Your little bundle of joy can wind up costing you big money. Here are eight different ways to trim costs without sacrificing all of the cuteness.
- Consider giving up the private room after the first day of your hospital stay. Private rooms can wind up costing you up to $500 extra a day, and most insurance companies will not pay for this privilege. If you have a c-section or complications, your stay could be up to five days long, and the costs will add up. Check into the fees and then make your decision. When you consider the parade of nurses, doctors and visitors, private rooms are seldom private anyway.
- Breastfeeding is best for both the health of your child, and the health of your wallet. You can save almost $1,500 on the cost of one year of formula, even more if your baby needs a special diet, so make every effort to nurse your child if you can.
- Get your breast pump from the hospital, If you are going back to work or will be spending more than two hours away from your baby, you’ll probably need a breast pump. Instead of buying your own, rent one from the hospital. Most insurance plans will cover the rental cost, and all you will need to purchase are the bottles or breast milk bags.
- Ask for samples. At every OB appointment and while you are in the hospital, ask for samples. You may be given free diapers, ointments, formula and even a diaper bag. Sometimes nurses get busy or rules prevent the freebies to be given out unless requested, so if you come up empty handed, make sure to ask.
- Limit the nursing wardrobe or borrow and buy used. Chances are a friend or an outgrown sale has all of the breast-feeding shirts that you will ever need. You may want to invest in a nursing bra or two of your own, but other than that, don’t rush out and purchase tops. In the end, it might be easier to simply layer sleeveless shirts that could be pushed to the side with regular shirts for privacy.
- Don’t buy baby shoes. Babies really don’t need baby shoes, and they will learn to walk faster if they are barefoot anyway. Sure the shoes are cute, but they will only last a few weeks before they are outgrown. Thick socks will work fine outside to keep your baby’s feet warm.
- Return or exchange unwanted gifts right away. If you get a gift that you don’t like, don’t need, or which doesn’t fit your baby, make sure to return or exchange it right away. Most retail stores put a limit on when returns can be done, and the window is often short. Plus, when you have a baby, time tends to get away from you, so if you don’t do your exchanges promptly, you may never do them. Feel free to designate a relative or good friend do the job for you. The next time someone asks, “What can I do to help?” give them this job.
- Buy your diapers in bulk. Those huge warehouse size diapers really do save money, whether you buy them at the warehouse stores or online. Just make sure not to stock up on too many of the smallest sizes because newborns tend to outgrown the size ones and twos pretty quickly.