I have two boys and apprenticed as a homebirth midwife for 2 years- here is my advice I gave to all the mamas I worked with. Have these people who want to get you things get you the expensive stuff- the car seats (infant and convertable or just convertable), a really good breast pump, cloth diapers. They can chip in together. But be adament against getting new clothes and stuff you probably wont need(you can buy used clothes everywhere or get for hand me downs)- like the wipe warmers- if you're using cloth dipes, just get a ton of baby wash cloths and use them as wipes. Wash them together. And they need no wipe warmer- you just use warm water on them to wipe baby. Also, have people make meals that can be frozen or sign up to bring you meals once the baby comes. Even gift cards or something for You have a lot of time to worry about this stuff and it sounds like you have a lot on your plate. Plus, babies themselves are not expensive per say, they need for very little- arms to be held in, food (breast milk being free), warmth. It's when they get older that the money gets tighter. Also, if you think you are up to it, maybe find out if there is any possible way to get off incapassity. If oyu cant maybe take a few classes at school now to have some footing before your hands get very full. Good luck

It depends a lot on your lifestyle. A lot of the cost of a child isn't really buying things, but the expense of either childcare or losing the income of a working parent. Good for you for getting a sling. I personally think that's the most important piece of equipment - even more than clothes or diapers. What kind of wrap did you get? (BTW, and I know this is a personal thing, but I use a mei tai now with newborns when I babysit. I really wish I had used a mei tai with T when she was a newborn, since you can do back carries pretty easy with them and it makes life so much easier.) For diapering, it really depends on your system. Have you looked into elimination communication at all? Or contacted the charity called Miracle Diapers? For the cost of shipping, they will loan you cloth diapers. Anyway, I'd recommend 36 prefold diapers 3 covers, 50 cloth wipes (make these yourself by cutting up strips of flannel), a spray bottle, a diaper pail, wet bag, baking soda, diaper pins (at least two pairs), vinegar, and Charlie's soap (or other clean rinsing soap or detergent). If you're doing elimination communication, I'd recommend getting the small baby bjorn potty. If you're really pressed for money, I'd recommend skipping right to the 3-6 month clothes. Yes, it will be large initially. But skin to skin contact is so important for little ones and you won't be going outside a lot when your little one is tiny anyway. Also, onesies often don't work well with either cloth diapering or elimination communication and it makes your kid be in a larger clothing size than the tag would suggest - all the more reason to go big. Assuming you have laundry on premise, I'd only get about half a dozen t-shirts and half a dozen sleepers. Get lots of socks. At least a dozen pairs. You will lose these. A lot of people are way big into receiving blankets. T did not like to be swaddles, so they had pretty limited use in our home, mostly as emergency cloth diapers and spit up rags. I'd only get a couple. Also since you have a late fall baby, you will want a couple of normal blankets and a snow suit (even if you choose to get some 0-3 month clothes, go big on the snow suit. Trust me.) I strongly recommend that you get a peri bottle, reusable breast pads, and menstrual pads for yourself. Nursing bras are not necessary and can be expensive. I would strongly recommend getting an electric breast pump if you are going back to school. I can't recommend much in terms of bottle feeding expressed milk, since that never turned out well for us. If you have a car, I'd recommend getting a convertible car seat. And I second the idea of freezing as many meals as you can. Even if you are an expert babywearer, I bet you will find it difficult to get dinner done right after the baby comes. HTH!

I would recommend most of what boygrrrlwonder said, except I got about a dozen of each, and got tons of hand me downs. I think I spent about 100 on my daughter. I got a carseat given to me, and 90% of our clothes. I also got my breastpump for free from WIC. Its an amazing help. ALso I'd recommend getting one or two pacifiers. Some babies, like mine, just need to suck on something alot. I got soothie pacifiers and they are amazing and had no problem with them and nursing. My daughter loved to be swaddled. I got the extra big recieving blankets and got a 3 pack and just washed them alot. I also was given a bunch from the hospital. Sign up for all the free offers that you can. They help a whole lot. Also miricle diapers is an amazing program! Like everyone else said, babies don't cost too much, especially if you cloth diaper and wipes, and breastfeed. Summer babies don't need much clothes at all. Its when they get older that it can add up. I'd make your baby food when the baby is old enough to eat it. Jar food is super expensive and you can make it just as good for a 1/2 the cost!Good luck sweetie! Its hard work but it can be done. We have 3 kids, and I can't work and my husband is only getting 850/month in unemployement. We get medicaid and foodstamps to help and are in low income apts. We don't get a lot of extras but thats ok, we are fine with that and our kiddos really don't need a bunch of stuff!

Hey ladies! Thanks so much for the welcome! I'm deffinatly interested in Elimination comunication! Do is BD! Wow £100 thats pretty awsome! We are going to try Co sleeping but I will make a crib to swing above our feet (our bed room is litterally just our bed (well a matress on a shelf!) For when I'm ill and get muscle spazms as I dont want to clobber the baby! Wow Im so happy to see such a pro breast feeding pro cloth nappies site! So glad about that!

oh Re the food stamps / money stuff. Disability is payed with out assesing your income, so you could be a millionair and still get it, or you could be like me and have it as your only income. and because it isnt assesed on your incomeings they won't give you any of the help you get if your on the other benifit and you arnt alowed to swap! grr! BUT! I have recently found out that one I give birth I can try and apply for child tax credits, If I can get that then I'll be able to get the equiptment grant. which will be great. I think I have up to six weeks to apply for that! Also I think I will be able to then apply for food vouchers for the baby. woop! We dont have wic over here.

oddsocks wrote:We are going to try Co sleeping but I will make a crib to swing above our feet (our bed room is litterally just our bed (well a matress on a shelf!) For when I'm ill and get muscle spazms as I dont want to clobber the baby! I've seen commercially available baby hammocks,but they all are intended for babies six months and younger. Apparently, once they can sit it becomes a safety hazard. Maybe what you will build will be different? If you're just gonna use it when you're ill, have you thought of using a pack and play? You could just set it up for just the night and take it down during the day - a lot less worth than a traditional crib.

Okay, I definitely posted on this thread, and it was showing up before, but it seems to be gone now. Hmmmmm...

That is strange... I saw it. I will try and find it, but if it has been deleted it will be gone

Clothing, dipes, boobs, & a carseat are all you really need. Most of the baby junk just lies around unused anyways. I spent almost nothing preaparing for baby #3, aside from a couple cute outfits that i didnt really need, but found inexpensively and thought were cute. With cloth dipes, skip the onesies and look for those onepiece sleep sacks. I also suggest a packnplay instead of a crib.. theyre far cheaper and more convenient if space is limited. And kudos on getting a sling, although the wrap may work better if your sick.. I have a condition called fibromyalgia that causes chronic muscle pain and I do much better with my mei tai than with a sling or other 1 shouldered carrier. As far as a pump, medela has a nice manual hand pump

all you really need for a baby is diapers, a place for them to sleep, and a blanket to wrap them in. just build around those 3 basic needs.