New baby essentials
Diaper bags, baby carriers, cots, strollers – the list seems endless once you start shopping for baby buys. Here, the Supernanny team cuts through the confusion to bring you a list of 10 essentials for the first few weeks of baby’s life, as chosen by moms. And to put your hard-earned cash to best use, we’ve also checked out a few options to get these items on a budget.
What’s she going to wear?
Between feeding and changing, you’ll need to have at least two onesies for daytime, plus a slightly warmer one for night time (depending on the season). These can be quite expensive, so ask your friends and family for any baby clothes they’re done with. If you're looking for bargain buys on line visit ebay. After Christmas sales are always a great way to find deals, as are second hand stores, and you can't beat Target and Walmart for a deal!
And on her bottom?
Give re-usable diapers a try – the start-up costs aren’t too expensive and the long term savings could be hundreds of dollars. If you’re nervous, give yourself a time limit and review what you and your partner think of re-useables after a month. If you’re set on disposables, try the eco-friendly ones, and shop around for bulk deals. Use cotton wool and warm water or olive oil for cleaning and try bio-degradable diaper sacks.
What’s she going to eat?
Breastfeeding is best for your baby and best for you, so make sure you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet to make the best milk. It will also save you lots of money and time spent sterilizing bottles and warming feeds! If you’re unable or choose not to breastfeed, or need to supplement your breastfeeding with bottle feeds, you’ll need the bottles, spare teats and a sterilizer.
Where’s she going to sleep?
Moses baskets are popular for the very young baby, as they’re portable and cosy. But you probably won’t need it after about eight weeks (once she starts wriggling a lot!), so see if you can borrow or buy one from a friend or on ebay.
You can use a crib from day one, but there are lots of different things to consider when choosing one – size, what it’s made of, whether you want drop-down sides and so on. There are plenty of different models available at a huge range of costs, so use the internet to shop around.
Moving about…
Even inside the house, it’s handy to have a baby carrier from very early on, to protect your back and give you two free hands! These can be quite expensive new, but again there’s a great variety so shop around, but don’t scrimp on quality here – your back will make you pay for it!
Once you’re ready to brave the outdoors, the choice of strollers is phenomenal, and there are real bargains if you shop around. Again, make sure you have some basic criteria in mind – weight, size, whether you need a carseat/ travel system, and so on. Ask friends and family for their recommendations, and stick to your budget.
And for you…
Make sure you get some new house clothes (you’ll still be quite big, remember) before you go into hospital. Also, try and stock up on a few nutritious, frozen meals in the weeks before your baby comes – you’ll be too tired to cook and will thank yourself!