BABY ON A BUDGET | Mama 101

Hey friends! Today's video is all about having a baby on a budget...you don't have to kill your bank account to have what you need for your baby!
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[@chloeking4208]

I’ve heard it said before that “Babies aren’t expensive, lifestyles are.” ✨💓

[@MELMUR4564]

At my job we are mostly females and at least 1/2 of us are in the baby making stage of life. In the last 6 years there have been 7 Babies (all boys). For the most part we all wore the same maternity clothes And some baby clothes. It gives me the feels seeing a maternity shirt I wore when I was pregnant on someone else. So many memories come rushing back. That wouldn’t happen if they were stored away or thrown out.

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

I love this!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@dorotadonigiewicz1876]

So true!!! And seeing our old clothes on new babas. HEART MELTED❤️❤️❤️😍😍😍

[@PsychoNova91]

There are a lot of little ways to save a lot of money with babies. I cloth diapered my son and made his baby food. Baby food in jars at the store is so expensive when you can buy a bag of frozen veggies for $1 ish and that makes your babies food for a whole week. So much cheaper then buying store bought. You don't even need a fancy baby blender or baby food cookbooks. I bought a cheap $20 blender at walmart and just looked at the baby food flavors in the baby food aisle and made the same ones at home.

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

I forgot about baby food! We don’t even feed baby food, we do baby led weaning so they just eat what we’re eating 🤣

[@PsychoNova91]

@@ashleighnicolewilson i tried baby led weaning with my son. He had acid reflux really badly and would projectile vomit if the food wasnt puree. But if it works then do it!

[@jules_1980]

I plan on doing this too! We may dabble in baby led but at the moment it freaks me out a little bit.

[@jules_1980]

@@ashleighnicolewilson Could you do a video about how you feel doing baby led? My anxiety would be through the roof but I like the concept.

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

I do have an older video from when Hazel was a baby, should be in the baby playlist!

[@OSheaPunk]

I can say this as someone who has been the new mom who BOUGHT ALL THE THINGS; Asleigh's advice is A+. I have #2 on the way and literally the only thing I am buying new is a car seat.

[@Nesquik321]

When I was little there was always hand me downs no matter how much money you had. It was in 90's and I think people were different. My mom used all my baby clothes for my sister and brother also, also a stroller and a crib. Then after my brother my mom gave all clothes, stroller and a crib to her cousin who used all that stuff for his 4 children. My crib and stroller were used for 10 years. And everyone was happy and fine with that. :D

[@brittanydumoulinful]

I have to agree consumerism wasnt a big thing nor did we have half of the things we have now.

[@joyfulinhope1210]

These are all really great tips. The only I would add is to look into cloth diapering. Cloth diapers have come a long way in the past 20-30 years and they’re just as easy to use as disposables, but much cheaper. 💕

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

This is true! Sometimes I miss using cloth!

[@Sky-fz7ku]

We are are having our first baby soon, and I'm so glad I was able to convince my husband to do cloth!

[@SarahO]

The read the thumbnail as “Babies don’t have to be so offensive” LOL

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Bahaha! That has the potential to be a hilarious video 🤣

[@ashleymarie6715]

I donated all my second sons stuff to a local non-profit because I was "done". God had other.plans.because.here I am pregnant due February with another boy! Lol It's okay though i have faith . I have little to no income right now due to my.health But I seriously feel blessed Babies are such a gift

[@kimauvenshine4837]

I’m 28 weeks pregnant with my first. Praise the Lord for friends and family hosting showers and gifting us with used clothes/gear! As baby girl gets older, I’m going to heed your advice on how to stay on a budget. Thanks for your video!

[@chardiemarie7455]

I'm 28 weeks too! Congrats! I'm so grateful for a community of caring people. My sister just had her baby last year and has been gifting us many clothes and gear since she bought most her stuff gender neutral. 😊

[@Secretariat442]

Also a good thing to do is join your local Buy Nothing groups on Facebook. Before my husband and I even actively started trying to conceive, we already had almost everything we would need for a baby, still in good condition and completely for free. We got mostly gender neutral stuff so it would work with whatever gender we had. We got a Crib/changing table set, glider, 50 one size cloth diapers and 10 newborn cloth diapers with dozens of inserts and prefolds, boppys, bottle warmers, drying racks, cosleeper, bassinet, etc etc I could go on. I priced it all out and it was about $4,000 worth of stuff. Okay, I admit, I am bragging a little. But I'm serious. This is an amazing resource for anyone who can't/doesn't want to spend a lot and then you can prioritize the stuff that you DO want to buy brand new.

