picture of a newborn baby in a moses basket

Cost of living crisis: tips to reduce the cost of a baby

Having a baby is an incredibly exciting time for any family, however it can also be expensive. Many families are often faced with a combination of limited pay during parental leave, the need to buy new items and any childcare needs.

Now, with the cost of living increasing, Lansinoh, maternal health brand and breastfeeding expert, has pulled together some top tips to help families save some money and reduce the cost of welcoming their new bundle of joy into the world.

Breastfeed if you can, and for as long as possible

It goes without saying that breastmilk is cheaper than buying formula milk. Therefore if mum is able to, breastfeeding her baby, is not only a good way to help minimise costs, but offers a whole host of health benefits for baby.

For breastfeeding mums, a good way to keep costs down is to continue with breastfeeding for as long as possible. Research shows that breastfeeding mums who use HPA Lanolin nipple cream are less likely to stop breastfeeding completely, and more likely to breastfeed for longer. And whilst there is an initial cost of buying nipple cream, it’s a cost that is likely to be more than offset by the positive impact on mum’s breastfeeding journey.

Friend favours!

If you have friends who are fellow mums, why not seek out any second-hand equipment or clothing that they no longer need – anything from baby grows to toys or bouncy chairs.

For lucky mums who are having a baby shower thrown for them, why not create a ‘wish-list’ of useful items that you will need for your baby? Whilst many friends may be tempted to buy books or cute items of clothing for baby, it may be more beneficial to ask for gifts to be ‘functional’ items you know you’ll need to buy - such as nappies, a high chair, a car seat, and so on.

Washable (not disposable) items

It goes without saying that you’re going to need a lot of nappies during baby’s first years, however another item that mums (and breastfeeding mums in particular) may need are nursing pads to absorb any leaks while out and about.

Thankfully, there are savings to be made here. Items such as nappies for baby and nursing pads for mum are available as both washable or disposable, with washable offering long-term savings benefits.

Whilst the cost of washable items is slightly more than disposable, the fact that these are reusable means mum will save money in the long run (and also help the environment). And these savings will only be bigger for mum if she goes on to have more children in the future!

Sell and buy baby-clothes second-hand

If you’re able to keep baby’s clothes in good condition, you’ll be able to sell the clothes second-hand once baby has outgrown them – something that is good for the planet and good for your pocket.

New-born clothes in particular are often worn so infrequently that they’re still good as new once baby is too big to fit in them.

Buying second-hand baby clothes will also save you a lot of money – there are often nearly-new baby sales that you can attend in your local area where you can either sell what your baby no longer wears or pick up some bargains.

Don’t overdo the toys!

The best way to save money on toys is to make sure you don’t over-buy. Whilst it’s normal to want to buy lots of toys to help stimulate baby, they actually only need a few items during their first year.

Instead, carefully choose the toys you’re buying to ensure that they’ll hold baby’s interest – opt for bright colours and toys that make noise, like rattles, rings that attach to baby’s pram, and some safe toys that baby can chew.

For more advice, visit https://lansinoh.co.uk/blogs/education-support