‘The simple bare necessities, forget about your worries and your strife’
As a Disney fan, it seems only appropriate that we delve into this Jungle Book style! What better way to sum up the bare necessities you will suddenly need now your bundle of joy is on the way than with a childhood classic!
This post is a much lighter hearted and fun one. If you LOVE to burn a hole in your pocket (like I do) and don’t know how to do this without totally breaking the bank, then look no further as I am about to share the tips and tricks I’ve learnt so far. When I discovered I was pregnant, it didn’t dawn on me for a few months how much stuff I could possibly need. With so much advertising and lists everywhere telling you ‘YOU WILL NEED THIS‘ and ‘YOU SHOULD BUY THAT‘ it can all be a little overwhelming to say the least. I was always aware of the ‘bare necessities’ I would need such as a pram, a cot and changing table but not all the little extras that have now been designed to make your life easier (and apparently a little more cluttered!)
You’re always told you need a multitude of things but what you need vs what you’re told you need, I have found, are very different. Take it from me, this is far from straight forwards for a first-time-mother with no experience of preparing for a baby. So, where do you start once you’ve listed what counts as the bare necessities? For me, I started by making a list of things categorising what I have brought/have left to buy to help me see what I need. Below are mini lists under the categories I have narrowed it down to: Medical, To Sleep, To Wear, To Feed and To Entertain/Go Out. Let’s see what I’ve got for each:
- Medical: For cleaning, bathing & caring
Shampoo
Baby lotion
Body wash
Cotton wool
Towels
Changing table & mat
NAPPIES
Wipes
Nappy rash cream
Diaper genie & refills
Bath seat - To Sleep: For comfort & wearing
Cot & Moses Basket (and sheets)
Pillow/’Sleepy head’ pod
Swaddles
Pyjamas/sleepsuits – Mixture of different thicknesses
Baby monitor - To Wear: Remember babies can be sick… a lot!
Wardrobe (to store it all) – always think of maximising space!
Baby grows – mixture of long, short, no sleeve/feet, no feet
Socks
Hats – mixture of thin & thick
Cardigans
Jumpers
Scratch mittens - To Feed:
Breast pump
Bottles
Feeding pillow
Sterilisers
Bottle brush
Dummies & on-the-go steriliser
Muslin cloths
Bibs - To Entertain/Go Out:
Cuddly toy
Bouncy chair/rocker
Mobile
Night light
Playmat – For tummy time!
Carrier – For taking them for a walk whilst basically weight training – win win!
There are plenty of things you could add or take away from this list as I’m sure I’ve missed out things that others would deem essential and things that I’ve added that others wouldn’t need but as a list of things to help me feel prepared, I feel it covers all basics with a little luxury.
With all those items in mind I am pleased to say I have always been a thrifty shopper. There are a handful of items on that list that I paid full price for. One of my biggest tips & tricks is an absolute must: YOU MUST SCOUR THE INTERNET – get on Google and research that product you want, look for when shops have mother & baby events, sign up for sale email notifications and never ever just settle for what you find first! There will always be an alternative that might help you save your pennies for a rainy day. Here are my top 6 best buys to date: (Please note that these deals may have expired and may not be available anymore!)
Tommee Tippee Dummies at Asda – As mentioned in my previous post ‘A Dummies Guide…’ these sets were on offer for 2 for £6!
https://groceries.asda.com/product/teethers-soothers/tommee-tippee-closer-to-nature-fun-style-2-orthodontic-soothers-0-to-6m/910001268315
Tommee Tippee Bottle at Tesco – Originally around £25, these were down to just £10!
http://www.tesco.com/direct/tommee-tippee-closer-to-nature-260ml-bottles-6-pack/215-1344.prd?source=others
Tommee Tippee Manual Breast Pump at Boots – Originally £21.99, on sale for £10.99!
http://www.boots.com/tommee-tippee-closer-to-nature-manual-breast-pump-10205689
Bambino Mio Miosolo All-In-One Reusable Nappy at Boots – Originally £15.99 each, on sale for £10.99
http://www.boots.com/bambino-mio-miosolo-all-in-one-reusable-nappy-hop-10216576
Bambino Mio Miosolo All-In-One Nappy at Aldi – Down to £8.99 as part of their Baby Event
https://www.aldi.co.uk/bambino-mio-miosolo-nappy-bicycle/p/068689020575101
Mama’s & Papa’s Wave Rocker – On sale for £59 from £79, in wrong box when went to purchase so honoured at the marked down £34.99!
https://www.mamasandpapas.com/en-gb/wave-rocker-catch-a-star/p/4591t0300/
So, let’s tally it all up. These six items should have come to approximately £167.55 but came to just £81.96 saving me a whopping £85.59! That’s more than 50% off – which you can see but still – it just goes to show that shopping around can help you save those pennies after all your baby is going to need many new things as they begin to grow.
I hope this has inspired you that when you go to shop to look for those bargains and SAVE!
Happy Hump day!
One Curious Mother x
Sources:
Cover Image:
– https://d23.com/this-day/the-jungle-book-premieres/
Item Images:
– https://groceries.asda.com/product/teethers-soothers/tommee-tippee-closer-to-nature-fun-style-2-orthodontic-soothers-0-to-6m/910001268315
– http://www.tesco.com/direct/tommee-tippee-closer-to-nature-260ml-bottles-6-pack/215-1344.prd?source=others
– http://www.boots.com/tommee-tippee-closer-to-nature-manual-breast-pump-10205689
– http://www.boots.com/bambino-mio-miosolo-all-in-one-reusable-nappy-hop-10216576
– https://www.aldi.co.uk/bambino-mio-miosolo-nappy-bicycle/p/068689020575101
– https://www.mamasandpapas.com/en-gb/wave-rocker-catch-a-star/p/4591t0300/
One Curious Mother 