[@KarlaEmmerson]

Could you please just make a video on every subject in an encyclopedia 😅 I could literally watch for hours, and I’m not particularly in the market of any of the subjects you cover. I just love it here

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

🤣 thank you so much! 🥰

[@mphomolapo1562]

Awesome video! *Another tip: A good expensive car seat can be bounced around between siblings.* We're getting the Nuna Pipa (w/ the load leg) and it'll go to my brother in 2-3yrs when he gets married. After maybe 3 or 4 children, we'll chip in for the next "best one." Sharing is caring 👪💞

[@Seaaaanie]

Even inexpensive carseats can be passed down. 💕

[@joyfulinhope1210]

Mpho Molapo Yes! My sister and I swap baby gear back and forth.

[@Lucy-vx2ls]

Please, please double check the expiration date before you give or accept a hand me down car seat. They do NOT last forever. The plastic deteriorates over time and they're not typically considered safe after about 8 years depending on the brand.

[@CoversByAshleyV]

Just remember, car seats expire so it might not make it around as much as you think. The best one is the one that works for your child and vehicle, not necessarily price since all car seats pass the same safety tests 😊

[@Nicoleemariaaa]

I 120% agree about new car seats! I know by me you can go to the health department and watch a video and you can get a new seat for free of under like $30. Great option if someone can’t afford to buy one!

[@TheRealLydiaSenn]

These are awesome tips! Our house is kind of small, it's perfect for us, but we don't have a lot of room for extra storage and that has always helped keep our baby spending in check. Also I ALWAYS know someone giving away a pack n play. ALWAYS.

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Yes with the pack n plays!!! Someone’s always got one they don’t want! Lol!

[@KiannaNichole]

So actually helpful so many of their videos made me bummed because they were filled with unnecessary items. As a minimalist I’ve felt torn but this was perfect!

[@ig7002]

I'm a major thrifting fan. I go on 50% off days and get most of my nice shirts for $1. Seeing all the baby stuff makes me want to have one lol because I can get it soooo cheap!! I did buy a beautiful handmade baby hat because it was too nice to pass up. 50¢ :)

[@daniellenickey7721]

I love 50% days! My daughter has so many nice clothes because of those days.

[@victoriat5470]

A note on the car seat - go for a convertible car seat from day 1 and skip the infant bucket seat entirely. Having a carrier of some kind in conjunction is super helpful. But a convertible seat plus good carrier is the cheaper way to go. ☺️ Skip as much gear as possible. If you have older kids, I do think some sort of seat is helpful, preferably something portable like a bouncy seat you can easily move around the house or take outside. But some place where baby can be a little more secluded and secure from other kids is really helpful. For first baby, a quilt on the floor is perfect and simple and cheap or free. Same for next Babies for tummy time. Skip the play gyms and whatever. My essential gear is: convertible car seat, good carrier (I like the Ergo with newborn insert), and a lightweight bouncy seat. The rest is gravy!

[@victoriat5470]

Yes on the used clothes. Also used cloth diapers if you can find them. On clothes, you don’t need a lot if you can wash every few days.

[@businessacc179]

We skipped the infant seat with our first and we found ourselves having to wake up our little guy for every stop of errands, etc. It was sad and not what I expected. We were a 1-car family so we weren't in the car but once a week or so but it was enough of a struggle that for our second and now third we do get the infant seat!

[@brandih7924]

I agree with everything you said, especially when you said the expensive large things should be bought gender neutral. I was wondering if you have a video about buying gifts for baby showers. I have bought gifts for 3 friends' babies and I always tried to buy practical things that can always be used since I don't have a lot of money as well as when/if God blesses with me a baby I would just want to be gifted practical items instead of things that will get barely used

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

I don’t, but that’s a great idea! Everyone loves to buy the cute tiny little newborn outfits, but those are only used for such a short time! Practical gifts are where it’s at!

