Comments on: Preparation For A Frugal Baby

By: Melissa

Melissa — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 04:32:51 +0000

Hi Jackie, thanks for leaving a comment. Our bath got short use. We just use the normal bath now and lay him down in an inch or so of water. Now we have to work out what to do with the bath.

By: jacki

jacki — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 11:53:54 +0000

we were given a bath at our baby shower but when we go holidaying (and its too much to take it) we just use a sink to bathe bubs or if its just an overnighter we top and tail her…

By: Claire

Claire — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:51:37 +0000

Melissa, another handy item from when we brought home baby was a wireless doorbell – sounds abit quirky but it helped tremendously when doing the night time feeds, sick baby etc to be able to bingbong DH from the lounge or where ever I happened to be sitting if I needed help – we had it it place until our boy was about 2yrs old. We kept the noisy bingbong bit in the bedroom (in a drawer so not to completly freak DH out by the noise) and had the button part next to the cot , easy to pick up both baby and button unit at the same time. We certainly don’t have a big house, but trying to wake a sleeping adult and not a dozing baby by shouting is impossible.

By: Fiona Olive-Grosser

Fiona Olive-Grosser — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 11:29:38 +0000

Buy clothes from ebay – but buy them in bulk lots, not individually, postage costs really stack on the price!

I’m on terry flats -100% of the time, just carry some plastic bags to store your used ones in to take home. Knit your own soakers, or get wool jumpers from op-shop, shrink them and sew soakers that way. Or big w have cheap pilchers.
Also if you end up with bucket-loads of bunny rugs, use some for flannel nappies too.

You can get any old bucket with lid, don’t get sucked into the special nappy bucket idea, but get several, so you can get a whole washload built up. I have 2 buckets, 3 would be better for me but I don’t have the room in the bathroom.
And I have about 60-80 flats too, so I can get through a few days and let them build up. I also bought all my flats from op-shops, nothing a good washing can’t kill!

Yes get bottles, can hire pumps from hospitals if need be.

We co-sleep, have a wicker bassinette from ebay only 30 bucks, and a cot from ebay only 10bucks with waterproof mattress.

We did waste a bit of money on a safe-and-secure sleeper but it’ll make a nice present for someone one day I guess!

If you get a pram think about the future. I got a pram before we had bubs, and thought the rubber platform on the front was a toddler seat, but it’s just a footrest! And ours the seat lies flat, so the bassinette isn’t really necessary either. We’re selling that now, and have just picked up from layby the strider plus, which accomodates 2 kids.

If you are really hard-up, go to Salvo’s and Anglicare, and St Vincents, they will all help you with necessary baby items and also give you vouchers for their stores so you can buy clothing for free. My sis in law got brand new cot that way, and we’re getting a new car seat that way. Don’t be embarrassed, that’s what they were set up for, helping people who need it. If you get a car seat, get the convertible ones, capsules are waste of money as only usuable for 6 months, if that.

Laundry trough for baby bath, or take in the shower with you.

Make your own baby wipes, and use chamomile tea (cooled) or sorbolene with water for keeping them moist.

Save on buying a nightlight, put a low watt bulb in the normal light, we have a 15w in the bathroom over the change table and it’s fine. Sleep with just the normal bedside lamp on too, same again, low watt bulb.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:33:07 +0000

Hi Alice, thanks for the encouragement. It’s great to hear from women who have already been there. I was just thinking yesterday about a nightlight for night time breastfeeding. I’ve seen wipeable mats you mentioned in Kmart as well and thought they would also be good to carry around also, because they fold up pretty small. Changing bub on the floor seems so much easier – my chiropractic friend has been having kittens at the thought though .

By: Alice

Alice — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:09:01 +0000

Hi Melissa…don’t worry about buying bottles – new mums always worry about being able to breastfeed, and sometimes it can be hard and hurt at first but of course you will be able to do it! Also you shouldn’t really express for the first 6-8 weeks anyway until your milk supply establishes so I wouldn’t bother getting bottles or a pump until later if you need them. Also you can go on the avent website and request free samples – they will send you a bottle, dummy and breastpads. I never found I needed a dryer for my cloth nappies, that may be a disadvantage of the modern cloth nappies, maybe they take longer to dry? But you should be fine with the squares. I was suprised at how many maternity pads I needed after the birth – might be a good idea to start stocking up on some. And breast pads were great for leaking milk for the first 6-8 weeks or so. Disposable ones at first – as soon as I ran out of free samples from my bounty bag I bought cloth ones which worked ok. Muslin wraps are useful – to wrap baby, cover them in the sun, baby vomit, discreet breastfeeding etc. I didnt use a change table, just a wipeable mat on the floor I got from big w – great cause could have it in loungeroom during day and take it up to bedroom at night. A torch or night light for breastfeeding/changing baby at night is essential. Stock up on some soft washclothes or even chux (washable) to use as wipes. We had a baby bath but never used it – laundry sink then into big bath worked well for us. Hope this helps! Goodluck and congratulations

By: Melissa

Melissa — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:04:13 +0000

Ta, my friend said capsule too. The QLD Ambos hire these out and professionally fit them, which is great.

I’m eventually going to get round to doing a blogroll and I’ve got a few other Aus blogs, but they are few compared to the thousands of American ones.

By: Louise

Louise — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:56:33 +0000

We have just been using the capsule when we are out or just carrying her on her own. She is still only little and quite light to carry for now.
I probably would have used one of those baby slings if I had got one. I think it would have come in handy when I was hanging the washing out or doing the house work so I still would of had two free arms.
I dont think there is an escape from the heat no matter what sort of carrier you put bub in. I wouldnt want to be in any of them around this time of year!

Thanks for your site, its great to find someone who is like-minded and giving an Australian perspective too:) SO hard to find sites that are in AUS dollars and use products that are available here.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:42:39 +0000

Thanks Louise. Your comment is very encouraging. I checked out your link – looks like another awesome resource. What do you use instead of a pram? I’m still umming and arhing about a pram. Thinking a wrap will do but it’s so hot at the moment – its going to be even hotter in Feb / Mar QLD.

By: Louise

Louise — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:42:02 +0000

I LOVE my cloth nappies!!!!
And my 6 week old baby loves them too!
I bought mine from http://www.real-nappies.com.au. I got the birth to potty pack.
I have been using them from day one with my little one and they are far easier to use than I thought they would be. I only have to wash them every other day and they clean up so well with the homemade laundry liquid I make with a little vinegar added to the rinse cycle. I do however use disposables if I am out (not very often) and I have had a few issues with them leaking which the cloth ones have not. A dryer comes in very handy on rainy days when using cloth.
I still found I had plenty of time with a newborn to do all the washing, cooking and cleaning myself, unfortunately my husband had to go back to work the next day and I managed fine without any help, however it would have been good to have had someone to call on if I had needed any.
I also use cloth wipes which I use with a solution I make myself.

Ebay is a great place to buy baby clothes. They are mostly new or in near new condition and you can get them really cheap.

The best thing I did was to have a baby shower! I got soooo many gifts that I hardly had to buy anything myself
The things we use the most that we did have to buy would be our cloth nappies (of course), bassinet, car capsule, change table and bouncer. The things we still haven’t used are the pram, cot and baby monitor.