Today’s question is from Uma:
I’m pregnant and will be a first-time mom. I just started looking for deals on diapers and wipes… and in the process, I came across few medicines deals, too. So I’m wondering, how early can/should I start stocking up on medicines, formulas, and other items that could potentially expire? (I’m planning to breastfeed; however, I want to have few packages of formula on hand for emergencies.) -Uma
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Just reading this post now, and wanted to throw in my two cents.
When stocking up on diapers, you’ll want to get some size 1, not just newborn. My son was in size 1 when he was born, and we couldn’t use newborn size. You can totally exchange diapers at the store if they’re unopened, even without receipts (in Wal-Mart’s case, at least–check your local stores), so no worries there. But definitely have a few packs of 1 on hand, just in case you’re surprised with a nearly two foot long, ten pound baby. LOL
Also, you may want to have a little more formula on hand than just a few free cans. They’re pretty small, and there could be a myriad of reasons that you literally can’t breastfeed the baby and you’ll need it. In my case, my son had pyloric stenosis, and at about ten days old, started throwing up everything he ate, every time he ate. He had surgery to correct it at three weeks, but after that, he had NO interest in breastfeeding because every time he’d tried before, he’d gotten sick. He flat out refused. So definitely go to formula companies and ask for coupons. They’ll often send you awesome coupons for a good chunk off, or even free. 🙂 (And while I couldn’t breastfeed my son, he turned out just fine. So if you run into a situation where baby can’t breastfeed, it’s okay!)
For the first two weeks, rent a hospital grade pump. They’re WAY stronger than even the best ones you find in retail stores, and the one a friend of mine rented cost over $1500 retail. (You want the extra strength because that first two weeks is when your body decides how much milk it’s going to produce.) Find out how much the rental is, and save that up in addition to the cost of the pump you ultimately want afterward.
Okay, I’m done now. LOL Promise!
I’m also currently pregnant and going to be a first time mom come March.
My plan is to not stock up too much on anything but about a month before my due date I plan to get one package each of diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, and formula at Costco. I know babies can be pretty sensitive about brands but since Costco usually has pretty good regular prices compared to all the other stores I want to favor those brands and hope they all work for my baby so that any time I have to buy at full price I’m getting the best price.
These are good suggestions.. Thanks a lot ladies. I’ve bookmarked this post and I’m going to keep visiting for more suggestions. You’re all so wonderful. 🙂
I don’t know if anyone mentioned this (I didn’t have time to read all the comments), but if you do stock up on diapers, keep receipts or ask the store (CVS, Rite Aid) if you can bring in packs to trade out for sizes if you don’t get to use them or your baby doesn’t do well w/ a certain brand. I coupon so much in my small community, the clerks knew me so I was able to take in unopened packages and do a strait across exchange for the sizes I needed, it was so easy and convenient and saved me a ton. I would also recommend having Arnica Montana on hand for when baby starts to pull up & walk, it is homeopathic and safe, will reduce bruising and swelling, as a matter of fact, have it for yourself! I took it w/in hours of delivery and my recovery was much smoother, safe and effective if you are looking for natural alternatives. I take it in the diaper bag all the time and its been a life saver. Totally worth the money and your peace of mind.
I would also stock up on things for you that you won’t want to send your husband to the store for, like feminine products ect, all those basic things we can get for free or nearly so couponing. It helped my family a ton not having to go to the store other than for milk or fresh food.
I wouldn’t stock up too much for medicines or formula. Most medicines you can’t give to an infant (our one except was gas drops) and they may expire before you have a chance to use them. Formula may also expire – but I agree it’s nice to have a little on hand for “emergencies” or to supplement. The hospital may give you formula samples too.
I’d concentrate on diapers and wipes. I know someone commented that you don’t always know if they’ll work for you or if your child will have sensitivities. So buy a few brands, test them out – if they don’t work, you can return the unopened packages to the store and donate the opened ones.
With baby number one, I stocked up on things… had a bit of (freebie) formula, gas drops, stuff like that. I ended up throwing or giving away everything except my infant pain reliever/fever reducer drops, which we used. Everything else was unnecessary and then expired. Most of the pain reliever/fever reducer drops expired, too. For number two (and my plan for any more) is to just have the pain reliever drops on hand, since I live a mile from a 24-hour pharmacy… and the pain reliever/fever reducer is the only thing I really feel like I need to have on hand, anyway. I don’t even take free formula anymore… we don’t have any bottles in the house, anyway.
I would recommend NOT to have formula on hand. It can derail your efforts to breastfeed big time.
check out http://www.bestforbabes.org and http://www.kellymom.com and http://www.lll.org
You will save the most money by breastfeeding for a year or more- so read up a bunch about breastfeeding and get support so you do not get into a situation where you are desperate and will try formula if it is not needed.
I completely agree with you Sarah. NOT having formula on hand is the best option if you want to exclusively breastfeed your baby. If you are worried about having an emergency, pump some breastmilk and store it in your freezer. While formula would provide your baby with the nutrients for survival, but doesn’t provide the immunities that will protect your baby from illness and disease. Research as much as possible the benefits of breastfeeding prior to the birth of your child and you will not be as inclined to offer formula to your baby.
Cloth diapers are a fraction of the cost, a million times cuter, and are so much better for your baby and the planet. I am currently purchasing all of my diapers from a woman on facebook that has a great business “cow patties cloth diaper”. If you wait till black Friday, you can get all of your diapers custom made and shipped for $7 a piece. That’s an AMAZING DEAL!!!
Meds I would not stock up on. They expire and if you’re going to breastfeed, your baby probably won’t get sick for awhile.
I have three different things of formula stocked up in case my milk starts going crazy. I got all of them for free by registering with companies like Similac and Gerber. They also sent me coupons. But, I wouldn’t stock up on formula because you never know what kind of tummy issues your baby may have or what kind of formula they will need.
(I just had a baby 4 weeks ago).
Get some free samples of formula. At first babies use such a little amount, the free samples will last you until you figure out that you need to buy some. Then Target and Costco have good prices on formula unless you want GMO free then you have to buy Earth’s Best.
I have a little one, so I have not read the other posts. Please excuse me if I duplicate. Take every sample offered at your doctor appointments. The ones I received included formula samples as well as breastfeeding supplies, resources, and coupons, most of which do not expire for a year. Congratulations.
Yes, stockpile easy meals and paper products, such as plates, plastic cups, napkins, toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, and feminine products/pads. Give yourself grace to use them and throw them away even if you normally would not. Makes the end of pregnancy and the early weeks a bit easier.