[@aerisong4750]

Thank you for your honest videos! They are so full of knowledge. -came over from Angie's channel :)

[@saraconklin8759]

the ikea highchair is LIFE! I had like three fancy ones expensive ones and all the food would get stuck and be so disgusting. I got that ikea high chair for like $10 and my life was changed LOL

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Seriously. So amazing! 🙌

[@rebeccakay2320]

Love them your can clean them off in the shower 😂

[@samanthasimpson123]

I love your advice. You have such a wonderful perspective on parenting. I love videos like this!

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Thank you! ❤️

[@CoversByAshleyV]

YES. Babies only need what you give them. You don’t NEED to buy them toys/fancy clothes. They only use what you provide.

[@lucycarballo4262]

Read somewhere that you should always get a new mattress for your crib. A used mattress increases the risk of SIDS....I wish I remember where I read that 🤔

[@destinygarcia8993]

I heard that too, actually. I would take it with a grain of salt though, some of the SIDS stuff in the U.S. has super flimsy data to back it up. I usually look to Japan for all things baby, their infant mortality rate is glorious and they have half the SIDS rate that the U.S. does.

[@daniellenickey7721]

I accept hand me downs because they helps so much with my budget. I also keep a look out for car seat on the curb so I can take them to target when they do the recycle program, and get the 20% off coupon.

[@mariadarazs4867]

Great video as always!

[@charismaticdaughter]

I love this realistic video. Stuff either ends up being a complete waste or only good for such a short period of time. We're expecting our third in december, and with each baby the amount of stuff I need reduces, and my diaper bag gets smaller

[@michellebridges2604]

Thanks for always sharing! Helps so many moms ❤️❤️

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

That’s my hope and prayer! Thank you! 🥰

[@lindsaykjoy]

Such good tips! We were blessed with a bunch of hand-me-downs as well as new things on our registry that family members purchased 😄 and amen to the neutrals! We didn’t know our son’s gender before his birth, and we want more kids, so black and gray was the name of the game 😊

[@Murrayed_Life]

These are great tips! Thrift stores are great for baby clothes

[@countingchange8677]

I’m expecting my second baby in May and your so right about not buying new! Already saving a ton off Facebook Market

[@jgr_lilli_]

I have pretty much built up an almost complete stash of clothes in sizes up to 9 months 95% thrifted. I also got a set of glass bottles and a used baby swing for free recently (I just washed the covers and it was as good as new!). The only thing I have to buy when baby actually arrives are a crib, a stroller, and a carseat. We are going to get those things used, if we can, too.

[@brittanydumoulinful]

I have 3 girls..My youngest girl is 2 in Dec I'm due with my second girl in Sept. I'm glad I planned and held on to her stuff. We almost mostly do second hand with a pinch of new items, your advice is pretty sound. I can honestly say this will be the cheapest baby...Lol I have really narrowed down what we need, the biggest purchase will be our carseat. ❤

[@ashleigharcucci5296]

Our names are so similar. Thank you for making this video .

[@luis510]

This really helped, thank you!

[@elizabethwmt]

Thank You! Baby number two is a kinda surprise ( we thought it would take longer to get pregnant).

[@meganbamber4443]

Love this ...

[@shannonhowell9277]

Good tips!! Due with my second in September

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Congrats!

[@Mofo0101]

Happy Mother’s Day! 🌸😇

[@jenniferramatis1167]

Thanks for the tips! I'm due this September, and there are so many things out there for baby, it can be overwhelming deciding what is actually needed. Cheers :)

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Congratulations!!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@Kirsty-tz2cx]

Congratulations! I'm due end of September 😀. I've not got one single thing so far.

[@californiamom4913]

Great video!

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Thanks! 🥰

[@mamabenzing5872]

Totally nothing to do with this video but just got a notice about The Sister Show podcast. Can't comment on it but totally excited and agree about calling bs on thoughts about motherhood these days!! I have almost as many kids as you and Ang put together!! 😀

[@jennita1234]

Love how consistent you have been with these videos! Your videos/stories on ig make my day.

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Thank you! 🥰

[@fansiderc9302]

Crib mattresses is something I won’t get used. I would pass them from one child to another in good shape though. You can get good ones new for under 120 US dollars.

[@BustlingHome]

Great advice! Twins require a bit more equipment since mom runs out of hands more quickly, but not nearly as much as the baby registry checklists would lead one to believe.

