Having a baby gets expensive - fast! The good news is that you can save a lot of money on baby care, and make healthier choices for your baby and the planet. Here are 5 tips that can make baby care less expensive - and more fun.
1. Breastfeed if at all possible. Study after study shows that breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed your baby and help ward off future diabetes, obesity and other health risks. You'll also save money every single week. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for a minimum of 6 months.
2. Don't throw a lot of money into a baby car seat. Instead, buy a convertible car seat that will fit your baby from 5-40 pounds, or even longer. The plastic baby car seats may seem like a convenient way to put your baby down, but they have been implicated in many cases of SIDS when babies are left to sleep in them. Studies show that babies who are held more, cry less and learn faster. Your hands will be free, baby will be secure, and you'll save a lot of money since you'll only have to buy one car seat instead of two. You'll be able to bond with your baby while shopping, eating out, or walking. You can also use a wrap style carrier to keep baby happy while you do errands or housework.
3. Don't buy everything that looks cool. A lot of baby gadgets are only used a few times before your baby outgrows them. Your baby needs a secure place to sleep, a safe place to ride in the car, basic clothes and diapers. Pretty much everything else is optional. Besides, if you are holding your baby in a baby carrier, you won't need a $100 contraption to rock the baby for you!
4. Don't buy everything all at once. Shopping while you are pregnant is fun. But you don't need everything before the baby is born. You will probably want a good high chair, but your baby won't be able to use it until they are 4-6 months old. The same goes for a lot of other baby gear. Playing with handheld toys on a blanket on the floor may seem old-school - but that really is what babies need. Babies learn to crawl and walk faster on the floor than they do in a walker.
5. Consider cloth diapers. Wait, come back! They are really easier than you have been lead to believe. Disposable diapers will cost the average family over $2,000! What else could you do with that much money? If you buy one size cloth diapers, you can use them from birth to potty training, and spend only about $500 on all the soft cloth wipes and easy to use cloth diapers you'll need.
1. Breastfeed if at all possible. Study after study shows that breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed your baby and help ward off future diabetes, obesity and other health risks. You'll also save money every single week. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for a minimum of 6 months.
2. Don't throw a lot of money into a baby car seat. Instead, buy a convertible car seat that will fit your baby from 5-40 pounds, or even longer. The plastic baby car seats may seem like a convenient way to put your baby down, but they have been implicated in many cases of SIDS when babies are left to sleep in them. Studies show that babies who are held more, cry less and learn faster. Your hands will be free, baby will be secure, and you'll save a lot of money since you'll only have to buy one car seat instead of two. You'll be able to bond with your baby while shopping, eating out, or walking. You can also use a wrap style carrier to keep baby happy while you do errands or housework.
3. Don't buy everything that looks cool. A lot of baby gadgets are only used a few times before your baby outgrows them. Your baby needs a secure place to sleep, a safe place to ride in the car, basic clothes and diapers. Pretty much everything else is optional. Besides, if you are holding your baby in a baby carrier, you won't need a $100 contraption to rock the baby for you!
4. Don't buy everything all at once. Shopping while you are pregnant is fun. But you don't need everything before the baby is born. You will probably want a good high chair, but your baby won't be able to use it until they are 4-6 months old. The same goes for a lot of other baby gear. Playing with handheld toys on a blanket on the floor may seem old-school - but that really is what babies need. Babies learn to crawl and walk faster on the floor than they do in a walker.
5. Consider cloth diapers. Wait, come back! They are really easier than you have been lead to believe. Disposable diapers will cost the average family over $2,000! What else could you do with that much money? If you buy one size cloth diapers, you can use them from birth to potty training, and spend only about $500 on all the soft cloth wipes and easy to use cloth diapers you'll need.