Stock up on diapers now in larger sizes, you will probably get smaller sizes at any baby showers hosted for you. Take any free samples of formula your doctor’s office offers or you can sign up for online. But otherwise, don’t buy formula or medicines since they may expire before you ever need them. My advice is to stock up on diapers, necessary clothes, and establish a baby savings fund adding a bit each month for real needs as they arrive.
Congratulations! I wouldn’t buy too many diapers in the newborn size, if you have a good size baby like I did, nearly 9 lbs, he or she will grow out of them within a few days. When you start having leaks, that’s a sign your baby is in too small of a diaper.
Also, if friends and family throw you baby showers, I wouldn’t cut the tags off all the outfits. I received many really cute baby clothes that were already too small for my son when he arrived.
Skip the Diaper Genie, that’s a gigantic waste of money.
I would stock up on wipes and I would have a breast pump all ready to go. And stock up on food in the freezer. That was our biggest struggle. We were exhausted, I had had a c-section and our family lives thousands of miles away. Luckily I have great co-workers who brought us some dishes so we weren’t totally relying on takeout and peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches those first crazy weeks.
I agree with the advice to not stock up on formula. In fact, don’t even bring the samples home from the hospital. Having formula available can sabotage your breastfeeding success if or when you hit a bump in the road. Save that money for a breast pump, consultations with a good lactation consultant (if your insurance doesn’t cover it) and other things that will help you be successful in breastfeeding. Money wise you’ll save WAY more money breastfeeding then you ever would stocking up on formula deals.
YES. I totally agree.
Not sure if this was mentioned or not….be careful not all children can drink any formula. Some have issues like ours did. Also I had a coworker who had come across a great deal with coupons for formula and stocked up. However her daughter couldn’t drink it do to stomach issues. Thankfully Walmart allowed her to exchange it, however I know stores throw it out after a return, at least Target does, they can’t resell it. Also our children had issues with wipes and diapers so I just caution stock piling b4 baby…..it’s great but can back fire. Speaking from experience 🙂 All the best with your new little one! They bring so much JOY!!
I wouldn’t stock up on diapers or meds. I have 2 little ones and they both used different diapers brands. My first could only wear Pampers and Target brand (she leaked through every thing else). My second only wears Luvs for the same reason. Plus, you don’t know how long they will be in each size. As for the meds, we usually buy them when the kids come down with something and they usually expire before we need them again. When my first was little, I fell for the BOGO medicine deals and then ended up throwing most of it out. It’s just not a deal if you don’t use it all and unless you child is unusually unhealthy, you won’t use it up. There are always sales going on. Wait until your baby is here and you know what works for them. Then you can stock up when there is a sale. As for formula, the hospital will give you some before you go home (if they don’t automatically offer, just ask). Just use that until you find out if your baby needs a special kind. I nursed both of my kids, but there were a few times that came up where I needed the formula in a jam.
I am having my fourth child on Monday. My best advice would be 1. Skip the formula. If you get some samples from companies, fine, but don’t use them unless it is a TRUE emergency. 2. Get a good pump. I make a ton of milk and they come in very handy when you are too engorged for baby to even latch on. Nursing is difficult at first and if you get frustrated formula can be all to easy to turn to. Also, you can go out for an evening and be able to pump milk for a bottle once the baby is 4-5 weeks inks and ready to try a bottle. 3. Invest money in a good, user friendly carseat, like a Britax or Chicco. You won’t regret this. And 4. Instead of buying now, save a certain amount every month so that you have money set aside for what you really NEED or want. Every baby is different.
Oh, and skip the meds, there is a lot of new research out that leans toward these being harmful in babies/children. Most illnesses are viruses and need to just run their course anyway. If you breastfeed your baby should be nice and healthy anyway. 🙂
YES. skip formula. I totally agree
I have had 2 children and am currently expecting twins in a few weeks. If you are going to have a baby shower, diapers and wipes are something you can ask for and get that way. I wouldn’t stock up too horribly much, otherwise you have to find a place to store it all and you never know if you will even get to use it all.
I got several boxes of diapers at a shower for my first (as well as some people gave me some as a “coming home” gift). They were plenty to get through the first few months. He was born at 8 lbs, so I was glad to not have a lot of Newborn size stocked up. We used them for a little while, since they have a cut-out for belly buttons, but actually didn’t end up using all I had and saved the left overs for my second.
Wipes are ok to stock up on, since there are so many uses for them besides diaper changes. But, I have noticed some are thinner than others and some clean better. So, check that out.
I wouldn’t buy any meds. My oldest never used anything until after he was 2. Not even teething gel. He has a high pain tolerance. He was also a very healthy baby.
My second used teething gel, but not frequently and we never even went through one tube. He also never used meds.
As for formula, I would just rely on the free samples you can get. You should get some from your OB/GYN and from your hospital. You never know what kind your baby will tolerate, or if you will even need it, if you aren’t planning on solely formula feeding.
I got plenty of it free from the dr. and hospital and ended up donating all of it.
One thing I wish I had known when I had my first was that the expensive diapers are not worth their price. Unless you are looking to cloth diaper or your baby has some sort of sensitivity, which is pretty uncommon, I would suggest Target brand diapers, they seriously are just as good if not better than some of the name brands and is still less than Luv’s. They often have deals where you buy two boxes and get a $5 or $10 gift card which really pays off. Another things that I would do is check clearance aisles at wal-mart and such,(we don’t have many options in our small town) and combine them with coupons, these are a great deal. Most of the name brand companies are making products for Target and Wal-mart brand, we checked where they were made and such and found remarkable similarities that couldn’t be denied, so buying store brands on some items, really does pay off and you’re not getting a lesser quality product. You will find though, that most of these products have a rather long shelf date and you don’t use the medications as much as you may think. But even store brand formula from target is the same as Enfamil and the like. Best of luck on your little one!
For Uma – sign up for the similac, enfamil, & gerber mailing lists/ samples. They sent me a great stash of formula. Any chance you are in virginia? I am looking for a good home for the samples they sent me 🙂
I breastfed (and pumped) but did get formula samples in the mail. I used the formula when I introduced cereal (rice, barley, etc.) into the diet. That way I didn’t waste my pumped milk when baby didn’t like the cereal… it was only formula.
Just throwing this in for you in case you need to hear it(and I’m sure someone else has said it). If you go the route of formula instead of breastfeeding, you’re still an awesome mom. I think breastfeeding is best, and most will agree, but some people never ever get comfortable with it, and some of us find out in the most heartbreaking way that they cannot produce or have a medical situation that puts a stop to that precious time. However, formula still works. I’d stock up on a doctor recommended general brand, with the knowledge that you may have to switch it out.
