My wife is due with our first late June 2016… so hoping for some ideas on where to save, or not to spend ridiculous cash. Plan is to have the nursery done a few months before, so we don't have to rush… i'm sure it'll end up being done a week out.
Firstly.. it seems we have some non-negotiables (don't argue with a pregnant wife):
- Pram is to be a Bugaboo Cameleon 3. Can be used/2nd hand, but with Baby Kingdom's current price @ $1240 and most going on Gumtree for about $900 + $50 to get it professionally cleaned, I'd rather spend the extra $350 and get 3 years warranty on a new one. It also looks like the in-laws are happy to buy it for us, so we have that going for us.
- Capsule - wife won't let me rent one :( nor buy 2nd hand… as she doesn't trust whether its been an accident. Probably going to get a Maxi Cosi Mico AP. Will get Bugaboo adapters from Gumtree, as there's heaps of them. I can justify the $400 cost, as we'll be having a second in a few years. Renting is about $160/4-6 months in Canberra.
- Need a rocking or sliding chair… haven't done any research, can be probably 2nd hand.
So… give me ideas on what to look for.
So far:
- We cleaned out the recent Bonds outlet sale at DFO, and picked up heaps of baby clothes between $4-$12. Everything from 0000 to 0
- We got a free cot from my mother inlaw's work. Solid timber, so I'm picking it up next weekend from Sydney and will strip it back and repaint and fill in any bites.
- Got a second hand bassinet from my wife's work classifieds - just need to go to clark rubber and have a new mattress cut for it
- Bought $600 of reusable diapers - cost, environment and general coolness. We're not fussed by bodily fluids (trust me - our ducks in our yard stink much worse!). Grandparents will get disposables though.
- Got a free kids hiking backpack hand me down
- Free baby monitor hand me down as well
Plan for the future:
- hoping to pick up a baby change table/bath tomorrow from Gumtree for $70; In target they're $160-$170. If that falls through, I'll pick up a timber one, and strip/sand/stain or paint.
- Not getting chest of drawers or anything.. we're going to convert the huge 3 door built in wardrobe using Cabinets on Demand into exactly what we want: toy space, lots of drawers and small hanging space. At the moment, there's an Ikea 4x4 box cabinet thing, but heaps of wasted space.
- going to the next buy/swap/sell for kids clothing in Canberra and I think there might be some in Sydney as well and stock up on more clothes.
- buy a cheap, plastic baby chair, that I can take out into the yard or bath and hose off. Wife wants one of those $300+ seats, but i told her she'll be hand sponging it after every meal with a toothbrush for the little cracks.
- Unisex clothing… easier to use again
What do others recommend getting… so i can keep an eye out for sales or trawl gumtree/classifieds?
Baby isn't going to any childcare for the first 12-18 months, so will be with mum for the first 12 months, then grandparents after.
REVISIONS: things you guys mention that I need to remember about:
- disposables… i assume that means baby powder, shampoo, wet wipes, dry wipes
- safety proofing… cabinet locks, gates (already have some from when we got a puppy), power point covers
- baby safe paint
- bin for 'stinkies'
- Ikea highchair is LOCKED in!
- Look at MYER/Best'N'Less for 'quality' generic baby clothes
- Get a baby carrier: easier to shop with
True. Will never touch it - but it will be in their room, so if they're crawling around they may bite it (i dunno… just thinking)
But i was going to paint the cot as well… which I know kids tend to chew sometimes. So was going to get some baby safe paint and do both.
Any idea where/what to use? Or just go with dulux wash'n'wear (we have heaps from the main house painting job).