and my kiddo learned how to latch.

Something useful that took me way too long to figure out with my son - Infant Tylenol costs 2x as much as Children's Tylenol because each bottle comes with a dosing syringe, but the amount of acetaminophen per mL is identical. I have more dosing syringes than I'll ever need so I just started buying Children's Tylenol. The bottle isn't designed for easy dosing with the syringe, but unless I'm trying to do it in the dark it hasn't been an kind of inconvenience.

MrsPete

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #24 on: November 02, 2016, 07:52:15 AM »
On breastfeeding:  I think part of the issue is that people think it'll be AUTOMATIC.  It isn't.  It's a skill, a skill that takes effort to learn: 

You didn't receive your first bicycle from Santa and immediately ride around the block.  You didn't swim the length of the pool in your first swim lesson.  You didn't bake bread like a pro the first time you touched flour.  So why would you expect to breastfeed perfectly (and feel confident about it) on the very day your child is born?  Furthermore, why would you expect to pick up this new skill immediately after hours of labor, when you're exhausted and not at your best?  Similarly, the baby has to learn how to do this -- why would you assume that a newborn could instantly pick up this skill?  Yes, a full-term baby has the instinct, but they have to learn to eat until they're full /not fall asleep 'til eating is finished. 

Assume that learning to nurse will require effort and practice. 
The lactation specialists in the hospital are GREAT.  Take advantage of their help -- they particularly helped me in positioning the baby properly. 
Bring a breastfeeding pillow to the hospital.
Invest in a couple breastfeeding tops to wear out in public (but realize that modesty isn't likely during the learning stages). 
Drink plenty of liquids.  You can't put out what you aren't taking in. 
Just keep at it, and you're unlikely to fail. 


little_brown_dog

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #25 on: November 02, 2016, 11:23:39 AM »
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.
« Last Edit: November 02, 2016, 11:46:10 AM by little_brown_dog »

SomedayStache

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #26 on: November 02, 2016, 12:20:58 PM »

- Don't stress about a breast pump; they're not necessary -- I only know one person who actually kept up pumping more than a few weeks, and her child was in the NICU, so her motivation was stronger and she wasn't caring for a baby at home.  If you're going back to work, it's stressful enough to juggle baby and work without adding in pumping, and nursing part-time is easy -- IF you take care of yourself, especially by drinking plenty of water.  What you DO need is a nursing pillow; it saves strain on your back, and the shape is more convenient than a bed pillow. 

- Splurge on a nice stroller.  You'll use it for about three years, so it's worth some money.  Choose a model that lays flat for a newborn, has a reversible handle, four wheels that swirl, and includes storage. 

And to spice things up I'll disagree with these two points.

I know lots of working moms that pumped for much longer than weeks.  I pumped for the first year of my childrens lives.  And yes it was stressful. 

I only found strollers useful for the newborn stage.  After that I would usually end up carrying a child and pushing the empty stroller and eventually just resorted to planning to carry (or wear) the child and forgo the bulky stroller.

YMMV.

catccc

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #27 on: November 02, 2016, 01:36:47 PM »

- Don't stress about a breast pump; they're not necessary -- I only know one person who actually kept up pumping more than a few weeks, and her child was in the NICU, so her motivation was stronger and she wasn't caring for a baby at home.  If you're going back to work, it's stressful enough to juggle baby and work without adding in pumping, and nursing part-time is easy -- IF you take care of yourself, especially by drinking plenty of water.  What you DO need is a nursing pillow; it saves strain on your back, and the shape is more convenient than a bed pillow. 

- Splurge on a nice stroller.  You'll use it for about three years, so it's worth some money.  Choose a model that lays flat for a newborn, has a reversible handle, four wheels that swirl, and includes storage. 

And to spice things up I'll disagree with these two points.

I know lots of working moms that pumped for much longer than weeks.  I pumped for the first year of my childrens lives.  And yes it was stressful. 