Thankfully my diapers worked on both my kids, regardless of the brand, so I stocked up on all the sizes. So long as your meds have at least a year’s expiration date, I think when you’re 6-7 months along, that’s a great time to start catching deals on it. Wipes are great for everything, diapers, spills, spit up, sticky hands, messy feet-you name it! Stocking up on those was a lifesaver for us and it started as soon as I found out I was pregnant.
It sounds like you’re on the right path to saving and stockpiling and I wish you and the baby great health and an easy delivery for you! :hugs:
I would have to agree with many of the moms here. If you only want formula for an emergency you will get enough samples to cover it. I didn’t see any comments emphasizing that Brest feeding gives you baby many immunities through your milk making medicines less necessary. If you are open to learning about natural health alternatives high quality essential oils have been used safely and effectively for centuries many even on infants. The best thing is essential oils don’t expire if kept in a cool dry environment and can be used on the whole family. I also agree about stocking up on paper products and freezer meals. As a mother of 4 those are the things I was most thankful for. I also agree that cloth diapers are a great way to go now with all the choices you have. With my first two I was absolutely opposed to the idea with my third I discovered how amazing they are. Thanks for the question it brought up a lot of great ideas I hadn’t thought of before. I will send other expecting moms to this site. Best wishes on you new arrival.
Uma – Congratulations on your pregnancy! Always a very exciting time!
I would say that how much medicine you need on tap varies greatly from baby to baby and parents to parents. My fiance and I do not personally use medicine for when we are sick (we believe that eating healthy, getting rest and letting your body fight off a cold is better than some medicines that mask the symptoms) so we didn’t buy any baby medicine to have at home (although we did have some limited supplies from the baby shower). Ultimately we ended up not needing/using any medicines for our first daughter (now 21 months). Although she was congested for a few days as a baby, she never showed any other symptoms of being sick. And, lucky for us, even had an easy time with teething so we never felt the need to have tylenol on hand for her. We’re hoping for the second baby (now two months) that it goes the same. So, it really will depend on your baby and your preferences. I would caution not to overstock on those items just in case you don’t need them.
And, from one mother who has/is breastfeeding to another, I caution having formula in house for emergencies. With our first daughter we did have formula at home (the doctor’s office gave it to us to bring home just in case). Although I exclusively breastfed my daughter for several months, once I returned to work I let pumping at the office slip and having formula readily available let me do so because I knew we had a back up. It turned into supplementing (formula when I was at work, breastfeeding when I was home) and my milk supply decreased pretty quickly. This time around I’m not keeping any formula at home and pumping every day before I go back to work to make sure that when I’m not around there is breast milk available.
Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!
YES!! I totally agree.
Skip formula. It will just derail breastfeeding.
I ended up having to rent a breast pump from the hospital after birth as my milk needed help to come in and my son was a premie. It worked, and I was so impressed with the Medela double electric pump, we ended up buying one. It was a lifesaver for me. It made it so my husband could give him a bottle during the night so I could get a stretch of sleep (he was very colicky). I can only imagine what formula would have done to him! (But by all means, sign up for the free samples.) I know some women who used a manual one with success, but no way I could have. It was so easy to use and so fast. And when I would wake up several months later brimming with milk, instead of waking up my son who was finally sleeping, I’d pump for some relief, and still have plenty to nurse him when he woke up. Used it with my daughter, too. Best purchase we ever made!!!!
Sorry, just remembered my pump was an Ameda Purely Yours double electric pump. LOVED it!!! But have heard great things about the Medela also.
You are very smart to think ahead. I planned many things, but formula was not one of them. I was unable to nurse both my children after 4 weeks. I recommend signing up for Enfamil, Gerber Good Start and Similac formula websites. You will get free cans of formula and coupon checks to save money! It helped us. On diapers, we bought one box of diapers each paycheck from 3 months on. Make sure to stock up on all sizes. You’d be amazed at how one moment they are one size, the next day they moved up. Do not over stock on newborn or size 1. Babies grow at different rates. I had purchased 5 small packs of size one and had been given some. My son went from newborn to size 2!!!! Save receipts with your diapers and most places will allow you to exchange them for different sizes if upopened. Hope this helped. Congrats on your soon to be bundle of joy!!! P.S. have a good camera!!!!! 🙂
You are very smart to think ahead. I planned many things, but formula was not one of them. I was unable to nurse both my children after 4 weeks. I recommend signing up for Enfamil, Gerber Good Start and Similac formula websites. You will get free cans of formula and coupon checks to save money! It helped us. On diapers, we bought one box of diapers each paycheck from 3 months on. Make sure to stock up on all sizes. You’d be amazed at how one moment they are one size, the next day they moved up. Do not over stock on newborn or size 1. Babies grow at different rates. I had purchased 5 small packs of size one and had been given some. My son went from newborn to size 2!!!! Save receipts with your diapers and most places will allow you to exchange them for different sizes if upopened. Hope this helped. Congrats on your soon to be bunde of joy!!! P.S. have a good camera!!!!! 🙂
I believe that Obamacare mandates that you can get a free breastpump with each pregnancy. My insurance sent out the letter with that info about a year ago, so I believe that it is already in effect.
Heather is right – the Affordable Care Act does provide for breast pumps. See: http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/breastfeeding-insurance
Yay Obamacare! I really need to look into that for my little one on the way. It would be a HUGE help if this is true!!!
A good pump (double electric) can be a lifesaver! Check with your insurance–we were going to buy one until we found out a $250 Medela pump-in-style was covered!
Look for deals on breastfeeding-friendly bottles (you probably only want one or two)
A tip that I’ve heard is to stock up on diapers, but tape the reciept to them so you can return easily if needed!
If you plan to cloth diaper, I found that buying a few brands used worked to see what fit my daughter best. I just resold the ones I didn’t like/didn’t work for her, then bought more of the ones that did work! Spot’s corner is a good place to buy used diapers, I also used Cotton Babies–they have free shipping, so you don’t have to worry about a minimum.
Best of luck with your new little one!
I just read of a link between infants/children who take Tylenol and the rates of childhood asthma. Do research before you give medicine to your children! (My infant son was once prescribed an inhaled steroid and upon reading the package insert, it was know to cause eye cancer.)
