Is it worth the spend? Good news for new moms!

When I was pregnant with my first baby, I asked my mother and sisters what I needed to pack or prepare before giving birth. I was wondering what to pack in our hospital bag, for instance. Do I have to grab everything and not leave anything out? What are the most essential infant supplies or equipment, and what are nice to have? Am I saving or binging money only to get what I believed were necessities?

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Parents want to do everything possible for their children, however, social media has overstated that desire while also making the process of choosing what’s best more overwhelming (Atherton, 2022). And in my experience, I kept going through my Instagram account to check for the finest stroller or crib to buy for my baby. I had no idea I was so befuddled by the pressures of my surroundings, particularly social media.

As per the experts (experienced mothers), let’s find out which gear is worth saving or splurging on (Harms, 2019).

Highchair: Save

A high chair is crucial for a baby, but you don't have to spend $300 on an Italian-made highchair because it's the greatest quality. Your infant is unconcerned by the brand of his or her chair. A $25 Ikea highchair serves the same purpose. My second child utilized the same Ikea-made highchair that my firstborn had used.

Crib: Save

As first-time parents, my husband and I bought an expensive wooden crib for our son. We thought we made the best decision for buying a posh crib for him because he can use it anyway until he turns 3, at least. Then it turned out that’s not a good decision as we learned the lesson the hard way. Because the wood is firm, my kid smacked his head and had several scratches when he tried to stand up! Most parents feel that a less costly crib, or even a second-hand one, will do as long as it meets Health Canada's current safety criteria (Harms, 2019).

Bassinet: Save

This product will be outgrown by all babies in a short amount of time. Because kids grow so quickly, you will find that the bassinet you just purchased is too tiny for your child. There is no need to purchase a bassinet unless you have plenty of room in your baby's nursery area and a large budget for baby supplies. Rather than spending money on a bassinet, most parents selected a cot with wheels. We chose not to purchase a bassinet for our son since we knew he would outgrow it soon and we did not have enough space in our home.

Stroller: Splurge

Parents believed that purchasing nice and high-quality strollers were worthwhile. Whether it's strong enough to survive snowy winters or a twin stroller for two kids, it was advised that parents explore the best model that meets their child's needs. The stroller we bought for our son was Graco Stylus Travel System with SnugRide Click Connect 35 Infant Car Seat. He loved it so much!

Breast Pump: It depends.

Breast pumps, according to lactation specialists and most parents, are a "wait and see" item—how much you need to spend on one will depend on how well breastfeeding goes and how frequently you need to pump (Harms, 2019). If you are a stay-at-home mom, you may not need a breast pump; but, if you expect to return to work soon, you may get a decent-quality electric breast pump on Amazon.

Car Seat: Save

Most parents spend money on their child’s car seat as safety is the number one priority. There are several safe, economical car seat alternatives for newborns, toddlers, and older children. You don't have to worry about sacrificing safety because all seats on the market must meet the same stringent federal safety criteria (Babylist editors, 2022). Be cautious about buying second-hand car seats as they may be expired or have safety issues. We bought our children’s car seats from Walmart when we came here to Canada. There are a variety of car seats to choose from and they are not expensive.

Good News for New Moms!

While certain baby items are worthwhile investments, I have wonderful news for you! When it comes to simple but necessary baby supplies, you don't need to buy pricey items while you wait for your child’s arrival because most are accessible at any discount stores near you!

Simple items including child wash towels, bath soaps, and alternatives to diaper-changing mats may be found at thrift stores such as Dollarama!

Check out this short Tiktok video to see what else I discovered. You may also click this link if the video does not play.

Have you ever gone shopping at Dollarama or Dollar Tree? Can you recommend any products that our readers can check? Please comment below to show us what you've got.

Reference:

Atherton, A. (2022, October 24). Babies Don’t Need Fancy Things. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2022/10/parents-buying-baby-products-anxiety/671815/

Babylist Editors. (2022, January 29). Ask the Baby Gear Expert: Car Seats. Babylist.com Retrieved from https://www.babylist.com/hello-baby/ask-the-expert-car-seats

Harms, C. (2019, September 13). Save or splurge? Where to spend your money on baby gear? Today’s Parent. Retrieved from https://www.todaysparent.com/pregnancy/baby-registry/save-or-splurge-where-to-spend-your-money-on-baby-gear/