What kit do I need for my new baby?

Gefjun

Hi,

We're in a similar situation - due in April - and the advice we've been given so far is:

Don't buy too much stuff - loads of people generally have stuff to give/want to buy gifts for the baby and if you buy the essentials, you'll end up with loads of toys to clutter up the house.

Having said that, my mum has already offered to buy us a buggy (under £200 from Kiddicare - very reasonable prices if you want any brand new stuff)

Most of the other stuff we're looking at getting second hand - we went to a car boot sale at the weekend and picked up a travel cot for £5 and a practically new papoose for £15. There were tons of what looked like brand new clothes and toys there for as little as 10p. I've also been trawling sites like preloved and netmums, plus will be scouting round the charity shops. Another tip I've been given if you're buying second hand is to have a good smell of the item - if it smells of smoke, then it's come from a house of smokers, so maybe best not to buy it as the smell is hard to get rid of (apologies to any smokers here). Anything you do buy can either go into the washing machine, dishwasher, or be washed down with sterilising solution before the baby uses it.

If you're on a tight budget, you might want to consider reusable nappies. I found a website which said that the cost of keeping a child in nappies up to the age of 2.5-3years (can't quite remember which) was £450 for reusables against £1800 for disposables, so that's something we're bearing in mind, especially if you're going to have more than one child. There are companies where you can hire reusables to try out the different brands before you buy, plus some councils do grants if you buy reusables (plus some will accept a receipt from a private seller so you can also buy second hand). There seem to be lots of websites where you can buy them second hand too.

We're compromising on some things e.g. instead of a baby bath, I'm using a washing up bowl and a separate jug for washing the baby's face (instead of a top and tail bowl) - when the baby grows, they can be bleached and put into use somewhere else in the house!

Don't go overboard stocking up on new born clothes as baby's grow quickly, so they'll only get a few wears out of them before they're on to the next size.

We've been through a list of 'essentials' and only put down about 25% of the list of things that we think that we need, so don't take everything as read that you definately need it - make a judgement of whether you do, or you can do without.

Also look around for the baby event sales at big stores to get your baby toiletries cheap.

Must get back to work, but I hope this helps.

Good luck! Gefjun x

sivyour

Freecycle / Freegle
and Ebay for clothes of course.

I have spent so far £27 on a crib, and about £25 on sewing fabric for nappies, bed linen, and a bean bag.
I spent £15 on ebay on 0-3 months clothing, £9 on a cow patterned snow suit.
£10 on a new breast pump from asda.
I also spent £5.99 on a bag of beans for my bean bag.
I have been freecycled/freegled a very nice 0 car seat, unused from a travel set.
A moses basket and stand (thanks Nikki), bath and stand, toys and clothes 0-12 months, a baby walker, play gym, baby carrier and a buggy. I spent about £20 in fuel to collect.
£2.48 on a dress and cardy in a charity shop.
I have used my vouchers to by newborn disposables but have been making older ones including wipes.

Who says babies need to cost a fortune

When buying a pram/buggy, I would avoid one with two handles if you want it to last and get a fixed bar handle one.

Incidently, Asda are about to have another of their baby sales...5th to the17th October!!

Buggys and car seats from £25 ( including hauck Multi recline pushchair, nania trio plus carseat, graco junior car seat, travel cot)

Tommy Tippee (TT) Breast pumps £10 manual, £40 electric set, electric sterilizer £25, monitor £40.

Advent microwave sterilizer £10, bottle set £12

Low chairs from £15, high chairs from £25.

Baby walkers £35 and £45

Play gym £15, bath seat £10
Stair gate £15

Nappies/wipes/essentials sets, all also reduced

A little word of caution on buying so early, keep reciepts for a start.
But we lost two babys last year at 11+1 weeks in may and 12+2weeks in November and having lots of baby bits about really rubbed salt in the wound:(

emsywoo123

red_devil wrote: »

if i was pregnant i would wait till baby was born altho i know you have to get organised abit.

Have you had a baby??! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

sivyour

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/37019996#Comment_37019996

digitalphase

sivyour wrote: »

Freecycle / Freegle
and Ebay for clothes of course.

I have spent so far £27 on a crib, and about £25 on sewing fabric for nappies, bed linen, and a bean bag.
I spent £15 on ebay on 0-3 months clothing, £9 on a cow patterned snow suit.
£10 on a new breast pump from asda.
I also spent £5.99 on a bag of beans for my bean bag.
I have been freecycled/freegled a very nice 0 car seat, unused from a travel set.
A moses basket and stand (thanks Nikki), bath and stand, toys and clothes 0-12 months, a baby walker, play gym, baby carrier and a buggy. I spent about £20 in fuel to collect.
£2.48 on a dress and cardy in a charity shop.
I have used my vouchers to by newborn disposables but have been making older ones including wipes.

Who says babies need to cost a fortune

When buying a pram/buggy, I would avoid one with two handles if you want it to last and get a fixed bar handle one.

Incidently, Asda are about to have another of their baby sales...5th to the17th October!!

Buggys and car seats from £25 ( including hauck Multi recline pushchair, nania trio plus carseat, graco junior car seat, travel cot)

Tommy Tippee (TT) Breast pumps £10 manual, £40 electric set, electric sterilizer £25, monitor £40.

Advent microwave sterilizer £10, bottle set £12

Low chairs from £15, high chairs from £25.

Baby walkers £35 and £45

Play gym £15, bath seat £10
Stair gate £15

Nappies/wipes/essentials sets, all also reduced

A little word of caution on buying so early, keep reciepts for a start.
But we lost two babys last year at 11+1 weeks in may and 12+2weeks in November and having lots of baby bits about really rubbed salt in the wound:(

Thanks

We will go to the next baby event they have, as I want to have seen my baby first before buying anything else. I'll be almost 13weeks then, so if everything is OK, we will start getting some bits together.

