New Baby Must-Haves

We live in a consumer society where buying for baby is the #1 consumer splurge, nation-wide. Any baby store will list between 60-100 items that are "must-haves" for when the little guy or gal joins your family. Truth be told, many items truly are necessary - diapers, wipes, a stroller, and baby shampoo, to name a few. But many items can either be purchased on sale or second-hand... or skipped entirely.

Here's MommyingIdeas' official Newborn baby list of items to buy in a store, as well as suggestions of "ok for hand-me-downs".

Buy new:
Disposable products (diapers, wipes, baby shampoo)

Ok for hand-me downs or to buy used:
Everything else, as long as within safe parameters (used car seats, for example).

From experience, my advice is to buy *as little as possible* before baby arrives. Because, I have found, you truly won't know what you will want until baby is safe and sound in your arms. For example: think you'll need baby bottles? Think again! Some babies refuse many different brands and some won't take the bottle at all if you're a breastfeeding mom. What to do? Borrow a few different models from friends and family or buy used. Boil and clean thoroughly and know that you didn't waste money on a new one just to toss aside.

Crib? Get a pack n play with a bassinet top instead. Or better yet: ask to borrow one or buy used.

How about swaddlers? Some babies are quite the mini-houdinis and what looks nice before baby arrives may fall short of his actual needs once he's all folded in.

A stroller, you might ask? Even a stroller is going to be humongous for the infant AND it's best to see what kind of stroller you want once you see how mobile you are after baby arrives. Again: borrow and try out friends' models before you go buy.

SO - what do you do with the money you've saved? Hire help.
Cleaning help.
Cooking help.
Laundry help.
Grocery-shopping help.
Baby-nurse help
Coffee-delivery help.
...you get the gist.

No joke: paying someone to take care of you and your baby is infinitely more valuable than any newfangled contraption you think you "must-have" for the new guy or gal.

Think ahead - you will need fewer items and more help than you expect. Make sure your budget is planned accordingly.