Babies are expensive! That is a fact that everyone knows and agrees on. Babies start costing parent’s money from the first time they step in a baby store, until they go off to college, and many times for years after that. There are several things you can do however to save yourself money early on.

Don’t Start Shopping Too Early
The sooner you start to shop for your baby the more you will spend. It is like an addiction. As soon as you buy that first cute outfit, you want to go buy another and another. You buy one toy and then you see another toy that you just have to have. The longer you wait the less money you will spend before the baby is born.

Hit the Sales
When you are shopping for baby, go to the back of the stores and hit the sales racks. You can often find great baby clothes at a huge discount. If you get a coupon, use it to make your savings even bigger. Watch the ads and shop smart.

Buy Big
When hitting sales racks you will often find that the clothes available are for the season you have just passed. This is a great opportunity to buy clothes that will fit your baby the next time summer or winter comes around. You can even buy for several years. The more clothes you buy for your baby now, the less he will need later.

Garage Sales
Garage sales can be a great place to buy cheap used baby clothing and toys. Babies often outgrow things so quickly, especially during the first year that you can find clean and sometimes brand new baby clothes for pennies on the dollar. You can even get used baby gear much cheaper at garage sales. Be sure to always check out recall lists for any toys that you buy your baby before you let your baby use it in order to keep your baby safe. Also, don’t forget to completely clean and sanitize any item you buys used from a garage sale.

Wait For Gifts
Before you start spending your money on expensive baby items and clothing that will add up for your baby consider what gifts you will get. You are likely to get gifts of clothing, gear and diapers from friends and family, especially if you have a baby shower, and all these gifts are items that you will not have to buy. Many times it will be family that buys the big items saving your pocket book from the huge dents that strollers and pack-n-plays can cause.

Choose the Best Toys
When shopping for toys, remember that your baby does not need EVERYTHING made for a baby. Your baby can quickly become over stimulated when offered too many choices. Be choosy when shopping and pick out the best toys that you think your baby will use. No need to buy multiple items in different colors or patterns. If you choose the best and what your child needs then you will save money in the long run.

Spend More, Get More
There are huge price differences in items like car seats and strollers on the market. Like anything else, most of the time the level of quality on an item is shown by the price of the item. This doesn’t mean that the lower priced choices are bad or dangerous, just that in many cases the higher priced items will hold up better and last longer. If it is possible in your budget, try to steer clear from the least expensive big baby items. In many cases it will mean that you have to replace the item less frequently or sometimes not at all, saving you money down the road.

Such a controversial topic in many households…when should you start introducing solids to your baby? What age is the correct age to start cutting back on breast milk or formula and start giving your baby cereal, and other stage one baby foods? What are the signs that your baby is ready for solids? And what is the best way to introduce solids into your baby diet?

When To Start
Back in the 60’s parents were starting their babies on baby cereal and stage one food as early as 2-3 weeks old. Over the years the recommended age to begin babies on stage one foods has been pushed back to two months to four months, and is now set between four and six months. If your baby is exclusively breastfed most pediatricians don’t recommend starting solids until he is six months old. Your breast milk naturally provides and the nutrients and vitamins to help your baby grow. The timing is dependent upon many things that are unique to your baby, so as your baby’s pediatrician what his opinion is and why, before you decide.

How Will You Know Your Baby is Ready
As you will come to learn, the key to knowing your baby and understanding his wants and needs will be to watch his signs. There are many signs and developmental milestones that your baby should hit before he is ready to begin eating solids. Some of them include:

• Being able to hold head up and sit upright
• Absence of the extrusion reflex (the natural reflex babies have to push foreign objects out of their mouth)
• Reaching at least 15 pounds
• Starting to make chewing motions with their mouth
• Reaching for your food

This doesn’t mean that your baby can reach one of these milestones and be ready for solids, or has to reach ALL of these milestones before you can start him on solids. Some babies who are big when born may hit the 15 pound mark within the first two months, but they are probably not sitting on their own yet. Some babies who can sit can’t necessarily chew yet. Some babies will reach for your food and make chewing motions with their mouth, but may be on the petite side only weighing 10-12 pounds. Along with your pediatrician you should weigh your baby’s progress and determine when he is ready to start on solids.

How To Introduce Solids
When introducing solids you should start slowly with thinned down baby cereal mixed with either breast milk or formula. Most pediatricians suggest starting with rice cereal as there are rarely allergies related to this. Once your baby has mastered cereal, start introducing more of the stage one vegetables. It is suggested that you start with veggies because they are not sweet and will not make your baby start craving sweet foods. When you do introduce a new food, refrain from introducing more than one new food a week. This will help you determine what foods your baby likes or doesn’t like or has an allergic reaction to if a rash appears.

When introducing your baby to solids check with your pediatrician, watch for your baby’s clues and above all else remain patient. Remember this whole eating thing is much newer for your baby than it is for you and is a learning experience for both of you.