Last pregnancy, I prided myself on being thrifty when it came to baby gear. Regardless of the fact that we’re always on a tight budget, I love a good deal. I enjoy consignment shopping. My favorite part is digging through bargain bins and finding treasures that someone else overlooked. I feel powerful after stumbling upon a barely-used piece of gear. What can I say, I wanna stick it to the man!
Quick rundown of expenditures for Ames:
Furniture – My parents gave us my old crib & dresser for his nursery. A friend lent us a moses basket with a cradle rocker for the newborn stage. So his sleeping arrangements were free.
Diapering – Bought from Craigslist, DiaperSwappers, & LiveJournal. I think I spent around $500 total. It’s possible to diaper from birth to potty-training for $100, but I liked shopping for cute ones.
Food – Breastmilk is free, but it certainly is hard work!
Carseat – Chicco KeyFit for free from CharlotteMommies. I spent $75 on a new cover & accessories.
Stroller/Transportation – Didn’t use a stroller at first. We scored a Chicco umbrella stroller on sale this summer for $40. If you’re into babywearing, you’ll be proud of the deals I landed. We got a Maya ring sling (worth $66) for $15 at a YMCA rummage sale, a used BabyHawk (worth $80) for $40 from another mama. We found several other pouch slings from consignment shops and received a Moby Wrap as a gift.
We didn’t drop a thousands of dollars on beautiful cribs and strollers that drive themselves, though I would have loved to have those! It really isn’t hard to save money when getting ready for a baby. All it takes is a sense of thrift, some discipline, & a little elbow grease. Oh, and it helps to be internet-savvy! I’ve become proficient at sites like BabyHalfOff and forums where moms post “In-Search-Of” & “I Have to Offer” lists.
That being said, the impending birth of an opposite gender + DOUBLE THE BABY makes for a very wishful mama. Here’s what I have my eye on this time around. I feel overly-indulgent for even window shopping, but I can’t help it! I even started a list of drool-worthy items on Wishpot.
Furniture – Chris & I recently fell in love with these mini-cribs by Da Vinci. They even convert to twin beds, so the girls will be set for years to come!
Diapering – In a world of tacky & shoddy diaper bags, my green Puma bowling bag has been faithful.
That being said, I’ve always wanted a Petunia Picklebottom Boxy Backpack.
My favorite print is “Afternoon in Aberdeen.”
Food – My Medela Pump-in-Style’s motor gave out right at the end of Ames’ nursing career. It had already been through two of my friend’s kids, though. I’m impressed! I’d love this Medela Freestyle pump for the twins. Lord knows I’m gonna need a good workhorse of a machine!
Stroller – I get dizzy just thinking about pushing three kids around! Thank goodness for the big boys. They’re so stinkin’ helpful. We’re in need of a double stroller that seats two older babies, but with the double infant-seat option. That way, we wear one twin and put the other one + Ames in the stroller. Or Ames can go one of us, and the twins will ride in the stroller. Some even have an accessory for a third seat. Lastly, I need it to collapse easily and quickly. Are you dizzy now? There aren’t a whole lot of options out there, but I’ve heard raving twin-mom reviews about Mountain Buggy & ValcoBaby.
This Mountain Buggy is on sale right now for several hundred dollars off – definitely tempting! A third kid can ride on the back with a Kiddie Board accessory.
This ValcoBaby actually allows for FOUR kids to ride. In addition to the somewhat creepy and totally awesome toddler jump seat, another toddler can stand on the back.
I’m a little apprehensive about the side-by-side double strollers. I like the ones that maintain the width of a single. We’ll probably end up getting this Chicco Cortina Together, because it’s more reasonably priced. And our infant seats click in without any attachments! Easy-breezy!
Regardless, I don’t think we’ll buy one until the twins arrive. That way, we can get an idea of exactly what we want & need. I have a feeling there aren’t going to be a lot of trips out of the house with just one parent! Chris said not to worry about him. Apparently, his plan is to hit up the grocery store wearing one twin, with the other twin on Lucas, & Ames in the cart. Oh, the mental pictures!
It is fun to daydream about buying all of this gear! For now, though, I’ll keep scouring the internet for cloth diaper & babywearing deals. The rest of the stuff we’ll just figure out as we go along…
12 Comments
I love all your posts! Very helpful for a soon to be mama! Please keep it coming :)
Shopping for babies is different than just getting groceries – it can be so much fun and doesn´t have to be expensive! Love your article, very helpful!
bum genius AIOs are 9.95 right now through cottonbabies.com with free shipping. small, medium, and large. I say go all out and start emailing companies promising to blog about your diaper experience with twins, featuring their diapers. Start now, and as soon as you get the diapers, write the intro about them, then you’ll be ready to plug in pictures and experiences as you go!
@Jill – That’s a great idea! We stopped using bumGenius several months ago, but thanks! I’ll have to think about some companies I’d like to contact :)
There are 2 INCREDIBLE consignment shops on Providence road in Waxhaw. I bought nearly everything for Lily there and everything looks brand new and they have the lowest prices I have found. Happy shopping!
Check craigslist for a used mountain buggy. I’ve found some doubles for $200. Good luck!
I love that diaper bag!
I’ve been meaning to ask, do either you or Chris have twins in your family history?
Thanks for the tips, people! Will have to follow up.
I think my dad’s brother was a twin, but s/he died in utero or at birth.
Don’t know all the facts, but it is one generation skipped.
So that feeds into the equation!
I have the double valco with the toddler seat (we have triplets) and LOVE it!!!
just found your blog via tbb, and i’m already HOOKED! congrats on your upcoming twinstars, and your amazing attitude on natural parenting! (:
this gear list is awesome – we bought a da vinci mini-crib for our own daughter and it’s worked beautifully. i also have a pentunia pickle bottom touring tote, and i don’t think a day has gone by in nearly 2 year that i haven’t used it. and of course a great pump is needed for any nursing mama – i actaully exclusively pumped for 8 months (long story) and the pump in style was my lifesaver!
can’t wait to read more of your posts. so glad to have found ya!
cheers!
Check out the uppa baby Vista with the skateboard and second seat option! We have 3 month old twins and an 18 month old toddler. I am full time breastfeeding,no supplements. It can be done but as you know it is a LOT of work :) I delivered vaginally in the OR but in a regular bed at 36 1/2 weeks. They were both 6lbs 2oz exactly. I too am an RN and I am enjoying your blog! Hang in there, the pelvic/groin pain is intense and I was on bedrest at 30 weeks after a preterm labor scare.