Baby on a budget

strawberrybee

I'm starting to panic and need a bit of help - our first child is due in 8 weeks and we're nowhere near ready.

We have a few bits that people have given us but neither of us have ever really been around babies before and haven't got a clue where to start. We're also on a bit of a tight budget as my fiance is the only one working now (my contract ended last week) so we need to be really careful about what we buy - what are the absolute essentials for a baby?

Thanks

Katie-Kat-Kins

Ah don't panic you really can do it for very little, I don't have my own but my sister had virtually nothing when her baby was born, she lost her flat and her OH when he was tiny too, but they got through and are doing well now.

Main things for now are:
1. Moses basket/carrycot will do for the first 8 weeks rather than a cot much cheaper and probably available from a friend with a littleone or freecycle. Don't get a cot just yet you won't need it for a while.
2. Pram, go for second hand, check freecycle and with friends first though, then look at ebay and classifieds. My sister got a great McLaren from a friend of a friend who still had it left from her child. It was in great nick and better quality than the tat that was available in mothercare. You might get lucky and find a silvercross pram going begging! (you can manage without for the first couple of weeks though as you probably won't get out a lot on foot and can probably manage with a sling and the carrycot/moses basket or car seat.
3. If you drive or plan to take baby home from hospital in a car then you need a car seat. This is something you can't trust to freecycle and probably needs to be bought new unless you have a friend or relative that you trust who has one that has been well looked after. Car seats should be disposed of if involved in an accident.
4. If you don't plan to breast feed, bottles and sterilisers, again check out freecycle and friends for any donations.
5. Blankets can also be obtained from freecycle, charity shops friends and relatives, or make your own.
6. You don't need specific towels or muslins and things, you also don't need changing stations, baby baths, etc etc ask your mum or grandma what they found useful.
7. A changing mat, you can probably get a freebie one in a pack from boots if you register with their mother and baby scheme, you don't need anything fancy and these fold up into a bag. Register for as many freebies as you can. You also don't need a changing bag, any bag will do but you may well pick up a free one.
8. Nappies, cotton wool, wipes, etc pick up a couple of bits each time you do your shopping and use your loyalty points to get things "freee".

Hope that helps a bit. Don't panic, anything you need which you don't have can be bought when baby is here.

Do check your benefits and whether you are entitled to anything like a sure start grant too.

starbump

Car seat (if you have a car), nappies and clothes.

I'd also recommend a sling, a stroller, a breastpump, a bottle and teats, baby wipes, baby powder, bath mat, a few lightweight toys, loads of muslins, either a cot or bedguards for your bed, stairgates (if you have stairs)... Hmm. The list is in fact endless. Don't worry too much. The car seat is a legal necessity and nappies and clothes are a no-brainer. The rest just makes life easier and nicer. How long ago do you think infant formula and disposable baby wipes were invented? We even get special nappy bins and baby wipe warmers these days. lol

Good luck with the birth. I reckon all my sensible purchases were after the baby(s) arrived because I was more focused then. Stuff bought before were more of the... impulse purchase types - despite all the extra shopping time!

morocha

Hi OP, first Congratulations !! you baby will make your life so much happier !!:j
the first thing that cross my mind is nappies !! lots of them, if you see any special deal, stock up !! 2* wipes or cotton wool.. i bought Huggies 9 pack for £5 in tesco the other day....
As long as you have nappies, clothes and a place for the baby to sleep in.. I think you will be ok.
Wwill you be breastfeeding ? that will make things so much cheaper !
If you have got a car, a baby car seat is a must. hth

Caroline73_2

Congratulations!

Don't bother with newborn babygrows, just go straight for 0-3 months. you can get them from supermarkets really cheap in multipacks, or ebay is good too. Babies outgrow them before they wear out so are often in good condition.

Car seats- if you only need one for going home from the hospital ask your midwife as some areas offer a car seat lending service.

tori.k

Freecycle there is always loads of babystuff going on our local one, id agree KatP idea of a second hand pram, most people only use one for the first year if that then move onto a stroller, ask if you can put a note up on the local playgroup board (a friend daughter did this) before you know it your be knee deep in babygrows etc etc,
Congrats & best wishes

smallfry1983

We were in the same position with our first son, and almost a similar position this time (due in 5 weeks).

Firstly, dont panic!

Things that must be bought new (unless you have a very trustworthy friend) is car seat and preferably cot mattress. Im going to go against the grain with what everyone says - our son hated the moses basket and slept in his cot from 4 weeks (that was when we finally gave up on the moses basket idea). We got our cot from Ikea, and mattress and bedding for under 100 quid.

You may find some second hand cots on ebay, but mattresses really should be bought new.