My son is a week old and since I found out I was pregnant I have bought packs of diapers in various sizes and brands up until my husband lost his job. Now I have plenty of diapers in all sizes to get us through and if my son out grows them, I’ll be able to return and exchange for different sizes. I’m really thankful I stock-piled in advance of this job loss. He is wearing newborn size diapers which I wasn’t sure he would fit due to many people saying he wouldn’t fit and would be too big but he was swallowed whole in the size 1s. each baby is different and may or may not fit. You can always return and exchange.
Babies skin can be really sensitive – be careful when stocking up on diapers, lotions, cream, ointments, and wipes – you might end up with a bunch of stuff you can’t use because it irritates the skin. Often times switching from brand to brand exasperates the skin issue. If you do stock up, pick a brand and stick with it.
I am a third time mom. I started stocking up on diapers around my second trimester. That enabled me to pay $4 or less per pack. I continually stock up on wipes when I can get them for $.50 or free. By the time I had my baby, I had over 40 packages of wipes and all my stages n – 2 diapers, as well as some stage 3s. I wouldn’t bother with formula or medication at this point. If you plan to breastfeed, I recommend checking with your insurance company first to see if they will cover a pump. I didn’t know my insurance did that, but the pump I purchased was defective so I returned it for a refund and got a free one. If you are worried about running low on milk, you can pump and freeze your milk. I pour mine in ice cube trays and when frozen, I put in freezer bags in my deep freezer. When your milk comes in, you will produce more milk than your baby will need so you can save that.
I will be the voice of dissension here. I badly wanted to breastfed. I had my Medela pump ready to go, but like you, I wanted formula for emergencies. I signed up for the free Enfamil samples ahead of time. Thank God I did.
Even though it’s pretty common, our baby had such bad jaundice she was almost rehospitalized. Both the pediatrician AND the lactation consultant told us to give her formula. Our hospital was so anti-formula, they didn’t give it out samples or even have any in stock for emergencies.
Anyway, I later developed severe vasospasms because our baby didn’t suck properly. Her latch and my positioning were textbook perfect. We paid a wonderful lactation consultant and a postpartum doula hundreds of dollars to come to our house to help with breastfeeding and eventually took our baby to a specialist. Once it came to taking her to physical therapy 45 minutes away at the children’s hospital to learn to suck properly or for me to risk permanent nerve damage, my husband said enough is enough and I finally agreed with him.
I feel among the breastfeeding community there is an attitude that it can work for everybody in every circumstance and that’s simply not true. Having formula will not undermine your effort to breastfeed and if a few nights your husband or mother gives the baby formula, it will not kill your milk supply.
To all those who have successfully been able to breastfeed, please have compassion for those of us who endeavored and were unable even with intervention and support. My baby is healthy–she has only had 1 cold at 11 months–and developing well and she is loved. That matters more than how she was fed.
Finally to answer the original question, I would wait to stock up on anything until the 7th or 8th month because of the possibility of miscarriage. I would only get a few packs of diapers for the reasons mentioned above, one thing of infant tylenol or advil (again who wants to go out at midnight when baby spikes a 102 temp and dr says to give advil), and one free canister of formula from Enfamil or Similac. I would advise that you spend time now tracking prices at different stores so you know the best deals to look for once you need them.
Stocking up backfired on me. I found my oldest was allergic to all brands of diapers and wipes except huggies. So everything had to go back and be exchanged which is a major PITA with a newborn (who hated his carseat with a PASSION). Also my guy was 11 1/2 lbs. He never wore newborn anything and only wore size 1 for 2 wks.
So if you do stock up make sure you save the receipts and don’t open any of the packages, take the tags off until the baby is home.
I wouldn’t bother with the formula or medication. You can get plenty of free samples of both to carry you thru the initial period and if you intend to breastfeed those samples will be more then enough. Spend the money on a decent breastpump. The cheap ones will frustrate you at a time your patience is already being tested.
Also..you know what is more expensive than wipes? Travel wipes!!! Rip off.
When the wipes in your nursery are 2/3 to 3/4 empty (go from 88 wipes to like 25 left), stick the container in the diaper bag. Boom! Travel wipes. The packages are soft, so it will squish down and not take up much room.
As I mentioned in another post, wipes are not “that” expensive if you do generic in bulk. But we won’t buy the travel ones! Never had a problem using that method.
Look for deals on free formula from the major companies, many of them will send you free containers. I wouldn’t stock up on much more than that unless you are certain you’ll be formula feeding most of the time because it can expire quickly and containers don’t last long after they are opened so you don’t want to buy a huge container and then have it expire before you can use it all. I have three kids and only ended up using formula for the first one so you never know how things will end up going. I would only buy baby tylenol and baby advil medication-wise, you may not ever need anything else but those are two that you should have. Things you may want to stock up on are baby shampoo, diaper rash ointment, and larger size diapers and wipes. I would not stock up on too many small size diapers (NB, 1) because some babies grow out of them very quickly. You are fairly safe buying a few packages of size one and then more of size two, it just depends on your child and you won’t know that until you get there. My biggest advice would be to start looking for consignment stores/sales in your area to start buying clothes, safety gear, bedding/blankets, infant toys, and all the other baby stuff you might need. My favorite consignment organization is JBF, you can find them online, they have sales all over the country. It can be hit or miss with quality and prices, it is consignment, but I’ve always found great deals there and buy all my kids clothes there. You don’t want to buy too far ahead for the first year (I had one kid blow through sizes and another lag way behind) because you don’t know what seasons you might need in what sizes, but you can buy basics like pjs, onesies, and some outfits and then supplement later. Hope that helps!
I exclusively breastfed my baby but those couple of times I needed the formula (in cases of my own medical emergencies), I was really glad I had it around. I disagree that having it around makes it an easy crutch–I think it’s wise to have on hand. However, understand that once you open a can of formula, you have about a month to use it before it goes bad (that was as good a deterrent as any to keep me from opening the can!). The better solution, if you have to buy anything, is to get the individual packets so you can make just a bottle or two without wasting the entire can. It is more expensive per serving, but if you’re only breastfeeding, in the long run you’ll waste a lot less. Write to formula companies and ask for samples and coupons of the single servings.
Best thing to stock up on, is food (Granola bars/larabars that you can eat in the middle of the night when hungry), frozen foods that you can use to make simple dinners (frozen microwave or oven meals, frozen chicken tenders, frozen fish filets) and other grocery items like paper towels, toilet paper, laundry soaps (I use an organic brand because it has no dyes and fragrances), dish soap. You won’t want to go to the grocery store often with an infant in tow, and if you do, you won’t want to lug items that take up a lot of room in the cart like toilet paper, because with some carseats, you put the carseat in the basket of the cart., which leaves little room for paper products.