[@joyfulinhope1210]

BustlingHome You definitely don’t need two of everything though. I have one playmat, one bouncer, and one swing, then I can just rotate the babies.

[@EileenEloisa]

Joyful in Hope - thank you for saying that. I’m expecting twins and wondered if just one of everything you mentioned will be good.

[@businessacc179]

So true! Additional kids create additional needs for convenience, and it's so okay to allow ourselves that convenience, when budget allows.

[@natureallmighty]

Oh, hand-me-downs! We would have starved in the first year with a baby were it not for hand-me-downs! Ask for them, and pass them on the next mama. Also - mattresses have to be brand new for sanitary reasons.

[@gemtg3282]

13 years ago....you look good

[@martinaclausen2169]

You are so cute 😀 I love your videos! Greetings from Germany ❤️

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Lol, thanks! 😘

[@marianneroseb.2297]

My boyfriend and I walk sometimes in baby’s hop and things are so expensive so we were thinking to start our family in 5 years or more but with your tips we might try sooner ❤️

[@destinygarcia8993]

Offerup, letgo, and facebook buy nothing groups are game changers. Craigslist and Ebay probably work well too, just haven't tried those personally.

[@RachelDee]

100% agree on all this! But... (and I'm only saying this because you seem like the kind of person that won't get offended by addressing this), ...the Ikea high chair doesn't have a foot rest to help with proper alignment. However, Feeding Littles has a post on their blog about how to modify it to work better for baby's posture.

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

I’m going to look into modifying it! Thank you!!

[@audreysuzzane9278]

I bought so much pink stuff for our daughter and now with baby #2 on the way I am so regretting those choices. I wish I had bought so much more gender neutral stuff. I was just so excited to have a girl 🤣

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

If my first had been a girl, I would probably have done the same! 🤣 Live and learn, right?!

[@clareruth3588]

Boys can have pink stuff too!

[@dorotadonigiewicz1876]

My advice about need v wants that I was lucky to learn really quickly-shops will still be open once your baby is born so buy what you ACTUALLY need once she/he arrives. Our circumstances were a bit weird-1st baby born in Hong Kong and then we were relocating back to UK when she was 4 weeks old. So for starters, I just couldn't go crazy buying ALL THE THINGS (ended up buying a travel cot, buggy and sling out of the baby gear department ;)) which was a saving grace because I didn't really buy loads at all with my first. My second baby has nothing new except for her own new mattress.....😂😂😂

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Truth!!! The ‘stuff’ will still be there!!!

[@spookylover2429]

I used dr browns everything for my son I did have some other types of bottles given to me that shaped like a nipple he refused all of those except dr browns lol it is important to have different bottles

[@rebeccakay2320]

Now I want baby number four 😂

[@kelleyfrye8909]

Clothes and shoes for babies and kids last for 5 seconds. They are outgrown, ruined, or lost so quickly.

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

So so true 😫

[@mphomolapo1562]

What shoes? 😅 We've got 186 years between us (us & in-laws) but we can't even keep track of her socks 😂❤.

[@Jenndalynn]

What should you do when you are flying with the car seat? We have to bring it obviously, but will that ruin it??

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

If it all possible, best case scenario baby gets their own seat on the plane. Next best would be borrowing or renting a car seat from someone reputable at your destination. Third best would be using the gate check.

[@CoversByAshleyV]

Jenny Ramsey Wright you should purchase your child a seat so they can use their car seat on the plane. FAA and AAP both reccomend your child be restrained. 😊

[@luzloveslife]

Is a body pillow really necessary? I use multiple pillows to adjust to my comfort and wondering if the body pillow is that different. I would rather not spend on it and later have it take up room in our garage.

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

My sis gave me one of those big pregnancy body pillows but it was just TOO MUCH. She didn’t use it, and I ended up not using it either. A few strategically positioned pillows does the job just fine!

[@luzloveslife]

Very helpful. Thank you!

[@Buttercream580]

What defines a good ring sling? Any advice?

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

100% cotton or linen (or a blend of the two), reputable brand (for safety)...I have a converted wrap ring sling from Sleeping Baby, and a Maya wrap ring sling which can be purchased on Amazon! Love them both!

[@McBrideMcManys]

I always suggest you see if there is a local Babywearing group by you. Ours charges $30 per year and you can borrow one carrier each month. That way you can see what you like before you spend all the money on ones you may not love.