New bottles and a steriliser if youre going to bottle feed, breast pads if youre breastfeeding.

Freecycle for the rest - clothes, moses basket, buggy/pram, might even get a cot on there, I know mine has them a lot. My local one also has A LOT of reusable nappies which has saved us so much money with DS, and will do again with the next one. Get a few metres of jersey or cotton or muslin fabric and you have a moby wrap (form of sling) ready to use. We'll be using a sling for the first few months with this one because we can't afford a double buggy.

Luxuries - changing mat, nappy wrapper, furniture (we used a small storage box to keep clothes in for the first couple of months). outfits are a bit of a waste, all the baby needs is to be warm, so sleepsuits and vests and blankets should be fine for the first couple of months.

I also agree with pp, prams can be a bit of a waste. we got ours for DS off a family friend and used it for 4 months, then got a maclaren buggy - prams just take up too much room in the car, and usually have to be dismantled.

Congrats, and good luck! It will all work out, even if it feels like it wont.

Oh, the NCT website will have details of second hand sales near you

Pepzofio

If you can cope with washable nappies, they will save you an absolute fortune. You can get the traditional terries squares for next to nothing on ebay etc, if you can't find someone to show you how to fold them there's websites online that will.

I invested in some eco-balls for washing them - they cost about £30, but they last for something like 1000 washes and I found they got the ammonia smell out of nappies better than detergent. You can use them for normal washing too, with the added bonus of being good for the environment!

kindofagilr

If your on certain benefits I think you can get £500 from surestart?

mummy_Jay

It depends on how you want to parent, My DS spent the first 4mths sleeping in my bed, so I never need a moses basket. Then into a travel cot (with extra matress) until he moved into his own room and a full sized bed at 12 mths.

On the pram/push chair/stroller front I got a pushchair thats suitable from birth to 18 mths, after that DS was on his feet about 12mths and happy with just reigns by 18 mths.

The baby sleeping bags are brilliant and cut back on bedding requirements.

Make sure you sign up so every baby site going, huggies, pampers, Tesco, boots. You'll get freebies and vouchers to help.

Also don't be afraid to ask friends that have little ones if you can borrow things, like a sling or pushchair, you'll be amased want all of a sudden they come up with.

Otherwise just nappies, wipes, some sort of suitable soap or baby wash and maybe some sudacream just incase.

freda

Your friends are freecycle, charity shops and supermarkets! Off the top of my head, the essentials I'd suggest would be:

Eating
If breastfeeding:
Nursing bras. Don't bother with nursing tops, just wear a very top under a t shirt
washable breast pads
Lansinoh ointment - essential for the first few painful weeks

If formula feeding:
bottles, teats
steriliser
Formula - get the powder but the little ready made boxes are useful for emergencies
Portion pot for the powder when out and about


Sleeping
Sleeping bags are fantastic but not advised for newborns. I'd get a couple of light blankets and sheets. You can use the sheets to swaddle as well, this worked a real treat with both of mine to help sleeping.

something to sleep in - a cot, which will need mattress and sheets, or in your bed (but read up on the safety of this)

Something to sleep in during the day - either a moses basket (good if you get a free one but not worth buying new imho, as baby is happy on the floor!), a travel cot or we just put up a pram inside.

Clothing
Newborns just need vests and babygrows. Nothing fancy!
If you are going out and it will be cold, look at a snowsuit for the winter months.

Nappy things
Newborn size nappies - go for supermarket own brand as they are cheaper. Or washable nappies are way cheaper in the long run.

Sudocream, metanium

Wipes - I like the sainsburys frangrance free ones

Nappy bags

Nappy bin - something with a well sealing lid to keep the pong in

Cotton wool pads are better than balls for putting on cream and wiping mess off.

Bathing:

don't bother with a baby bath unless you can pick one up for free, they grow out of it within a few months. Just use the sink or a bucket till they are a bit bigger.

We use infacare as bubbles and cleanser for baths, but you don't need anything for a newborn. Don't bother wiht allthe johnsons stuff, it really irritated by two's skin.

Also don't bother with the baby towels, theres nothing wrong with wrapping them up all cosy in an adult towel!

Out and about
Sling - we LOVED our kari me stretch wrap sling and didn't bother with a pushchair till 3 months.

Don't bother with atravel system pushchair, they are heavy to get in and out of the car and pretty soon you'll be wanting the simplicity of a foldable umbrella style buggy.

Changing bag

Travel cot - not necessary till later when baby starts rolling. Till then they'll be happy on the floor or being held.

Lots of muslin squares for wiping up, burping, emergency nappies, sun screens, extra layers, you name it they will do it.