Budgetting for Baby

[SunnyRain]

Thanks for all the advice! Unluckily for me my job has not being going so great lately and so that's why I'm tightening the budget drawstrings. Also, we never intended to break the bank on baby stuff in the first place since we're not very materialistic people. I'm doing the budget so my husband doesn't have to stress, then at least one of us can concentrate on work.

Luckily I scored a bunch of hand-me-downs from my sister to help for the first 6 months, including a beautiful cradle. I've been running an excel spreadsheet to calculate our budget and weekly savings, and we're aiming to be able to buy some things in 10 - 12 weeks before the baby is due, and in case it's a little premmie.

Would I be right in assuming you don't need a highchair for a few months?

I am going the cloth nappy route. I have some terry flats from my mum and I am saving to invest in bumgenius and happy heinys plus some pul covers and inserts.

I must be mad or something because I can never find the baby range in Target. That place is like a big out-of-control barn! I'll look into Big W and Toys R Us, as well.

[Olive]

get the ikea hight chair there only around $50 and fantastic!
if you need a bottle sterlizer instead of buying a proper one jsut buy a microwave vegie steamer, the ones with the basket in them, i got one for around $5 from go-low or soimething similar, microwave for 3 minutes and your done, otherwise just boil on the stove top!

[Cassius2]

Hi Kuraiza! and congrats on the pg!

I dont have any major recommendations, but what i really truly believe in is that you get a pram/stroller that you are really really happy with. we have had to use ours everyday, banging it in and out of the car, on airplanes, on trains and trams, across the countryside, on the beach...it was our biggest expense by far, but soooo worth it. quite a few of the mums in our parent group have had to buy 2 or 3 other strollers/prams since having their bubs as the first ones didnt cut the mustard. the brands that we have all agreed on for bub and mum comfort and durability are the steelcraft strider, mountain buggy, the phil and teds and the bugaboo. all these guys are lightweight, narrow and grow with the child. they do cost more, but will last.
Check out ebay as there are some pretty good bargains (esp for the mountain buggy)!

for the bottles, i had 2 (2 different brands), the tommee tippee breast pump (that came with a microwave sterliser). I BF, but sometimes DH gave DD some EBM or formula and it really helped out. but yeah, like the other ladies have said, that can probably wait until you guys are back home.
we bought a couple of dummies. to no avail, DD didnt like them, but i tried nonetheless and i will buy again when we have another!

good luck with everything! it's so awesome you are so prepared!

p.s. just read that you are getting 'bumgenius' nappies: they are AWESOME!!!!! we have used them everyday since leila hit the 5kg mark (took awhile though as she was born 2.7kilos. - so i would recommend buying a box of sposies just in case bubba is a wee-un!