What NOT to buy for your new baby

In this week’s baby bargainista column, Jenny explains why you won’t need to shop for baby clothes before you welcome your new baby into the world.

If there’s one thing you DON’T need to worry about buying before baby is born, it’s baby clothes.

I know, it seems counter-intuitive – what will poor baby wear? – but trust me on this. Save your money, at least until after baby arrives. Here’s why.

1. You’re likely to receive innumerable gifts of baby clothes after the birth even if you don’t have a baby shower. In my experience, it’s the number-one go-to gift from friends and family – especially hand-me-downs from anyone who’s already had their brood and has been hanging on to bins of good-condition newborn baby clothes in the hope of finding them a good home. (At this age babies grow out of their clothes quickly, and nothing gets worn out until baby starts to actually crawl.)

2. In the early weeks it’s easier to keep baby swaddled in a blanket or two rather than buttoned into a sleeper or onesie. This allows for faster unwrapping for that essential skin-to-skin bonding that helps your milk come in faster, and kick-starts baby’s nursing instincts (by the way, the same holds true for bottle feeding – baby feeds more effectively when skin-to-skin). It also allows for faster diaper changes – and there will be plenty of those, believe me!

3. Until your baby is born, you can’t know what size he or she will be. Don’t put too much faith in the tags that give age ranges or lbs – those are just a guideline. There are major variations between brands, and every baby is different. The photos above are of three sleepers, from three different brands (George, Snugabye, and Joe Fresh), all helpfully labeled 0-3 months – and as you can see, they vary greatly in length. If your little one turns out to be on the smaller side at first (as our most recent arrival was), you might find her swimming in onesies that are far too big despite being “right” for her age; or if your baby is longer (i.e. taller) than average (as our first-born was and still is), you might find that 0-3 month sleepers don’t offer enough room for her legs.

So when you pack for the trip to the hospital, bring just a few sleepers of various sizes and brands so you can pick the best-fitting one for the trip home; and when well-wishers ask if there’s anything baby needs, give them the specifics on weight and height to help them shop. At worst, you can always send the father or a grandparent on a quick trip to the nearest Real Canadian Superstore for some Joe Fresh sleepers or onesies. And you won’t end up with pangs of regret as you pack away or give away, unworn, the perfectly good baby clothes that never quite fit.

Introducing baby bargainista!

By now you probably know that my kids are way past the newborn, toddler and preschool stages. So, when my friend and expectant mom, Jenny Bullough wanted to blog about her shopping experiences, I welcomed her with open arms. I hope you do too!

Welcome to baby bargainista! In this weekly column I’ll be dishing about where to find good quality maternity, baby, and toddler goods, hopefully on the cheap or worth the money if they’re a big spend.

I’m a mom to one 4-year-old with another one on the way, due in January. My day job is in publishing, which is the kind of business you go into for the love of books, not because you expect to make six figures, so I’m always on the lookout for a good deal! My good friend Bargainista finally tired of hearing me blather on about my adventures in shopping for kids, babies, and bumps, and kindly offered me this weekly spot on her blog to get my ya-yas out – and hopefully offer a few helpful tips along the way.

My aim is to cover all kinds of topics of interest to moms and expecting moms -- from finding inexpensive yet stylish maternity wear, to finding baby gear and clothes, to outfitting a kid for preschool/daycare/JK/whatever, to finding safe toys and products (an ongoing concern of mine and of many parents), to decorating safely and inexpensively for a new baby and/or redecorating a young child’s room.

And I want to hear from you – if there’s a topic you would like covered, a tip on a great deal you’d like to share, or a question you’d like answered, let us know in the comments!