I only found strollers useful for the newborn stage.  After that I would usually end up carrying a child and pushing the empty stroller and eventually just resorted to planning to carry (or wear) the child and forgo the bulky stroller.

YMMV.

So much of this depends on how you end up parenting.  I didn't use a stroller for a newborn at all!  Just a carrier.

And pumping - w/ my second I was back to work, and I pumped until she was 14 months old.  And it wasn't stressful- I enjoyed the breaks at work, and DH and I (who was the SAHP when I went back to work) and I had a good routine going with pumping/feeding.

Anecdotal nursing stories can really vary... I delivered at a freestanding birth center; a midwife attended birth.  So, I ended up knowing a bunch of kinda crunchy/natural mom types.  Every single one of these moms exclusively breast fed if the were SAHMs, and the few of us that worked pumped and did not supplement.  If I look at my friends that were less interested in crunchy mama stuff, nursing rates are much different.  Up until I met the birth center moms, I knew only a handful of moms, all of which supplemented or exclusively formula fed.  Nothing wrong with either method- breastfeeding and pumping or formula feeding are very personal choices!  Just different, that's all.
« Last Edit: November 02, 2016, 01:40:40 PM by catccc »

catccc

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #28 on: November 02, 2016, 01:43:00 PM »
another easy way to tell if your baby is getting enough if you are nursing is to watch that the output is sufficient...  Diaper contents can tell you a lot!

woopwoop

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #29 on: November 02, 2016, 01:52:55 PM »
I wish I had read up more on breastfeeding issues and latch issues. My daughter struggled for the first 3 weeks and I had to supplement but eventually got back to exclusive BF after some crazy pumping and a tongue tie release. I would recommend reading up on natural "laid back" breastfeeding (also called "biological nurturing"), because I honestly feel like the holds the lactation consultants teach are better for older babies but bad for newborns with latch issues. Lying on your back with the baby on you = easier for your recovery since you're not sitting up, easier for baby to let gravity assist with the latch.

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #30 on: November 02, 2016, 02:49:08 PM »
I haven't read all the replies, so I don't know if anyone covered diapers yet.

We cloth diapered and loved it.  My only regret was buying so many of the pocket diapers, which are more expensive that prefolds. Prefolds made hubby nervous and he really liked the pockets so that's what we mostly did.  I justified it by thinking we'd use them on at least 2 kids, making them still less expensive than sposies (the term cloth diaper moms use for disposables :) ).  As it turns out, nature decided we're one and done.  On the plus side, it was probably still slightly less than sposies and believe it or not, there's a big market for used cloth diapers so I can sell them!

If you just use prefolds and covers, cloth diapering can be insanely cheap and simple.  Don't be scared like my hubby was!  In the end, I always preferred grabbing a prefold rather than a pocket because they were fast and made for a simpler laundry experience.  Take the plunge!  It's cheaper, greener, and there are far fewer chemicals against baby's skin!  Not to mention, the covers are ridiculously cute on their fluffy bottoms!

WSUCoug1994

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #31 on: November 02, 2016, 03:24:18 PM »
Thoughts from a Father of six month old:
- breastfeeding is hard - pumping is worse
- integrated car seat and durable stroller - worth it
- disposable diapers - love them but didn't try cloth - it might be unmustachian of us but we love our Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail
- bottle warmers - used them in the beginning because we didn't know better - just use room temperature water now
- we do use the camera/monitor - wife loves to keep an eye on the baby
- best items we received are second hand - toys, clothes, etc. - we have a local facebook page with "new" parents and there is all sorts of trading/selling going on
- our baby seems to wear each clothing item twice and then it is too small - don't spend a lot on clothes
- child rearing was 2000x harder than we expected and our baby is happy and healthy ;)

MrsCoolCat

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #32 on: November 02, 2016, 08:30:22 PM »
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.?!

woopwoop

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #33 on: November 02, 2016, 09:13:02 PM »
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.?!
I mean, there's goodwill, but it's not like we bought ANY of the clothes for our daughter. It's just that nobody wants to buy used onesies to give as a baby shower present. It's stupid, but there you have it.

monkeytree

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #34 on: November 03, 2016, 10:59:14 AM »
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.

little_brown_dog

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #35 on: November 03, 2016, 11:58:20 AM »
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.?!