Stopping at the store for diapers is easy for someone to do, because that aisle is easy to find. Getting food or random ingredients like ketchup, then going to the other side of the store for dental floss, is not as easy. When my baby is crying, I can’t find my way around the store.
I honestly do not think diapers and wipes are “that” expensive, compared to food and other items. I buy the generic Babies R Us brand of diapers and wipes in bulk. So if you only have so much energy, focus on stocking up on other things.
Pre-sliced cheese is a nice snack. Some babies are sensitive to cow dairy in your milk though. The expirations on those go out a few months. Same with frozen meals. Of course breakfast bars are great. Boxed cereals. Peanut butter.
Also, you’ll be eating a lot to keep your milk supply up. Every time the baby feeds, you need to eat, at least something! That is what I was told. I keep bottled water near where I feed the baby, because I would refill water glasses a million times, back and forth to kitchen, and it was exhausting. You will be thirsty if you breastfeed.
Burp rags are surprisingly expensive. I like the thin ones at Babies R Us. I honestly feel that I am saving money by using disposable diapers, because I get them cheap, and water is really expensive where I live (washing the diapers, soaking them, etc).
Be careful about stocking up on diapers. I bought my son a bunch of Huggie’s diapers before he was born, but it turned out he consistently leaked in them. After one or two leaks in the middle of the night I switched to Pampers and never had a problem. There are always good deals on diapers, so don’t feel like you have to stock up well in advance. You could buy a couple of packs in the small sizes and see which ones your baby can wear. The same goes for formula. I breastfed, but I’ve had a few friends buy formula only to find out that their son or daughter has food allergies, sensitive stomachs, etc. I would buy just a little bit and then wait to see how your child does.
Many doctors are against medicine for infants and even young toddlers. I definitely wouldn’t buy any of this advance. In two years my son has only used two or three doses of baby Tylenol.
I have 5 children. I never stocked up on things until the 7th or 8th month of pregnancy. I lost 2 babies through miscarriage and never felt comfortable until I was this late in my pregnancy.
I would not stock up on formula. It is very expensive and you never know what you will need. Hopefully, breastfeeding will work for you and you can eliminate this. I always received free samples at the hospital. I also agree with the breast pump purchase. It was a godsend for when my milk came in and I was in pain.
I only had one box of tylenol and ibuprofen each to start. It was more than enough.
I had enough diapers and wipes for the first month. However, with my first child, I didn’t buy enough of the tiny size and had to run out and get more. It is kind of a guessing game on how many you will need of what size in the beginning. I’ve had friends whose babies were so big, they couldn’t use the tiny sizes at all. Just keep them in the packages so you can exchange if you need to.
I would, however, really suggest you stock up on household supplies, feminine products, laundry supplies, and freezer meals.
Best wishes on your pregnancy. : )
One thing I did was buy a jar or two baby food every time I went to the grocery store, so that by the time my baby was ready to eat from jars, I had plenty and just “shopped” from my pantry. This was with my second. With my third however, I didn’t feed her baby food at all – she just ate from our table, LOL.
I got several cans of various sizes and brands of formulas at the doctors office and from signing up online with the big three (similac, enfamil, and gerber). That was enough for a few weeks when we started supplementing and later switched to formula around four months because of supply issues. If you want to do more than that, you could buy a few cans, but I wouldn’t necessarily stock up too much.
Medicines are usually good for a year or two. I found that we luckily didn’t have to use them much aside from shots, so one bottle would have been fine.
I would stock up on cloth diapers and save to buy a breast pump. By going cloth and breast feeding you can save tons of money! Just use the samples for back up, no need to purchase. Try a variety of cloth, you can buy 2nd hand or if you are crafty make your own!
I would not buy anything prior to 12-20 weeks of pregnancy. Though I pray you never experience a miscarriage, having to put away baby things if it does happen makes it all the more painful. When you do start stockpiling diapers and wipes, aim for the standard small tubs and wipes and jumbo (small) packs of diapers. They can be exchanged at Walmart for another brand or size without a receipt (last I checked), even if you purchased them elsewhere. Walmart doesn’t carry some of the larger mega and certain box sizes, so you may be stuck with those if they don’t work for your baby later. Like others said, just get free formula samples if you feel you want some formula on hand. Save up your money and Swagbucks for a good double electric pump, feeding pillow (I recommend My Breast Friend), nursing covrr if that will make you more comfortable in public, breast pads for the early days/weeks of nursing, and a couple of good nursing bras. If you want to buy meds, I’d suggest 1-2 Tylenol/acetaminophen, 1 Advil/ibuprofen (can’t use til baby is at least 6 months old), 1-2 gas drops, 1 teething gel. Also, you could buy a baby wash or two, baby lotion, and diaper rash cream in a good, non allergenic brand. Watch for a deal on a high quality products; it’s worth getting a good quality brand as 1 bottle/tube will probabpy last you a year or more.
I personally cloth diaper. But, if that’s too gross/too much work for you it would still save tons of money to use cloth wipes. I highly recommend them! They are soft and don’t irritate my son, unlike the wipes with alcohol in them.
Sign up for free formula so you’ll have that on hand; I never used mine but felt it was the responsible thing to do since I’ve been rushed to the ER a couple times with heart issues.
You can easily buy 4 packages of size one, two and three diapers ahead of time; buy a variety of wipes and you’ll find out if one of those work best for your baby. I’m guessing if you find one does not work best for you, a friend with children in the same age range will take them for free–right? 😉
I have successfully nursed 7 children and never found the need for a good pump; a used a cheap pump with baby one to relieve pressure when my milk supply came in strong and baby wasn’t ready for all that milk. I probably used it to pump milk in advance so we could have a date without baby at that time, too. Taking one newborn out on a date is no big deal when it is your seventh baby. 🙂
I also don’t pump, so maybe set aside some funds to buy a good pump if the need arises, but I wouldn’t recommend buying in advance. I just found it one more thing to wash and deal with, so it is easier to just stay close to baby for the first 6 months (but I understand other moms feel differently!).
I do recommend stocking up on paper plates/bowls and freezer meals! Any timesavers during those early months are so helpful!
I love the idea of paper products! My mom bought me a few packs of Dixie plates and disposable cups when she was at Target picking up my prescription while my hubby was at home with me and the baby fresh out of the hospital..They were such a blessing to have and not need to worry about too many dishes those first few weeks.
