When you're expecting your first little bundle of joy, it can be tempting to splurge huge amounts of cash on all the baby equipment there is for sale - after all, as a new parent, you're often not sure what is and what isn't necessary. It's an anxious enough time anyway so it's easy just to slip into the mind-set of buying everything 'just in case' but, if you do, the bill could run into thousands. When you're on maternity or paternity leave, you'll need to save all the pennies that you can, so exactly what do you need to buy? This list should give you a few pointers:
Really, really essential:
A pair of breasts or several baby bottles + teats + the correct baby formula + sterilizer + a kettle (and a clean water supply).
Nappies - reusable or disposable.
Clothes - babygros or vests and sleep suits are fine for the first few months. You don't need all the fancy outfits and fiddly bits (although you will probably be given several). Some sleep suits have built in scratch-mitts which is handy as the ones you buy to put on their tiny fists never stay on properly.
A warm, safe place to sleep. SIDS guidelines state the baby should sleep in your bedroom (but not in your bed) for the first six months of their lives.
A safe place to be bathed.
A new car seat if you're going anywhere by car (including back from the hospital after the birth). This and the cot mattress are really the only things you shouldn't buy second-hand.
Fairly essential:
Muslins. These are great: they are absorbent, soft, easily washed and dried, can be used as a quick, impromptu nappy, held over your shoulder to protect your clothes from baby sick, used as a comforter for an older baby, draped over the pram to act as a sunshade. When your children are grown, you can use them as dusters and for jam and cheese making! No need to buy the branded ones: you can buy them much more cheaply at the bigger supermarkets and on eBay.
A sling, pram or buggy. You don't necessarily need a hugely expensive 'travel' system. Our most useful buggy (light, foldable and easy to stow away) was picked up a car boot sale for eight pounds.
Nice to have:
A baby bath. We used ours for months as it was much quicker and more economical than filling the bigger bath. Other people don't use them at all. When your baby is really tiny you can even bath them in the sink - just be careful with the taps!
A changing table. I never bothered with one but if you've had a Caesarean section, it's much less of an effort than using the floor. On the flip side, you must supervise your baby at all times and never leave them alone on the table - it's too easy for them to wiggle off.
Fairly pointless:
A nappy bin and nappy sacks. If you're using disposable nappies, you can wrap them in everyday plastic bags and put them straight in the main rubbish bin outside (sadly, they can't normally be recycled although a pioneering recycling plant has recently been established in West Bromwich). If you put them in the nappy bin, yes, the smell and mess might be locked away for a while but - and this is the crucial point - sooner or later, you will have to empty the bin. I know couples who actually pay each other to do this, so dreadful is the task.
Bathwater thermometer. To test if the water is at a safe temperature, run the bath and test it with your elbow.
Top and tail bowl. Here's a tip - use one bowl, wash your baby's face first, then their bottom.
Don't waste your money:
Baby wipes warmer. I mean, seriously. Who buys these?
Bottle warmer. A bottle warmer takes approximately 5 minutes to power up and warm a bottle to sufficient temperature. This is less time than it takes to boil a small amount of water in a standard size kettle, pour into a jug and stand the bottle in it for a minute.
Don't underestimate how many gifts you'll receive on the birth of your baby, especially if it's your first child. eBay, car boot sales, Freecycle and charity shops are also good hunting grounds for second hand clothes, toys and books. Raising a child can be expensive (most particularly when you lose an income) but it doesn't have to be ruinous. Don't get yourself into debt: cut your cloth accordingly and make the most of the time with your new baby.
Celina Lucas has a young family, owns virtual assistance business Office Alchemy, and writes a variety of articles on how to stay (relatively) sane whilst coping with a business and small children. She would like to be a yummy mummy but falls at the first hurdle because she has no time to get a haircut.
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