I think part of the problem is that there is so much free exchange of baby clothes between family members and friends (or donations to thrift stores and charities) that perhaps there isn’t as great a market as it might seem for buying used baby clothes. 80% of my daughter’s wardrobe are hand me downs from my niece and the rest are new purchases from doting grandmas who can’t help themselves despite my protestations. If you have your family/friends put the word out before your shower that you would love to take gently used baby clothes if people want to get rid of them, you will probably end up with a truckload.

RelaxedGal

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #36 on: November 03, 2016, 01:03:39 PM »
Receiving/swaddling blankets Make sure you get blankets that are at least 30x40", otherwise they won't swaddle for long :)

Examples of things you don't need:
Baby monitor - This one's controversial, but DW and I developed a keen sense of hearing for a baby's cries.

I second the large receiving blankets!  We bought some muslin ones (e.g. https://smile.amazon.com/Muslin-Swaddle-Blankets-3-Pack-Breathable/dp/B01KNKKALK) and got hand-me-down home made flannel ones (I'm in cold New England) plus my Mom made new flannel ones.  I liked them so much I have made flannel ones for friends as shower presents.  Both muslin (summer) and flannel (winter) ones were used as nap blankets at daycare until the little one gave up naps.

As for the monitor: we still use it at 5.5 years old; we even replaced the battery when it wouldn't hold a charge anymore (https://smile.amazon.com/NTM-910YLW-Nursery-Monitor-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B000S35QLC/).  I didn't sleep well with the baby in the room, I wake easily and every time she turned over I would go into fight-or-flight mode, ready for another round of screaming to start (yay colic!).  Moving her to her own room, and putting the monitor into voice activated mode, meant I got more and higher quality sleep.  And with a monitor I could go out and do yardwork during afternoon naps, etc.  Might be more of a need if you're an anxious person like me.  Don't trust my username; it describes the fit of my pants not my personality.

I know lots of working moms that pumped for much longer than weeks.  I pumped for the first year of my childrens lives.  And yes it was stressful. 
And this is why I am A-OK with formula feeding your kid.  I pumped for one year, nursed for two.  I didn't want to let the team down at work so I worked extra hard.  I didn't want to let my kid down, so I pumped 3x/day.  I pumped through lunch.  I was taking breaks my other coworkers didn't (we're salaried).  I always felt I was letting someone down (hint: I wasn't, I got a promotion and a 15% raise at the end of that year).  Because I pumped through lunch I never got to share a meal with coworkers and just chill.  Because I felt I needed to make up for those looong breaks (5 minutes to set up, 20 minutes of pumping, 5 minutes to wipe everything down and put it away, plus "commute time" to and from the mother's room) I never just hung out at the water cooler to chat.  A year without a social life is awful in my opinion.  I felt very stressed and burned out.  Then there were supply issues around the 8 month mark.  And then we started supplementing 1 bottle of formula/day around the 10 month mark when we ran out of frozen milk.  And I felt like I failed my kid, but really she was getting table food at that point, what's the big deal?  So Yes, boobies are made for babies, yadda yadda.  If you're a stay at home mom maybe it's less stressful.  If you're less uptight than I am, it should be much less stressful :-)  Breastfeeding is cheaper, and more convenient if you can avoid bottles and pumping entirely (Woo, no need to wash all those parts!), but if you work and are doing bottles either way I think it's a coin toss.  Fiscal health vs. mental health.

