Budgeting: what do I really need for my newborn?!

[trippingoverrainbows]

I'm just over 16 weeks pregnant and beginning to make a list of all the things I'll need for the baby. I'm feeling quite overwhelmed and not sure where to start.

I'm looking to make a list of 'must haves' if anyone can help?!

baby grows

sorry, sent that way to soon! here, this may help you www.babycenter.com/0_checklist-baby-clothes-birth-to-3-months_10329367.bc it may also be worth checking out charity shops or ebay for clothes, my daughter volunteers in a charity shop part time, and last week someone bought along a bag of baby clothes new with tags!

Thanks! I never thought of checking out charity shops for new items.

Depends on if your bf or not tbh. There are lots of lists but basically: car seat, vests, baby grows and a hat, blankets or a grow bag, somewhere to sleep (eg Mose basket or other), sheets for the cot (3 at least as they will get solid), nappies, nappy cream, wipes, changing mat, muslins and a bag for them to go in. Plus a pushchair/pram with a flat bed for when they are little and something warm as it's winter for walking them outside.

Soiled... autocorrect errors. (I got some nice things second hand tbh )

Agree with spangly. Except I wouldn’t bother with a pram as we never used ours (always used a sling and they can be hired at a sling library where they can show you how to use it).

Muslins - you can never have too many!!

Muslims-I’ve only ever used one once to create a shade in the park but everyone says you need them so I think I’m in the minority there!

Muslins. Thanks autocorrect

Thanks all. The autocorrect made me

There are a million and one prams/cots/Moses baskets etc. and I have no clue how people decide which ones to go for as they are so many to choose from. It's mind boggling.

@trippingoverrainbows I'm expecting my 2nd and not a clue what way to go regarding pram either. We have a Maclaren which baby will be in as soon as they're sitting up. I loved the carrycot on pram in the house for the first 5 months so wouldn't want to spend a lot on a pram for such a short time

My advice with the pram is don’t spend too much. After 12 months my son was getting heavy so we bought a stroller instead which folds up smaller and much more convenient. Some prams and travel systems are a lot of money and state they can be used up to 3 but will be really heavy by about 2 years

@MaryBoBary we were thinking of one of the travel systems that goes from newborn to around age 3 that you can also attach a buggy board/seat to if you have another child that isn't a good walker. This maybe sounds like a bad idea from what you're saying as it's going to be super heavy (and I'm a weakling!) 

@Angelmiracle the travel systems are eye wateringly expensive so I'm conscious if we buy one we will just have to make it work as by that point we will have blown the budget 🤷‍♀️

You will probably need nipple cream, a blankety scarf and make sure you have layers for being hot and then cooling down! Re prams: Fwiw I was still pushing a first generation oyster max with a 3y 7mo parent facing around the countryside and in the town/city it pushed like a DREAM.

Consider a second hand travel system, one of my biggest purchase regrets is buying one from new. We could afford it but it was such a waste of money. My travel system has been through 2 children and is still in beautiful condition.

If I was starting from scratch I'd consider

What the baby will sleep in
How the baby will be fed
What they will travel in
What the baby will wear

Honestly the basics are: somewhere to sleep so a Moses basket, crib, cot etc. A pram- completely up to you which you choose. Car seat. Clothes wise- vests, baby grows, jackets, cardigans, hats, snowsuit if born in winter. Nappies and wipes. If you’re breastfeeding then lansinoh nipple cream and breast pads! If not then a steriliser, bottles, bottle brush and formula.

If you are happy to buy second hand then do so, baby things, especially the clothes for the first few months, Moses Baskets, baby bouncers etc are grown out of so quickly that's it's hardly worth buying new.

I would say...

Somewhere to put baby down in the day eg cot/crib/Moses Basket/carry cot of pram

Somewhere for baby to sleep at night

Muslins

Nappies (Lidl are great and cheap)

It might be worth investing in reusable wipes (eg Cheeky Wipes) as they save money in the long run and are environmentally friendly

Somewhere to carry baby (sling or pram)

Car seat (might be worth asking friends with children if they are looking to get rid of theirs, just make sure they haven't been in an accident)

Pram wise, go for a yo-yo. They are amazingly light and compact. There is a newborn fitting and then a 6 month plus fitting. Best bit of kit we ever bought. Don't muck around with travel systems.

We also hired a bednest, for the first 6 months of baby to sleep. They moved him to his cot. It was amazing. They send you everything you need for as long as you need it then come get it when you are done. the mattress and sheets are all new. Look into it.

I bought second hand pram, I refuse to pay the prices they are! Vests, grows, sheets. I stocked up on toothpaste, shower gels ect just meant that I had a stock pile after baby so I could hibernate at home without having to go out for those things. The best thing I bought was a baby bath on a stand it saved back ache, you'll likely get tons of stuff as well oh and cotton pads to wash them and change them until they can have Wipes

Thank you all this gives me a great list to get started with. It sounds like second hand is the way to go with the pram/travel system, so will do a nosy to see what I can see people selling!

If you join your local Facebook selling group you can often get some good bargains.

We never used our moses basket and baby sleeps in the bed with us so I wouldn't have them down as a necessity - have a think about it anyway. We rarely used the buggy, we used a sling instead. Only using it now that DS is nearly one and a bit heavy for the sling. We wash him in the shower, not the bath so you can save on that if you like (his dad holds him when he's having a shower).

Re clothes, pp may have mentioned charity shops, ebay / free trade / similar second hand websites for cheap bundles. You might also get baby clothes as presents. Depending on your friendship group /family you may have people willing to pass on /lend you baby clothes too

If you're planning to breast feed you will not need bottles, formula, steriliser. You might need/choose to pump but don't worry about that for now. There's no paragraphs on mn today AFAIK but in relation to nappy changes, we changed baby on the floor /bed/sofa on a cushion or blanket so no need for a changing table. Now he can roll so it's not safe anyway. Someone mentioned cheeky wipes. They're great I love them. You could just cut up an old towel either. Also if you are interested cloth nappies might save money long term. And you LA might give you a grant for them