Needing items for baby #2 - how to ask for help - Page 2

[cicely_m]

Originally Posted by Chamomile Girl

Are you insistant on the items being new? Because I totally have some of this stuff and I would love to send it to you.

PM me if you're interested.

[laughingfox]

For baby washcloths, cut up some old t-shirts into squares. If you sew, you can finish the edges, or make them double layered. It's super easy and the fabric is nice and soft. You can use these for wipes, too.

For changing pad cover things, you can use towels, or even a t-shirt. You could also use a rectangle of fleece fabric.

I was just at Target and they had 3-packs of receiving blankets for $6, which is cheaper than I could make them for.
If you can't find 'em cheap, and if you sew, or know someone who does, you can usually find a few cotton flannel fabrics in the clearance section at most fabric stores. Just serge or hem the edges. (You can also make baby wipes/washcloths and nursing pads with flannel.)
If you don't sew, you can still get fleece to make blankets with, just cut it to size.

Assuming you'll be wearing an overshirt (I know I would be- it's cold here!), you can nurse in any tank or camisole. Camis with low/stretchy necklines can just be pulled down. You can wear them under regular clothes and save lots of money on nursing clothes.
Some stores have some camis on clearance right now, since it's winter.

You can also convert any bra into a nursing bra

Are you using cloth diapers? If you had a fancy kind in mind, consider DSQ prefolds (make sure they're Diaper Service Quality- a lot of "prefold cloth diapers" they sell in stores are just meant to be used as burp cloths and aren't absorbent enough for diaper use).
Two dozen is generally about $40 or less. You can skip the newborn size (the larger ones can be folded down so they'll fit a newborn). You'll need 4 or 5 covers, minimum. Good ones run about $10-$15 a pop, but you can tide yourself over in a pinch with the Gerber covers, which are $4 for a 2-pack.

Also, you can look into thrift stores, consignment stores, and ebay/craigslist. You can find lots of good and cheap stuff that way, and sometimes you can find someone selling everything you need for one lump sum.

[JL83]

I'm confused as to why your family is responsible for buying that stuff?

[dachshundqueen]

Originally Posted by JL83

I'm confused as to why your family is responsible for buying that stuff?

Well that and the fact that we're going to discuss incomes of the various in-laws, because how they choose to spend their money is our business?

Liz

[Ola_]

Hmm, it doesn't sound like they really want to buy you anything, but if you're having problems affording it perhaps ask your parents if they could lend you $X amount of money because you need to buy some baby stuff? I'd have DH ask his parents instead of you doing it, since, well, they're his parents and all. Good luck!

[lach]

I think I would let it rest, too. If they don't want to buy you things, that's their prerogative. They already bought one round of baby things, for their own kids.

Craigslist is a mecca of baby stuff. I got soooo much awesome baby gear there, a lot of it new in box! Just keep checking a few times a day, as things get posted all the time. You do have to weed through a lot of junky posts (buy my 15 year old really ratty really dirty stroller for about $50 less than a brand new stroller!) but there are great buys.

I love those blankets! It looks like they used Minky, which is such a great material for babies: soooo soft. I've ordered from this website before and had good service: http://minkydelight.com/ Just in case you're interested. Jo-Ann's sells knockoff Minky, but it's not nearly as soft.

[Friday13th]

Other than the bottles and the bottle brush most of that stuff can be had really cheaply at any consignment shop or thrift store, at least around here. And Boppys are one of those things you'd probably be able to borrow from a friend, I know I didn't use mine for more than a couple months.

It sucks that your family isn't giving you a hand but I know from my family that what you need at this point is the un-fun stuff that nobody really wants to buy as a gift. I'm guessing you'll get cute, silly and mostly useless gifts once the baby is born. I think, especially when it's a second child and there's no shower, that most people figure you're responsible for the basic, boring stuff.

Good luck!

[cocoanib]

Craigslist and consignment shops.
This is our first and I've gotten great deals on CL.

[megviolet]

I can sympathize with you. We've been 100% responsible for buying everything for our first, and for this baby as well. My parents would help but don't have money, DH's mom is.... well they have quite a bit of money but never offered anything, they did buy some cutesy stuff for DD after she was born (never mind that we used the foodbank for fruit and veggies while i was pregnant...lol)
I sold and swapped lots of household things for baby stuff, and bought everything used
Since you DO have the $$ for it, enjoy buying what you need and knowing you can provide for your kids and if you need to, re-sell stuff when you're done with it!

[*KaiMom*]

Most of what's on your list should be supper cheap either at a thrift store or on craigslist. You could probably buy most for around $100(excluding the pump)