Please confirm you are not a robot by checking the box.I love websites that list the essentials baby items you’ll need and list a wipe warmer – I’ve got nothing against wipe warmers but I’d hardly call them a necessity when you have a baby. So I decided to make my own list and try to figure out what is the least you could get by with and not lose your mind. I mean, sure, we could all forgo the toys and bouncy chairs but if you factor in all the money you’ll have to spend on your mental breakdown, then you’re still ahead of the game if you spring for them. There are good baby lotions out there that are super expensive, and cheap baby lotions that are full of shit. So I checked out Skin Deep Cosmetics Database (awesome site) to find a baby lotion that was reasonably priced, not too full of gunk and fairly easy to find. This is what I came up with. You can also get away with coconut oil or unscented lotion for grownups. Just take a look at the label and pick the one with the fewest ingredients.
This stuff can be used for EVERYTHING including baths, soaking clothes and washing hair. It seems a little more expensive but a little goes a long way. It comes in two sizes – big and fucking huge. Around $15 depending on the size. It’s a mixture of mineral oils, paraffin and microcrystalline waxes that has a melting point just above body temperature and it’s cheap, cheap. You can use it on bums to prevent diaper rash and cheeks to stop chapping in winter. Some people aren’t big fans because it’s not as environmentally friendly as other options (coconut oil is a fantastic alternative), but it’s one of those staples that you can’t beat if you’re on a budget. If you don’t have a lot of room or you find you’re on the go a lot, this is a great option. After all, kids don’t care what they’re in – look at that baby in the picture, he doesn’t give a shit – he’s like a honey badger– so why drop a ton of dough on a highchair? Some of the fancier ones can get up there but I found this one for $25
Don’t think you could skip the highchair? Well, I had this highchair. I loved this highchair. It is easy to hose down and chisel cereal off that has dried to the consistency of cement. It is no frills, no screwing around and awesome. I would recommend this highchair to anyone whether they were trying to save money or not. I think everyone needs a baby carrier and this one seemed to get really good reviews and you certainly can’t beat the price at $15. [If anyone cries “crotch dangler” you can direct them here.] Hopefully the woman strapped to the baby comes with the carrier as well – that would be super helpful. *Or* I even found this link to a neat no sew baby wrap. Onsies are one of those items that rarely makes it into the hand-me-down piles because they get ratty fast. Plus, if the weather is warm, this is all they really need to hang out and sleep in. I prefer the tub to a sling simply because you can still use the tub when they are sitting, but slings are cheaper and great for infants.
Some people skip the bathchair all together and just put their baby on a folded facecloth in about 2″ of water in the bath, which will do the job just as well. I was just too twitchy about freestylin’ like that so I thought I’d include it in case you were too. Around $13 – 20. Oh, and here are some tips on how to bathe that newborn too. At first I had this cool, infrared thermometer here because I couldn’t figure out how you could take their temperature before they could hold a thermometer in their mouth, and after they decided that they aren’t too crazy about having something stuck in their bum. Well, a wise reader told me you could use an oral thermometer in their armpit and just add a degree for an accurate reading. Certainly worth a shot and it’s a heck of a lot cheaper. I’m sure there are a few people that say you don’t need one of these but this is a bit of a sanity saver. If you have other children or pets running around, you may not want to put an infant on the floor, and propping them up on the couch has topple-off-head-crack potential, so this is a nice solution to keep them put and give them something to look at.
Around $40 (I should also mention that companies redesign their bouncers quite often so availability is often up and down, just find an inexpensive one you like the look of and go for it. Fisher Price and Bright Starts seem to always have consistently great reviews and you can often snag them for under $30.) Even if you are breastfeeding there may be times when you want to have a bottle on hand. As long as you’re willing to wash them frequently you can’t beat just over a dollar a bottle for something that’s BPA free. Costco will forever piss me off that they charge you to shop at their store, but I found these ones on Amazon (yeah, stick it to the man). Keep an eye out for wipe sales as they go on sale often. You can also load up on a bunch of inexpensive baby washcloths and use them with a bit of water for wipes. Use these with some water in lieu of disposable wipes to save some cash and give your baby’s bum a break at the same time. These are also great for wiping hands, bathtime, or wet in a ziploc for a quick mouth wipe when they decide to eat sand at the park.
These were such a staple for both of my kids. Use them as burp cloths, boob covers, floor mats, change pads and, well, blankets. Get a neutral colour if you plan on having more than one kid. Hands down, the cheapest way to diaper a baby is with cloth, but I saw a few sites that recommended disposable when they were newborns because they are in them for such short period of time. I’m going to get a little kooky here, and suggest you use this as a bassinet when they are a newborn, then co-sleep and use it as a playard when they are bigger. I couldn’t find anywhere that said one of these couldn’t be your full-time crib and they are cheaper and fully portable. Get a gender neutral color so it will work for subsequent children and it will be easier to sell down the road. Forget baby detergent and get a detergent that is free of dyes and perfume and you’re good to go. All isn’t available everywhere but I found a post here and here that can point you in the right direction.
There is no doubt that cloth diapering is a big money saver. It’s a large up front cost but it is far more cost efficient in the long run especially if you want to have more than one child. Many people will even sell their cloth diapers on Craigslist, Kijiji and eBay where you can get them at a fraction of the cost. Some people get a little queasy about buying used diapers but I say wash the things and get the hell over it. Finding the right ones is a whole post onto itself so I found a few sites that I found helpful at Your Baby Booty, and Mom Advice. Babies fly through clothes in their first year and parents often overbuy in the beginning so you can find some barely worn duds at almost all second hand and consignment stores or buy them as lots online. Lastly, my best tip of all, have a baby just as all your friends’ kids turn one. They will be banging down your door with clothes, strollers and exersaucers (or as I like to call it, “the glorious circle of neglect”) and they will thank you for taking them – a baby swing is a godsend when your baby likes it and a piece of plastic shit that is taking up your living room the second they outgrow it.
Now, I know this may not be the most practical tip, but I thought it was worth a mention. I left out strollers because depending on what you use them for, (hiking through snow vs. zipping through a hot mall) really changes what you need. I also left out car seats because if you don’t have a car, well, you don’t need one but it is a must if you are putting a baby in a vehicle. All new car seats are safe as they have to meet government standards so go for the least expensive one. If someone offers you a relatively new car seat (check the expiration date molded in the car seat or printed on the shell) and you are sure that it’s never been in an accident – you can go for that too. I want to keep honing this list so it’s nimble as a thimble so post stuff you think would be helpful. A massive thank you to those of you that shop through my affiliate links that appear on the site. It is no extra cost to you, and the pennies really do keep this site going. I notice and appreciate it each time that it happens, so thanks.