ABC123

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #37 on: November 03, 2016, 01:26:36 PM »
Cloth diapers can save you a ton of money, or can cost way more than disposables. Depends on the way you do it. If you are interested in it, I highly recommend checking out the cloth diaper forum on Babycenter.com. 

For other things not already mentioned, the one product that I thought was amazing is called the Baby Comfy Nose. You can find it on Amazon. Works sooooo much better than those snot sucker bulb syringe things. I had super snotty kids who didn't figure out how to blow their noses until they were 5, and this thing saved my sanity.

boarder42

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #38 on: November 03, 2016, 01:34:56 PM »
following

Johnez

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #39 on: November 04, 2016, 02:26:14 PM »
Posting to follow, great thread so far. Especially "the other side" of breastfeeding which absolutely nobody says anything about. Great that the health professionals want to help, but would be nice to know both sides and the dangers. Perhaps it is the fear of people misusing information, as what happens when anti-vaxxers get ahold of info to justify their positions...

woopwoop

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #40 on: November 04, 2016, 04:06:39 PM »
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!"

I never thought I would cosleep with my baby. Until she screamed every time I set her down on her back due to gas pains, and no amount of burping and bicycle-kicking and gripe water would fix it and she only fell asleep while nursing. She could be dead asleep or merely drowsy, and ten seconds after me setting her on her back in the crib, she's screaming like she's a victim in the tenth Saw sequel. My husband and I did rotating shifts where we would watch her intently as she slept on her stomach, but that was completely unsustainable after a week of insanity.

So now I put her on her side in my bed (hard mattress, no covers on her, hard pillows, low to the ground) and she falls asleep with my boob in her mouth. Sometimes she can even fall asleep on her back if she's nursing because it lets her forget the gas pains. Pediatrician says that her gas pains should subside after another couple of months, but of course she reminds me every visit that she should be falling asleep "on her back in the crib." I'm like "great, I'll try that again lol" but I know it's just not happening anytime in the near future...

Also, Dr. Sears' The Fussy Baby Book is great. Get it from the library if you realize your baby is a fussy baby.

havregryn

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #41 on: November 05, 2016, 04:02:13 AM »
Yes, this sleeping stuff is highly cultural, in Sweden co-sleeping is encouraged,  you put kids in something like this https://babynest.se/sv/ and next to you. Obviously a lot of people have strong feelings about that stuff but the thing is, Scandinavia has a lot less infant mortality of any kind than any other place on Earth, so I get a bit cynical when I have people from other countries (as we both live in and I am originally from vastly different cultures) explaining to me how backward and dangerous their practices appear to be.
Their approaches are definitely different but they are obviously working out just fine.

The second baby I had in this  http://www.redcastle.fr/shop_product_cocoonababy_62-en.html
This is in no way ever worth its retail price as you can only use it for 2 months but buying it used for 30€ worked out good for me. The baby was noticeably calmer in this and it was possible to carry him in this and then put him down more easily when he fell asleep (as when I had him in my arms he felt when I released and went back into full scream mode).

Shinplaster

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #42 on: November 05, 2016, 10:34:21 AM »
Cloth diapers can save you a ton of money, or can cost way more than disposables. Depends on the way you do it. If you are interested in it, I highly recommend checking out the cloth diaper forum on Babycenter.com. 

For other things not already mentioned, the one product that I thought was amazing is called the Baby Comfy Nose. You can find it on Amazon. Works sooooo much better than those snot sucker bulb syringe things. I had super snotty kids who didn't figure out how to blow their noses until they were 5, and this thing saved my sanity.

Thanks so much for posting about the Baby Comfy Nose.  We're new grandparents, and trying to put together a baby 'first aid' kit for our son and DIL.  35 years ago, all we had was the bulb things, and they don't work worth a damn.  I just ordered the Comfy Nose - every baby gets a cold eventually.

jengod

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #43 on: November 05, 2016, 12:55:19 PM »
We just had our third and I have outfitted her almost completely from hand-me-downs and trash piles. (We gave everything away after second baby b/c we thought we were done.) My mom found a fancy changing table in her alley and brought it to me. Friends dropped off a bassinet and our old infant seat (which has been through like five or six kids). I found a high chair by the curb. I found a baby bath tub by the curb. A friend gave us her Ergo. People have swamped us with hand-me-down clothes and gifted us with new clothes.