[@BeatrizPereira-mk2cr]

I agree! I only believe in investing in decent things like a good bed & matress, a stroller and a car seat. Also hygiene products should be of good quality but not insanely expensive. All the rest like toys and clothes and diapers can all be pretty and “cheap”, kids don’t feel the difference anyways 😂

[@kortneyhepting5069]

What about reusable diapers? Are they a good idea?

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Absolutely! We've used them in the past, and while they don't work for our family right now, I'd absolutely consider going back to them!

[@ashleymarie6715]

I love hand me downs! Literally. But no one has any to offer 😂🥴

[@destinygarcia8993]

Try offerup, letgo, and facebook buy nothing groups. I didn't know about that stuff until the very end of my pregnancy and I would have saved so so much money had I known. You can get so much not just for ridiculously cheap but even free.

[@dmay7648]

Our babies are cheap- cloth and breastfeed, hand me downs from friends and consignment sales.

[@Jmc989]

For Ashley or anyone who has used cloth diapers: Would you wait to buy cloth diapers beforehand? I really hope to use those as much as possible.

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

If I ever went back to cloth diapers I’d use Green Mountain Diapers workhorse fitteds, and is start with one or two of a few different covers to find what fits your baby best!

[@Jmc989]

@@ashleighnicolewilson Thank you so much! Is there a reason you stopped using them?

[@PsychoNova91]

I cloth diapered. It just depends. Do you plan on using the diapers for future kids? If so then I say buy new so they last longer through all your kids. The problem with second hand is some people wabt to sell that at a ridiculous price. So by the time you pay you are sometimes paying more than if you had just bought them off of the diaper companies site new.

[@halfdozenhome]

Buy 1 or 2 of like 5 or 6 different styles and brands. I've learned what worked for my daughters didn't work for my son. And what worked for a newborn didn't work for my toddler. That sounds like a lot of purchasing but it just takes a little organizing to find something that works. For us personally: Newborn- hemp/cotton inserts with a sweet pea cover. Toddler- cotton prefolds stuffed in an alva pocket. (I have to fold the prefold all weird for my toddler though....LOTS of different folds to find what worked)

[@halfdozenhome]

Workhorse fitted are UUUHHH MAZING! (I used some used ones for about 6 months until friend needed them back- and it was amazing) I just couldn't afford it upfront. If you can....I highly recommend it!

[@loganhughes420]

I always like to say that kids are not expensive...life is expensive!

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Truth! 🙌

[@lilaccottage5885]

Girl, we could be BFF. Seriously ❤️

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

🥰

[@CoversByAshleyV]

Yes, good rule of thumb is if you wouldn’t trust the person with your child’s life - you shouldn’t use that used car seat

[@jennazaelbuperry6724]

There is a website now that you can get a trial size of a few different bottles, then decide what is best: www.babylist.com/gp/babylist-bottle-box-1/14668

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

That’s fantastic!!!

[@europeanlife9916]

How old are all your kids??

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

13, 11, 9.5, 7, 5, 2.5, 4m 😀

[@jules_1980]

​@@ashleighnicolewilson I read that a little too fast and thought it seemed like you suddenly had a lot more kiddos. Then I realized that two of the commas were points!

[@jules_1980]

I was told not to accept second hand crib mattresses. Where do you stand on that? I would assume that if it was from a friend it would be fine?

[@ashleighnicolewilson]

Because we cosleep, we haven’t used a crib basically ever, so I just don’t know much about crib mattress safety and concerns!

[@jules_1980]

JOYFUL CHAOS Thanks for replying. I hope this is not too personal, but is there a size of bed you feel is necessary for cosleeping to work? We have a double bed and do not have space/means to get a queen or king size. I thought about getting a co-sleeping crib but it seems like an expensive solution as they grow out of them fast.

[@rocior3484]

For the same reason you really shouldn't buy a second hand mattress, you shouldn't buy a second hand crib mattress. You could end up with bed bugs and the mattress could be worn out but you wouldn't be able to tell until you spend a night trying it, but you're not going to do it with a crib mattress.

[@mamabenzing5872]

@@jules_1980 We co-slept in a double bed for many years, it works. Baby #11 we finally upgraded to a queen size.