Baby Budget Overload

Posted by Ali | Monday February 28, 2011

This is just getting out of hand. As if the trepidation I feel about bringing a new life into the world (and the ensuing weeks of not showering/minding my hair) isn't enough, I've discovered I have financial ruin to look forward to as well. Especially if I buy everything on my growing 'baby budget' list.

Like the fiscally responsible nerd I am, I've been mapping everything out in Excel for the past few weeks thinking of every possible item baby could need. What I've discovered is these tiny creatures require an extraordinary amount of gear!

Now let's just stop right there before you start assuring me I don't need much of the crap on my list saying things like:

"Babies are tiny! You could fit them in a drawer for the first few months."

"Who needs a change table anyway? What's wrong with the floor?"

"You know in Africa, they have babies with far less."

Sure, some of this is true. The last statement in particular. In the documentary Babies, there is a scene where the mother wipes her baby's poopy bum with her knee. Should I consider that in lieu of baby wipes?

The truth is, there are certain essential items you can't do without. Specifically:

* Stroller with a Car Seat (that is not expired)
* Crib (that does not contain toxic paint and meets current safety standards)
* Tiny baby mattress for said crib
* Change table with all related accessories such as changing pads, baby wipes, Pee-Pee Teepee (if it's a boy)
* High Chair
* Nursing Chair (would you believe I don't own a single chair with armrests?)
* Play yard
* Breast pump (uggggh)
* Baby monitor
* Diaper bag
* Baby clothes - and don't tell me one or two sleepers will do. Babies have this uncanny ability to $**t up their own backs. Multiple changes throughout the day ARE required.

And then there's several hundred dollars worth of 'miscellaneous' items I didn't even think of. Bottles, soothers, whatnots….

I've basically come to the conclusion my wee one is going to cost $5,000 in start up prior to being born.

How much did you spend preparing for your first baby?

XO, Mommy-to-be

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7 Comments

	on March 01, 2011 Becky 13,128 said: I was about to say the same thing as Charliesmom - wait 'till after the baby shower. Is it too tacky to have a baby shower registry? So you can register for the items you need, and make sure you get those necessities instead of 10 rattles and 20 bottles?
	on February 28, 2011 Charliesmom said: Wait until you've had you baby shower(s) before you get all that stuff! We were blessed by the generosity of a lot of friends and relatives, and hardly had to buy anything ourselves. Also, not everything has to be new,other moms are always eager to pass on the stuff that worked for them to new moms. I know it's hard to wait and wonder what you're going to get, but it's so worth it! Spend some time scouting out consignment stores and online classifieds too. You'll be amazed at the deals you can get on great stuff. So much of what they use is only needed for a few months or even weeks, so it's worth saving your money for future stuff... like college!
	on February 28, 2011 alin said: May I suggest the bed instead of change table. It's higher and way larger which is great (and safer) when your baby is older and want to roll around when you try to change him/her. We got several things as hand me down from a good friend and because my baby came super early, at 25 weeks, I never did have time to buy too much but I think also you don't need to buy everything at once. For example, you will not need a high chair until your baby is ready for solid. And I am not sure is the pee-pee thingy is necessary because we never used one and our baby is over a year old and have only had one accident. which was quickly covered with the diaper and didn't get too messy. I do suggest a good breast pump is you are going to pump regularly. If not, you will likely only need it for the first month and therefore can rent.
	on February 28, 2011 LaurenBlair 128 said: @ali - ya, that's true. I know it's expensive, but it's better to be over prepared and know you have everything that you need than to have too many surprises - especially a first time mom.
	on February 28, 2011 dolce_bellissima 4,214 said: wow, that is a lot of stuff that we usually don't think about. I guess that once you start preparing for motherhood, you start thinking about every little detail more...I could only imagine how much the diapers alone would cost per month!
	on February 28, 2011 Ali de Bold STAFF said: @LaurenBlair - it totally depends. I know many women who have had c-sections and the recovery time is a lot longer. There is no way they could bend over and do it on the floor without being in a lot of pain from their stitches, so a change table is definitely a required item for any Mommy to be, just in case.
	on February 28, 2011 LaurenBlair 128 said: Nothing is wrong with the floor actually! My mom said she never used the change table at in my nursery becasue it was much easier to lay a pad on the ground and change me, she didn't have to hold me down or worry I would roll myself off the table.