just curious.....whats the average "start-up cost" (!) for a newborn?

[IsawPussycatmommakissingsanta]

Thats it really, just pondering. Have been looking at a variety of sources from ebay to designer end......what do you really need?? how much would you say is essential? If you do stuff normally and not go completely OTT then what would you say cost is? i know will vary enourmously on what you choose etc but come on play along. we are ttc at moment, and these things crop up along the way! I know once youve got kids you never have any money according to the world and his wife, but what do our mumsnet experts have to say??? All comments welcome!

clba - absolutely it is lifestyle! Oh I loved the sling, it worked brilliantly for us. But I didn't know until two months later. As I said, with the benefit of hindsight.... I'd have saved money in that area and spent it on the b/f help (the nhs being lacking a bit locally).

Oh lordy yes, if you could save money on say clothes (you get given lots I think) and spend it on a cleaner. Really wish I had done that.

People really are extraordinarily generous and partly it's having been there so knowing how much you appreciate it, and partly they want to have a clear out.

Also bear in mind that no matter how frugal/restrained you decide to be, when the baby arrives you won't be able to move for stuff.

We were extraordinarily lucky and were given LOADS of stuff second-hand including a pram. Two friends had had babies a few months before and so we got and are still getting no end of clothes from them, some on loan, some as gifts. Second-hand children's stuff is really easy to come by in most cases.
A couple of things I found essential, apart from the obvious (cot, car seat, pram/pushchair combi etc.) were:
baby carrier (we have a baby björn on long-term loan from a friend)
sleeping bags/grobags
moses basket (ds is 7mo and still uses it to sleep during the day - he is small and it's a big one)

What I found useful, was to work out how much money we would be down each month once my money dropped to Statutory Maternity Pay and tried to save up enough to replace it (or as near as possible)before dd arrived, we saved equivalent of £500 per month. Whilst I didn't have exactly the same as my wages each month once she was born, it wasn't too far off, so I was still paying some bills and we didn't feel like paupers, could get takeaways/bottles of wine etc when required (which was frequently ). Of course now I am returning to work, the nursery costs will be a shock!

puss - lol, u sound like me when we started TTC! this site's fab when u are. I had my nappy's planned pushchair the works, but when it came to it money governed and DH didn't like what i'd picked - so short of saying to him I want i'm having! lol - we sat on the comp together and ordered it all online about 3 weeks ago the bulky stuff. we were v lucky as parent's paid but also I got a £300 cotbed/changer set from babies are us for £150 in their half price sale - so was v pleased with thta (it's nice to think u've got more for your money! lol)

I don't really go in for the designer stuff - althou we do have a lot of next clothes and baby gap - mostly ones which friends have given us/bundles from ebay, as 2 friends had boys this jan just gone. - althou my cousin's g/f is also due at the end of feb so i'll prob send some stuff up to her as well as they have less than we do.

as cold says I know how to use a washer! - was snobby about 2nd hand stuff at first esp clothes but most of them i've been given are pratically brand new anyways.

like u i'd love everything to match and i'd love the best of everything but for us it's just not feisable (so we have a decent quality at a fraction of the price - que babies r us! lol) - besides which DH wouldn't let me spend all of our budget on one item if I can but 10 things else where iycwim. only thing we're not going to skimp on is the matress and also the nappys. DH had to have brand new for those.

Quick tip - Boots own brand nappies are made by Huggies (I have on good authority as I know people from Boots Head Office). They are a bit less expensive. We have used them and they work well, we have rarely had any leaks.

glad to see this thread gaining some interest! What started me off, with it being Christmas and all, is , think about it......Wtf did Mary and Joseph have? first time parents, not planned (!), no 3 bed detatched on the horizon, no out of town mothercare opening on the outskirts of Bethlehem!!! Just him, her and a newborn in a manger for goodness sake!!!!
btw good to hear about all the 2nd hand bargains out there.......i love 2nd hand but twas unsure if was "the done thing" for a brand new bambino.

I am the most minimalist mum. Here's my couldn't have done without list

• baby bath seat (not a bath, waste of money.The seat saves your back
• baby car seat with chassis to put it on to push around (although probably not so great for off-road. Also doubles as a wee seat for them to sit in and be rocked. Did DD until 9 months then I got ..
• cheapest, simplest buggy (Maclaren Volo)
• all-in one PJs are what mine lived in for first couple of months as I couldn't be arsed dressing them up nicely coz it was so footery and then they just puked down it anyway
• some nice fleecy blankets (Primark £1.50) they wash well and dry quickly (puke reasons again)
• lidl nappies - cheapest and best IMO unless you go for reusables

Of forgot to say ..
I never bought a steriliser (there is another really good thread on here explaining that sterilising isn't really necessary but I'm not going to hijack the thread with that argument). I boiled things in a pan of water or blasted them in a dish in the microwave for 5 minS if I felt it was necessary

Five years ago thius is what I did...

Cot (free from cousin-3rd hand)
Moses basket (£5 from Age Concern)
Pram/stroller (£69 brand new)
Made my own bedding from sheets and blankets. Also made some little patchwork quilts
12 all in one vests,12 all in one white babygros
Given little jumpers and cardigans
Babybjorn sling (£30 or so brand new??)
Bath (£5 brand new)
One or two bottles and breast pump (£30 brand new?)

Can't see that that lot would have come to more than £150.

And (I keep remembering things), if it's your first you'll receive more pressies than you'll ever use. Keep the labels on and you can return them for something more suitable or another size. I got 3 anoraks aged 3-6 months!!!! Already had inherited some so exchanged them for vouchers to use as and when I needed something. And people will always get the seasons wrong which is another good reason for taking stuff back. My DD was born in September so I got lots of dresses aged 3-6 months. When she reached that age it was the middle of winter so these were exchanged for cosier things (or vouchers)