10 Ways To Save While Shopping For A New Baby And Mom

10 ways to save while shopping for a new baby and mom

Parimita is a second-time mom, she shares with us some tips for new moms coming from her experiences.

I am a new mother for the second time and I can assure you that it is a whole new experience. Every pregnancy is different and every child is born with an intrinsic personality which leaves the mother guessing on how to handle that little person. But one thing remains common in every pregnancy and that is shopping for the baby and the new mama-to-be. The new mother goes into a nesting mode the minute she hits the third trimester. She starts collecting stuff frantically which she thinks might be helpful when the baby will arrive; in the process, investing in things that she might never use. I have been a victim of this nesting syndrome and I have made some wrong investments. So here are a few tips which might help you to save while planning for the new member’s arrival:

1. Medicines and nutritional supplements: Be regular with your iron, folic acid, and calcium supplements but don’t buy them in bulk. Many times a particular formula or brand might not suit you and you end up throwing away your medicines. Buy 7-15 days stock and get new ones, once those are over. My protein supplements were never used completely as I used to hate the taste.
2. Maternity fashion: This is completely my opinion but maternity fashion is absolutely not necessary and is a waste of money. I realized that my normal clothing was sufficient throughout my 9 months of gestation. Be it the Anarkalis and tights, or sheath dresses, t-shirts teamed with oversized shirts and denim trousers, I was comfortable wearing my current wardrobe more creatively. I was only big for my clothes in the last trimester. I didn’t see any merit in investing money on maternity wear they are expensive). Apart from a denim with a belly band and breastfeeding bras (for later use), I was able to manage everything else with my current wardrobe.
3. Post Natal Belly band: After C-section when my tummy felt sore, a belly band was very helpful in keeping my gut together. But beyond that, it didn’t help me in any way. No, it didn’t help my tummy become flat after the baby. So think before you splurge. It is only good for a month post surgery.
4. Breast Pump: #BreastIsBest campaign has taken off recently. We all know the benefits of breastfeeding. But there are a few moms who decide to use alternative ways of feeding due to various reasons and let’s not judge their choices. So, if you are a new mom, hold your horses before buying a breast pump. First gauge how is your milk supply? Are you able to produce more after your infant has been fed to even consider expressing and storing it for future use? Do you plan to do exclusive breastfeeding or plan for a combination feed (BF + formula) or only formula milk?How soon do you plan to join work, etc.? Once you are clear about your choices, then buy a breast pump or ask a friend to gift you. I used a manual pump from Pigeon as I felt comfortable controlling the pressure.
5. Baby clothes: Unlike other parts of the world, in India, we cannot know the sex of the baby till it is born. But there is no harm in buying unisex clothes before hand if you want quality products at less price. Brands like Carter, Mothercare, and many others have seasonal sales. It is better to pick up a few items during the sale period. Don’t go for newborn size ever as the babies outgrow very fast from that stage. Use 0-3 months front open vests for newborns and buy stylish pure cotton soft clothes only in the sizes 3-6 months or 6-9 months. Buy jackets and sweatshirts in a particular size only if you know your baby will wear them in winters. Mumbai doesn’t have drastic winters so I never bought any heavy jackets for my baby. Similarly, two pairs of socks, mittens, and cap were good enough till now. Infant shoes are an absolute waste. The weather didn’t permit us to put on the shoes on my son’s tiny feet ever. Buy shoes only from one-year plus.
6. Bath seat/ bath tub toys/ infant shower cap: Apart from a normal bath tub, I never used any of the bathing gears in the initial months. These might come in handy when the baby is a year old but not before that. You might very well wait till that time to buy those or ask friends and relatives to gift you.
7. Pram or Stroller: I would any day prefer a lightweight, umbrella fold stroller instead of a bulky pram. MeeMee and several other good brands have lightweight strollers with reclining positions suitable from a newborn to a toddler which are easy during travel as well as everyday use. Price wise they are much more affordable. And the babies are also comfortable in them.
8.  T-shirt baby wrap: I invested Rs. 500 to buy 3 pieces of same color t-shirts to create a comfortable baby wrap from it. First of all the baby is next to your skin and feels extremely relaxed in this bind. There is no synthetic material to irritate his skin and it mimics the surrounding inside the womb which calms them down immediately. This is very comfortable for the baby in the initial months. Anyway, I don’t plan to carry my baby in a bind once he turns one. I need to care for my back and that is when he will travel extensively in a stroller. Check out this tutorial to know how it is done;

9. Second-hand baby products: There are several second-hand online portals which help you connect with sellers selling used baby products in good condition. We all know that half of the stuff for the baby is hardly used and can be bought at half the price through these portals. Many Facebook buying/selling groups and companies like ‘Precared’ help to connect the buyer and the seller of used baby products like toys, play mats, strollers, breast pumps, etc. Scout for the right products and pay less. If a friend or a friend’s friend is offering to give away a baby seat or a cot, take it. Be frugal!

10. Car seats, booster chairs, baby cots: These are good to have but not extremely necessary. So if you feel that you would want one, plan ahead and take advantage of online sales or in-store sales when they happen. You can buy these at almost 50% off, especially during in-store sales. Stay in touch with the stores and ask them to send you updates on sales previews. Never compromise on quality on baby safety gears. So it is better to buy a branded product but at less price during sale season.

Parimita with her baby

Hope these tips were helpful in saving you some money. Though the list is not exhaustive. Do share your money saving tips too.