In that idea, I would stock up on as many staples as possible ahead of time–toilet paper, paper towels, canned goods, pasta, meats in the freezer. Anything your family uses regularly. And having meals ready to go in the freezer is a great idea!
I made sure I had all the ingredients for some simple meals together that my husband could prepare (pasta and marinara sauce, chicken breast marinating in the freezer).
By preparing ahead, I didn’t have to go to the store for the first 6 weeks–which was a good thing because I had an emergency C-section and my daughter had some complications that made leaving home difficult! I would just have the people who wanted to come over to visit stop and pick up a gallon of milk, bread, fresh fruit. People always offer to do anything to help, and this was something that I needed that didn’t take too long for a friend/family member to get.
So, I was in the same boat 7 months ago. I had just found out we were expecting and needed tips and ideas. I found this site: (http://www.southernsavers.com/2012/08/stocking-up-on-diapers-how-much-to-buy-at-what-price/) with stock up information – totally worth checking out!! Now, with 4 weeks left to go, I have been able to tell everyone that if they want to get me diapers, just make sure its size 3 and up because I have already purchased plenty size 1 and 2 through big sales (including a huge sale at CVS this week!!) When you see blog sites post “Stock up price” on diapers, RUN!!! Do all you can to get that price because really, diaper costs add up fast!! Plus if you end up having too many of one size and you need to get a bigger size, you (from what I have been told by many) can bring in the packages to stores like Target or Walmart and exchange them for the next size up. Haven’t done it myself, yet, but I know people who have!!
As for wipes, I have purchased several of the 56-64ct packages of Huggies or Pampers, but the best buys I have gotten were through Amazon Mom. I was able to get 600 ct Huggies wipes for less than $8 shipped with Subscribe and Save. Usually you can get a free trial to Amazon Mom and can even sign up after your trial is done with a different e-mail address (like your other-half’s email). I haven’t purchased diapers through them, but I do know sometimes the deals are great – so worth checking out.
Clothes – well you can ALWAYS buy neutral colors until you find out what you are having (if you plan to) and we shopped garage sales, consignment sales, and clearance racks for clothes over the past 7 months (we – as in my mom, my M-I-L, and myself). You can even find other essentials at these places that you grab if an excellent deal. Check out what the prices of items are on Babys R Us and Target’s websites and if you see a really good deal, get it!
Formula, I agree with everyone else, sign up for Similac and Emfamil. Both have given me many samples – plus my Drs office gave me samples and one of the consignment stores game me a sample. I also plan to breastfeed since formula prices are incredibly expensive and thankfully the samples I got all expire about a year or two after my baby is born!! Just wonderful being that I hope I wouldn’t have to use it or if I do it is way later on!
I haven’t purchased any medication yet, but I am hitting up the Target deal this week on Children’s Advil if I can. I also am working on finding deals on training toothpaste. These are things I would maybe wait on until closer to the time or really keep your eye out on expiration dates before you buy them. If they are set to expire when your child is barely 3 months old, then I would pass. Try to find expirations closer to your baby’s 1st birthday or even after if you can!!
Again, keep your eye out on ALL the blogs – there are so many out there for so many stores and deals. Just remember to watch expirations on some items, and not to worry about others!!
If you’re planning on breastfeeding, don’t stock up on formula! You will be sent home with samples from the hospital, and it should be more than enough for emergencies. Also, some babies need different types of formula, so I would just wait to stock up on formula when and if the need arises.
I also wouldn’t worry about meds. Perhaps if you found a great deal on children’s tylenol or ibuprofen, if might be nice to get one bottle of each. That stuff expires, and you really won’t use it that often. Plus, the generic brands at the store are so inexpensive, we’ve never really had an issue forking out the $2-3 to get some in an emergency when we’ve run out. Your ped might also have some samples on hand when you go for your well baby check-ups.
ABSOLUTELY stock up on diapers and wipes! My only suggestion is not to get too terribly many newborn or size 1, as it seems like they outgrow those so quickly!
Congratulations on your upcoming arrival and kudos to you for trying to plan ahead and be stocked up for his/her arrival!!!!
I would agree with many others – use the money to stock up on diapers and wipes. My daughter was in size 3 diapers for a year, but newborn, 1 and 2 for a short time., but it’s different for everyone.
It was good to have Tylenol on hand, but one bottle is more than enough. It was more a convenience than a stocking up issue for me. I believe Advil can’t be used until 6 mos, so I wouldn’t worry about that yet. Gas drops were convenient to have on hand too, but I would ask the dr about using them first.
Formula is easy to come by in samples, especially if you plan to breastfeed more. Ask your pediatrician at baby’s first appointment and I’m sure you’ll get at least a few cans. I have even seen samples at my OBs office.
One thing you may consider stocking up on that hasn’t been mentioned is laundry detergent, you will do a lot of laundry! We use All free and clear for the family, I never used dreft or any of those special baby ones and didn’t have any issues.
Another deal I keep my eye out for is diaper genie refills, I try not to buy them unless they are on sale but they are still expensive. I would probably recommend a different diaper pail system because of the expense, but if it’s one you plan to get, watch for those too.
Good luck and enjoy your little one!
great suggestion with laundry detergent! All free and clear is the best for sensitive skin!
I wouldn’t “stock up” on medicine at all. Hopefully, you’ll have a healthy child and will so rarely need it that you’ll buy it at that point. As for formula, I wouldn’t bother with that, either. I breast fed and I got enough freebie cans that I never bought any. I ended up throwing them away because they expired.
As many others have said, I would not keep formula around as a backup if you are serious about breastfeeding. There are several reasons for this. The first is that it makes it too easy to give a bottle at 3 AM when you are exhausted. The second is that every time you give formula, you’re not breastfeeding by default. When you’re not breastfeeding, it sends your body the signal that it doesn’t need to make more milk.
I would also consider cloth diapering. It is seriously not that bad, you’re going to be elbow deep in poop with a baby sometimes no matter HOW you diaper. I got a set of 24 pocket diapers with 48 inserts for $100 on ebay.
In stocking up, definitely keep all of your receipts! I have a 9 month old, and I have been shocked at the amount of things have people have just handed down to us! Plus, diapers and essentials received at our baby shower! I would like to echo the advice of being cautious about stocking up too much on formula. It isn’t unusual for a baby to have a milk allergy, and you simply won’t know ahead of time! What I would suggest is signing up with Similac, Enfamil, and Gerber. They have programs for expecting moms, and I received several whole canisters of formula for free, in the mail. I breast feed, but I figured, like you, it was a good emergency back-up. It sounds like you already know this, but you really need to be suuuper careful about using it, for the first six months. During that time, even a bottle a day can interfere with your supply. Having said that, it also completely depends on your own, personal nursing goals!