I did order a wipes warmer on eBay (for DIY cloth wet wipes) and picked up a used jogging stroller on CL. I also had to buy new nursing bras and I happily paid a small fortune for this nursing pillow, which is the same kind I used for my first two and is my very very best friend during the first few months.

If you are a runner and want to run with the baby after he/she is born, start looking for a used BOB stroller. They are terrific.

A good Ergo, Baby Bjorn or wrap is a blessing. It's very nice to be able to be hands-free, especially if your baby wants to be held/carried a lot. As with virtually all baby stuff, these are readily available used in good condition.

If you are considering breastfeeding, you can order reusable cloth nursing pads on Etsy. Like cloth diapers, they have a slightly higher upfront cost but reduce waste and should save you money over time. (Boobs full of milk leak through your nursing bra and shirt with no warning. Water running? Baby crying? Milk.)

Stuff you could skip, IMHO:

You can save money by not buying a "diaper genie" or similar dedicated diaper trash can. Just empty a regular trash can somewhat frequently and you'll be fine. Pro-tip: Breastfed baby poop DOES NOT smell bad like regular poop. The smell starts when you introduce solid food around six months.

Playpens/play yards are not necessary for all kids/parents. You can either just put the kid in baby jail (crib) or simply watch them as they roll/crawl/roam on any mat or rug you already have. Ditto bouncers, swings, walkers, etc.

We had a baby monitor with the first, but eliminated it for two and three. We realized that our house is basically tiny, the baby is almost always near a supervising human, and that the baby crying in a bassinett for 10-15 minutes after waking up while mom is in the back garden is not the end of the world. YMMV.

Honestly my number one tip is to ask people who want to give you something to bring the baby quality hardback children's books or board books. They will grow out of the adorable baby outfits after wearing them three times. A well-loved storybook will last through your kid's childhood. This is a reasonable scheme for office baby showers as well: most people can afford to contribute something small to a "book bouquet" for a new mom.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2016, 01:22:10 PM by jengod »

jengod

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #44 on: November 05, 2016, 01:11:27 PM »
We just watched our kid the old fashioned way and taught them not to stick objects in electric sockets.

I wish we'd had this wisdom. We paid a specialty firm to do a massive baby-proofing of the house and have since reversed almost everything, partly because we take a very Montessori/free-range/natural consequences approach to parenting.

We are in earthquake country so bolting heavy stuff to the walls was a good choice, but virtually everything else during out to be superfluous and ugly.

jengod

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #45 on: November 05, 2016, 01:19:56 PM »
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.

Goldielocks

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #46 on: November 05, 2016, 03:23:26 PM »
I recommend putting together a baby first aid kit ==> with baby tylenol or whatever your pediatrician recommends, thermometer, etc before baby comes home.

You won't need it for a while, hopefully, but that anxious moment when you do, as a first time parent, is pure panic.  Not having a thermometer or baby tylenol or what not on hand, when you call the nurses line at 3am is pure hell.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #47 on: November 05, 2016, 08:43:46 PM »
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 never had a doc ask me for rectal. Maybe ask your doc ahead of time.

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.

BuffaloStache

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #48 on: November 05, 2016, 10:23:07 PM »
replying to follow this thread. Due in April with our first! 1/2 excited, 1/2 terrified

Anatidae V

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Re: Tips on Saving Money on a Newborn
« Reply #49 on: November 05, 2016, 10:47:19 PM »
replying to follow this thread. Due in April with our first! 1/2 excited, 1/2 terrified
I'm due in April too! Your proportions of terrified to excited are about the same as ours :)