Start-up costs for new baby

esio_trot

Nappies - Miight budget a little more for them to include all accessories (like liners, nappy pail, airer (as pigpen said - we can fill an airer every day or two) ). Also, look at your local council - they may have a scheme running where you can get trial packs for about £10-15. I'm not sure I'd splash out on a whole set until you know the size/build of your baby - then take advice from the nappy lady or similar. £230 for near daily washing (15 nappies) plus accessories

Cotton wool etc - If you're doing reusable nappies, go for reusable wipes - even purpose made, bought ones, will only cost you £20-£30, less if you buy washcloths cheaply. Store them damp in a tupperware. Will save you loads on cotton wool. You should get a packet of wipes in your bounty pack in the hospital that you can use for yucky meconium nappies.

Clothes - Supermarkets! I find Tesco are cut a bit better for real nappies. I'd estimate 15 each of sleepsuits and vests if you want to be washing regularly. Don't bother with outfits - people will buy them for you and they will be impractical! (cute though!)

Bibs - we loved the tommee tippee milk feeding bibs for bottle feeding when LO was tiny - the spongy bit really did save him from a lot of skin irritation

breast feeding/bottle feeding - depends on how confident you are that you'll manage to BF - you can go without all of the bits until baby is here and you've established whether or not BF is for you. You can always send someone out to mothercare/big 24 hour supermarket to buy the bits you might need should it come to that.

Muslins - I had a sicky/refluxy baby and went through 2 or 3 a feed - I'd go for 15-20

Bedding - I go for the rule of 3 - one on, one in the wash, one just in case. I'd not buy so many sleeping bags at first either - not all babies like them, just try one to see how you get on at first. Same with blankets - you won't use them at the same time as sleeping bags so I'd buy 2 to start with as you'll still need them in the pram

Sling/carrier - I'd wait until baby is here to try them and buy then.

Toiletries - I wouldn't bother with them - although we do swear by Weleda calendula cream. It's dear but one tube has lasted 5 months of nappy changes and it's still going! You'll get samples in the bounty pack (plus, our LO came out in a rash with most of them)

Thermometers - get one for health use by all means but the room one, you'll probably get a card with your sleeping bag and as for the bath - use your wrist/elbow

for second hand bits - try netmums, Ebay and NCT sales

Nicki

There is obviously a wide range of need then. None of mine were dribblers, and although number 3 had bad tummy problems and pooed copiously he rarely leaked. We also used cloth nappies and I think they are supposed to be better at containment than disposies.

Given there is a range though, i'd still say 10 of everything is a good starting point, and if OP finds she needs more they can be picked up cheaply and easily at the supermarket these days. More MSE to start off with less and she is likely to get a reasonable amount as gifts when her new arrival appears too which will help out.

pigpen

We used cloth too and they were better but not much.. they just had the wrap as an extra catcher! lol

There is no mention of 'clothes' either so if it is just sleepsuits 10 will only do a few days.. I learned not to rely on 'gifts' of clothing.. I only got such things for the 2nd and 9th.. (and some were hideous)

OP.. I found the easiest way to work them into the budget was to save for the big items but when I went to the supermarket I'd pop a bunch of bibs or pack of sleepsuits in the trolley and always check the sale racks! (tesco sizes are generous)

mandragora_2

'Start up' costs are very affordable. A bottle of plonk, a bit of schmalzy music, ten spare minutes, and that's all you need! If you use the wine you were given for Christmas, you could say it's free. It's only the next 35 years that the expenses mount.

my1stbaby

I have bought loads off ebay, especially bedding, if you don't go for brand names a lot of people don't bid! My best bargain was 6 moses fitted sheets and flat sheets for £2. My cotbed came from ebay £14.99 brilliant condition it was collection only local to me yet a cosatta one solid pine, and I bought mattresses for cotbed and crib from ebay much cheaper than the normal shops. I have also started going around the charity shops and car boots have just started up again, loads of vests, sleepsuits etc brand new for not far off pennies each. Netmums has been good as well for items. I got nursing bras in matalan sales for £1.50. I wouldn't say I was a cheapskate but the cost of a lot of things are so overpriced eg 'named brands' I just love a good bargain and yet most of the stuff I have bought has been brand new yet at fab prices. I just got a breastpump at a car boot last weekend for £4, i don't know if I will need it but at least I only spent £4. Also spread the word around people always know someone who is selling stuff - friend of ours sold us pram, pushchair, crib, car seat, link a doo seat, baby bedding, fisher price multi gym (the new one out) all for £80, I worked it out they must have spent about £700 originally.

Triggles

Just remember, that babies grow quickly, and god only knows what size they'll take when they first come home from the hospital. LOL So start small and add as you go, because the last thing you want is to have tons of 0-3 months size and have the baby outgrow it quickly.

I think one of the reasons we didn't need as many sleepsuits and vests and such was that we popped laundry in fairly frequently. Again, a lot depends on what you have available as far as washer/dryer goes (or room on your radiator as was our case! LOL).

msg - honestly, was not looking for a massive disagreement on this, was simply pointing out to the OP that a hat/cap is not considered essential by some, just as I pointed out that scratch mitts are not considered essential by some. I'm not criticising you for using a hat, simply saying we didn't and didn't feel it was needed. It's not that big a deal.

honeypop

Triggles wrote: »

msg - honestly, was not looking for a massive disagreement on this, was simply pointing out to the OP that a hat/cap is not considered essential by some, just as I pointed out that scratch mitts are not considered essential by some. I'm not criticising you for using a hat, simply saying we didn't and didn't feel it was needed. It's not that big a deal.

Our maternity unit specify that you must provide a hat for the newborn baby, so it can be put on as soon as possible after the birth (even with my first which was born in the hottest day of the year at the time), so to some people it will be an essential item if it's something your hospital advises you must have. Though as already said, once you leave the hospital it's not a necessary item, they just have to have the baby wearing one while in.

onlyroz

The biggest expense is childcare. Your child benefit will be enough to cover everything in your list.

clearingout

A few things I think you've missed;
a) you can get re-usable wipes to go with your reusable nappies which will save a small fortune.
b) you will probably want to buy a mobile for the cot and a few toys
c) you will probably want a playmat of some kind

With reusable nappies, get a nappy advisor out to you (see Babykind, Lolipop, the Nappy Lady) and go through them with you. The price you have put at £185 is on the cheaper side - I wouldn't worry if you go over this on a first child (nappies are addictive, you end up buying others just to try!) as the chances are you'll get a lot of use with a second or more children (they will last this long).

A word of warning with second hand Ikea cot - when we had our first child (now almost 7), some of their cots were smaller than they are now. I assume they were a standard Scandanavian size, rather than a British size. The time I got to no. 3, they were no longer stocking the smaller size matresses to go with the smaller cots. So, if you buy a secondhand Ikea cot, make sure you can get a matress to go with it before you buy it!
Hope that helps.

RoseZebra

Hello and congratulations!
I think your list looks pretty good.
I would strongly recommend not buying a full set of cloth nappies beforehand though. There are so many different types available, it is better to try three or four types when baby arrives and see which ones suit you, because what works for one mum/ baby will not be right for another. You will get people raving about what they use but there are many factors to take into consideration. If you get the wrong thing and end up giving up on them thats a lot of money wasted.
Bibs - there is no right or wrong answer, all babies are different. My friend told me not to bother but my baby had pretty bad reflux so for me they were essential. It would be silly not to be equipped with a few imo.
Babygrows and vests- in the early days you will need about three a day, so you can do your calculations based on how quickly you turn the washing around! ten sets of each would mean a wash every three days so thats probably just about enough.
Good luck!