I agree with this post. My first baby drank regular formula just fine, so when I was pregnant with my 2nd I spent $60-70 stocking up on formula. 3 days after we had him we realized he had a milk allergy and had to drink soy formula. I was able to take most back to the store, but was stuck with a SAMs club size container with 1 or 2 scoops used out of it.
All good advice. Get whatever samples and freebies you can! Whatever you do stock up on, keep the receipts in case you need to return or exchange something. You never know if your child will be allergic to a certain type of diaper, wipe, or formula.
This is very good advice. I stocked up on boxes and boxes of Huggies, and shortly after my son was born, we realized he was allergic to them. I had no idea the box stores would take them back and passed them along to a cousin who was expecting, so they went to a good cause, but I was more careful when I was pregnant with my second child.
I wouldn’t bother stocking up on meds. They don’t use that much. I only buy when needed. My daughter is 18 months old and I have only purchased one bottle of teething tablets, one bottle of store brand Tylenol, one bottle of gas drops, and 2 bottles of ibuprofen.
Formula: Agreeing with the others. Just sign up for free samples online. We did Similac to supplement breastfeeding and we got so much free Similac. We did eventually switch to the Walmart brand of the same formula to save money. But if you are only supplementing with it, you won’t need much and it does expire.
Stock up items on my list would certainly include diapers and wipes, as well as body washes and lotions. These are items you will always need and use, and they will be just as good as they are now one year out. Often great deals can be found on diapers, and if your baby outgrows a size stores are usually quite willing for you to exchange for an appropriate size. The one problem might be if you find a brand of diaper doesn’t fit your baby well; I think you should still be able to exchange them for a brand which works well for you.
Hospital and OB offices always have samples available from the formula companies who are doing their best to promote their products. With the multiple diaper bags full of samples I received after our babies were born, I had plenty of formula to tide me over on the rare occasion when I needed to use it. I always kept a tube in my diaper bag to easily mix up if necessary – much less bulky than a can, although still not as convenient as the ready-to-feed products available now.
I would recommend saving for a quality breast pump. As a teacher, I finished out my school year after maternity leave before choosing to stay home with my daughter. I used my electric “double udder” Medela pump (much more efficient than a manual or single breast pump) and froze my breast milk, ensuring that my daughter rarely needed formula. Frozen bags carried in a cooler can be brought along and warmed on the occasions when breast feeding might not be the most comfortable option for you. A quality pump is an investment you will use with additional babies you may be blessed with, and when my baby days were over I was able to pass mine on to a new mother who was not able to afford a pump.
Here’s the link to a pump currently available on Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=Medela&tag=ap0a7eddd0-20
Formula and medicine have expiration dates. I would look for dates that are at least 6 months past your due date.
Diapers are a great idea, but be realistic about how much you might need. I buy big boxes usually, but it’s amazing how quick they go from 1 to 3. I would not stock up on too many of those small sizes.
One of the only problems with stocking up on diapers and wipes and formula for baby is that you never know if baby will have an allergic reaction or even a mild irritation with certain brands. Even a mild irritation with one brand of diapers will have you not wanting to put that brand on your young baby, and regret that closet full of whatever brand. Just something to keep in mind:). Another idea for stocking up however is to look for things that you and other household members will use – toilet paper, hand soap, toothpaste, dishwashing and laundry detergents, shampoos, etc. Running out to buy toilet paper or other necessities with a newborn can be either a welcome break or a huge hassle, depending upon so many factors you can’t know ahead of time. Best of luck with your pregnancy and delivery! 🙂
I’ve thought the exact same thing about sensitivities to various kinds of diapers, wipes, and formula when stocking up. Although my babies haven’t had this a problem, I have decided that if there are any extras of the baby items I’ve stocked up on, then I give them to a new mom at my church or will donate them to the pregnancy clinic.
You can def. start stocking up on wipes. You’ll use plenty of those. Even if you buy too many, they come in handy in the later years too!. Go ahead and start stocking up on diapers if you see a killer deal, but don’t do too much. They aren’t in the newborn size for that long, or size 1 for that matter. My daughter was in two or fours for a long time. It will depend on the child so just start stocking up when you see the super great deals. I wouldn’t really stock up too much on medicine. You could probably stock a couple of bottles of Tylenol but that’s it. Babies don’t use cold medicine. As for formula, pick a brand and go to their website. Enfamil and Similac both have programs where they give you a free starter kit. In addition, they will send you 5 dollar “checks” that you can use on formula throughout the babies first year. I typically used them on the pre-made formula that cost anywhere from 5-7 dollars….making it really cheap. Congratulations….get some sleep while you can!
If your planning to breastfeed and just want some back up cans the best way I found out was signing up onto Similacs website, I recieved about 6 free cans and 1 1lb tub of formula in the mail and I recieved checks from similac some as much as $20.00! that i could use for formula. All because I signed up online! The formula also have expiration date about 2 years in advance. Also sometimes they run great coupons in the inserts when my son was born I stocked up on the ready to feed formula by using $5 off coupon on a $5.32 jug of ready feed. One jug got my son through a day and a half sometimes 2 days for $0.32!
I second that Similac. I just received a package from them with 3 cans in it that don’t expire for about 2 years. My drs office also gave me some and one of the local consignment sales I attended handed out free samples. Plus Similac has been mailing me these $10 off coupon checks that actually work like a check so you can use a MQ with a store coupon on top of these – making for GREAT deals! Unfortunately, those checks do expire within 3-4 months but still worth holding on to, just in case.
When my children were born, I got a few free cans of formula from my drs office and the hospital in the welcome bags. If you only want a couple of cans as back up that should be fine.
I personally don’t give my infants medication. I have had six children and I bet there’s been only a handful of times when I’ve had to give a child under a year old medicine. So this isn’t something I’d stock up on. Of course, I’m sure others have different opinions on this but this has been our experience.
I agree. I have been lucky to breast feed my three exclusively, and have received plenty of samples from the dr and from signing up with gerber, similac, etc. to supplement if needed.
As for medication, I hardly use it either. I did get some samples from my pediatrician. A ton of Advil. Just ask. They get samples from vendors all the time. I got a whole bunch of diaper rash cream there too. I prefer not to stock up on medications because we rarely use them and then I feel like it was a waste. The occasional purchase that is really needed is better for me. Maybe I’m just lucky that we have not used much, even gas drops and teething gel. Or maybe I’m a mean mom who expects my kids to have a high pain tolerance like I do!