We won't be getting the big things like the cot bed, car seat and buggy until I am 16weeks plus though, just in case.

Bufger

Having bought all of this in the last couple of months i can tell you the recent prices ive paid. I also did exactly the same as you and bought the buggy, car seat, cot matress and feeding equip brand new and the rest second hand.

digitalphase wrote: »

Not due until May (fingers crossed!) but we like planning. I know there have been similar threads in the past, but I can't find them, and I want something to take my mind off 'morning, noon and night' sickness :rotfl:

We were thinking of getting the following items brand new or second hand. Any ideas on prices for these items? I know it's a bit "how long is a piece of string" but would like some idea of figures.

Brand new

Cot mattress £65 from mamas and papas.
Buggy £250 (Silver cross 3d)
Car seat £120 (Silver cross, goes with the 3d as a travel system)
Feeding equipment £20 on an Asda baby event for 4 bottles and sterilizer, additional bottles are around £8 for 2 on offers.

Second hand

Cot (i got for free)
Most clothes (Get most new from places like Asda. You'll also find alot of people will buy baby clothes for you so you wont have to buy too many)
Toys (can newborns use the playmat/activity centres things where they lay on their back? ) YES! this encourages the development of their neck muscles. I got a play mat gym thing for £4 second hand
Baby monitor i got one second hand for £5+postage from ebay
Bathing equipment i got the baby bath for free. Alot of people us a sink (its easier apparently!) The towels etc are a couple of pound from Asda

And anything else I've forgotten.

Also, how many nappies do newborns tend to go through? We're going to use disposables.

They say you should use between 8 and 10 nappies per day initially if you're doing a 4 hourly feed. So basically you need ALOT! get a few newborn whenever they're on offer. You can get some for free if you sign up with bounty and a few other sites/stores. Also watch out for the Asda baby and toddler event coming soon, they have a couple of these a year where they discount loads of stuff.

You may also want/need - moses basket + stand = £55. Materials/paints/carpets/blinds or whatever you want to do with the nursery!

Make sure you get any car seat fitted to your car, some cars cant fit certain seats. Also make sure you try the buggy in the boot before you buy, no good having a fiat cinciento trying to fit a massive buggy in the boot! (and make sure you can fold/lift easily, possibly with one hand whilst holding baby!)

Dont put the buggy/cot in your house until its born if you're superstitious. Dont buy it all straight away, spread it over the duration and enjoy it

LilacPixie

digitalphase wrote: »

Not due until May (fingers crossed!) but we like planning. I know there have been similar threads in the past, but I can't find them, and I want something to take my mind off 'morning, noon and night' sickness :rotfl:

We were thinking of getting the following items brand new or second hand. Any ideas on prices for these items? I know it's a bit "how long is a piece of string" but would like some idea of figures.

Brand new

Cot mattress we have a cotbed £180 from mothercare 99frame and 100 matress but £20 off voucher from an email, 'baby' 4 next week and still in it
Buggy depends on preferance, lie flat stroller or a pram that then converts. Mothercare are doing a travel system for £120 but IMO you get some decent bargains on ebay new.
Car seat might come with travel system but 60-120
Feeding equipment amazon doing the TT complete feeding set for £60

Second hand

Cot under £100 new
Most clothes very little especially if you dress in sleepsits most of hte time
Toys (can newborns use the playmat/activity centres things where they lay on their back? ) mat for tummy time good, few quid in a car boot
Baby monitor mines was £13 new in tesco but in 2006
Bathing equipment you have a kitchen sink!

And anything else I've forgotten.

Also, how many nappies do newborns tend to go through? We're going to use disposables.

added some comments in red.

Princess_Coupon

Cots start at £34.99 in ikea

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/departments/childrens_ikea/18755/

highchairs at £10.99

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/departments/childrens_ikea/18715/

bath £4.99 changing table £24.99

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/departments/childrens_ikea/18701/

cheap bedding, sleeping bags, hooded towels

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/departments/childrens_ikea/18690/

digitalphase

Thanks so much for the many helpful comments, really appreciate it

I won't be bathing baby in kitchen sink. Would rather get a little bath or large washing up bowl and do it in the bath

Looks like a trip to Ikea may be in order then. The cots are really reasonably priced, and I like Ikea stuff.

misfire

Many of the cheaper cots do not have drop sides (I wouldn't have a cot without one) I don't think the Ikea ones do.

I got my travel system (petite star city bug) from nurseryvalue.com - it is reconditioned for £65 - it had two tiny weeny pin scratches where the wheels pop on and a missing cup holder (£6.99 for a cup holder from there site). The full price one on their site was about £160 and it was more in other shops on the net.

Instead of buying now and stocking up - I have a savings can that I put money into so I can buy stuff when we know the babies sex (don't tell you here) and when you know what other have bought you.

I did get some totally white baby grows and body suits - I don't mind white but my friend got loads of white and dyed them in the washing machine - still cheaper than getting coloured ones.

Asda do a big bottle of sterilizing fluid for 80p - its won mother and baby awards for two years - I got a fab baby bath at a car boot (the over the bath style - just what I was after and they are normally really expensive) total cost £1.80p including the sterilizing fluid!

Do lots of research and find out what you really need & what your requirements are. With my buggy I knew I needed a light weight, quite small but with a big shopping cart - and a travel system would be handy. I discounted loads of 'fashion' buggys (some very expensive) because although they looked lovely they just don't fit my individual needs.