Preparing for a baby is an exciting and life-changing journey. Whether you’re a first-time parent or adding another child to your family, getting ready involves financial planning, health considerations, and setting up a safe and loving environment.
For first-time parents or those considering starting a family, the joy of welcoming a baby is often accompanied by a significant question: “How much will it cost?” Whether you’re already expecting or just in the planning stages, it’s essential to understand both the initial and ongoing costs of raising a baby.
Having a baby can certainly be expensive, but there are plenty of ways to save money without compromising on your baby’s needs. In the first month, the costs can feel overwhelming. You’re setting up your nursery, buying essentials, and preparing for life with a new-born.
Here are a few practical tips on how to save money without compromising your baby’s needs in those early days:
For the nursery
A safe place to sleep. It is recommended that your baby sleeps in the same room as you for the first 6 months, so you will need to invest in:
cot, crib or moses basket. All of which can be expensive with plenty of options out there to purchase second hand.
It is not essential to purchase a moses basket, although they are helpful as they are portable to move around for daytime sleeps too! To go in the baby’s bed, you need:
Properly fitted mattress. It is recommended that you purchase a new mattress for your new arrival.
Fitted Sheets
Cellular blankets
Another popular purchase for your baby is a baby sleeping bag. Although they can be very useful, they are not essential.
When your baby makes the transition into their own room you might want to consider a purchase of a baby monitor.
Buying furniture for the nursey, including your cot second hand is a great way to save some money. It is advised you should buy new mattress for your baby whether it be for moses basket or cot for hygiene and safety reasons.
Travel
There are lots of different options available to you here and come down to personal preference and again budget. First things first, it’s crucial that you have suitable car seat to keep your baby safe and comfortable during travel. If you have a car, a high-quality group 0/0+ rearward-facing car seat is an absolute must, as you won’t be able to leave the hospital without one.
When out and about with your baby you will then need either a travel system, where you can attach your baby’s car seat directly to the pushchair and can also attach carry cot to them, or a buggy that can lie flat to be able to be used from birth.
You might also want to opt for baby carrier or sling, which can be great for doing a lot of walking and needing your hands free while doing so.
Buying a second hand car seat is not generally recommended for safety reasons, in case they have been involved in an accident, however there is quite a large second-hand market for child car seats, particularly the most expensive types and brands and with 22% of parents saying they have purchased a used car seat.
When you consider some travel systems can cost up to £1000 it makes total sense to consider buying second hand.
Clothing
Everyone loves shopping for super cute baby outfits, but before you go overboard and blow your budget, don’t forget that babies grow pretty quickly and before you know it, they no longer fit. Albeit selling these barely worn super cute outfits will bring some money back in but just remember to focus on the items your baby will need. Focus on comfort and practical needs like easy-change cotton bodysuits, vests and babygrows that are gentle on sensitive skin.
To save money and minimize your environmental impact, buy used clothes
Feeding
Whether breastfeeding, bottle feeding or a combination of the two, feeding a newborn can be pretty exhausting. To make your life easier, it’s recommended you have a good supply of baby feeding essentials to get you started.
Babies bring up milk a lot in those early newborn days, so of all the feeding essentials, a steady supply of muslins for mopping up milk possets should be at the top of your list.
If you’re combination feeding, it may take a bit of time to find the perfect bottle for your baby, so don’t be afraid to try out a few brands before investing in a full set. Look out for helpful anti-colic features which can prevent your baby from taking on too much air as they feed. Buying second hand for this is a great way to save money, all you need is a sterilising unit which again picking one up a bargain of a price second hand to get all those bottles ready for your baby. It is worth mentioning at this point it is recommended to buy the bottle teats new as often babies can bite and nibble on them and cause small holes.
Toys/play mats/pens/bouncers
Toys are one of the smartest items to buy second hand. You want your baby to have age-appropriate and stimulating toys, but they don’t need too many to have fun. Also, the toys that fit their developmental stage change quickly. When you buy used toys, you can expand playtime options without breaking the bank.
Why not give Kidching a try when preparing for your new baby? You could save hundreds of pounds by buying all these essential items second-hand.