Diapers and wipes are the best things to stock up on. If you decide to purchase other things, remember to look at the age range as well as the expiration date. Some kinds of medicine you won’t give your baby until they are at least 6 months old. That means if you buy something now, it could potentially be a year old before your child is able to have it/needs it. It may be worthwhile to save your money and keep an eye on those items once your baby is born.
As far as formula, if you supplement too much especially at first, it may be more difficult for you to develop an adequate milk supply. If you spend money on formula you will probably feel guilty later on if you find yourself throwing it because you didn’t need it or giving it to your child just because you don’t want to throw it away.
One thing I really didn’t think I would need when I was pregnant with my first child and planning to breastfeed was a pump. I thought if I was staying home there would be no need for it. The night my milk came in, I realized how wrong I was. Save your money on the formula deals and put it towards a good breast pump. That way, even if you find your milk supply slack in the beginning, you can pump milk between feedings. You will have something to supplement with as well as boost your milk supply, which supplementing with formula will not do. That will only lead to more problems with milk supply in the long run, eventually costing you more money on formula.
I second this sage advice. I’m a mom of three. You never know which brand of diapers or wipes (including cloth) will work best on your baby or how long your baby will be in each size. If you have to use formula, you never know which type your baby will need. He or she might need soy or extra fortification or thickened types due to reflux, who knows. I’d sign up for the free samples and coupon offers but I wouldn’t buy any. Your ob/gyn and hospital might give you samples of diapers, wipes, and formula also. As far as medicines, some are not recommended for a child under six months. I’d hold off on anything. My pediatrician’s office also hands out sample sized bottles of infant acetaminophen or ibuprofen if you ask.
Third this advice. Save your money and get a nice pump, the more you feed and pump, the more milk you will make. FYI-you don’t have to buy expensive bags to freeze your breastmilk either! Freeze in ice cube trays, and when they are frozen, pop them into a regular Ziploc bag. Each cube is approx. 1 oz.
Great advice about the formula–you never really know what kind they’ll take until you try it–and yes, it might be too easy to supplement with formula if you don’t feel like breastfeeding or breastfeeding turns out to be harder than anticipated, which will totally kill your supply.
In regards to a pump–I ABSOLUTELY recommend a good double pump, but check your health insurance first–I got my $250 Medela double pump completely free through my insurance. It can’t hurt to ask, so ask before you spend that kind of money!
Good luck momma!!
Pretty much everything in this thread. Please take the time to learn how breastfeeding works. Do some reading, find a LLL meeting to attend, or a support group online (there are many on facebook). Having formula on hand could easily sabotage your breastfeeding relationship.
I second that! The one thing I didn’t buy ahead was a breast pump and we ended up sending a friend to the store to buy one for me! He still has fun with that one. 🙂 I was on bed rest due to some complications and needed to pump to bring in my milk because I couldn’t breastfeed. A lot of moms need one to help start up their milk supply so investing in a simple one is a good idea. I forgot to mention earlier, some babies don’t tolerate a formula (my son could drink one fine but got sick every time I tried another) so don’t get too much of one and once you find one that works, stick with that. Formula companies will also send you checks in the mail that help a lot with formula costs so check out those programs. We ended up getting a membership to Sam’s just to buy formula because we were going through a big can a week as my son got older.
Please call your insurance company before buying a pump…… mine gave me a FREE ONE!!
One benefit of “Obamacare” is that insurance companies are REQUIRED to pay for a breast pump 100%. Please please do not spend any of your money on a pump!
What type they will pay for depends on the insurance company. Check–most cover a double electric, although it may only be a manual. The law doesn’t dictate a version.
As far as formula–rather than buy, go to Similac,com, Gerber Good Start, and Enfamil.com and join their mailing lists. I got 2 full cans of formula from Enfamil and 3 over the course of a few months from Similac. Gerber sent coupons that almost covered the cost of a can. That way you can have some on hand.
As far as stocking up on diapers and wipes, I only buy when I can get a jumbo pack of Pampers or Huggies for less than $4.50 after coupons and discounts/ECB. Wipes I aim to pay about .01 per wipe. So for a normal sized pack, .50-.75. I’ve been able to diaper my 15 month old for less than $250 this whole time!!
I don’t been to tell you what to do, but I hate to see people waste money on things they don’t need to!
When I heard that I could possibly get a free breast pump thru my insurance I was so excited! I had one with my son four years ago and it was a life saver! I then called my insurance, Tricare, and sure enough it was exempt from the Act that was put into place that provided free breast pumps! 🙁
Having formula on hand for emergencies is a great idea. What if Mom runs a quick errand without baby, and car breaks down? Not everyone is able to have pumped extra milk on hand. If it “sabotages” nursing, then that is what the mother chose to do, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t jump of the shelf and into the baby’s mouth all by itself. An adult chooses to use it. I breastfed all four of my children. Three of them had a lot of feeding issues at the beginning, and careful formula supplementation helped avoid hospitalization, AND led to my being able to exclusively breastfeed after a few weeks. Sure, I could have sent my husband out to buy it, but things were so stressful at the time, and that would have just been one more thing to do.
But you should get plenty of samples so that you don’t need to buy any.
I ran out to do a twenty minute errand during nap time and left the baby with my husband. I was gone for four hours due to a flat tire and waiting for AAA. We were SO glad we had an emergency bottle and formula. I think we used that canister two or three times but it was worth its weight in gold the few times we made a bottle.
Many insurance programs are now covering all or most of the costs of buying a quality breast pump. Ask your insurance company what they cover to see if they can save you money. Then I’d buy a hands free pumping bra and freezer bags too.
Skip the hands free bra…make your own! Old sports bra with two slits cut where the pump parts go in.
A lot of the children’s medicines I have purchased don’t expire for at least a year, and now is the time of year to get them because cold/flu season is coming up — you will see meds for infant tylenol and Advil. You won’t need children’s cold meds the first few years, because they’re not approved for children under 5 (last I checked), but gas drops and teething gel will come in handy.
As for stocking up on formula: If you find ridiculously fabulous deals, by all means stock up. With the caveats that (1) you should stick to one formula at a time unless for some reason you need to switch — so, you may not want to stock up on more than one brand and type of formula; and (2) for some reason or another the formula you initially choose may not agree with baby for some reason or another (allergy or baby has special nutritional needs, etc.) — so, I wouldn’t stock up on too much formula, unless it really is a fabulous price. Although, if you do not end up using it, it would make a great charitable donation.