FORMULA
Your doctor will probably tell you that the brand of formula does not matter at all! They are all approved with the same expectations. The only thing that is different really is the flavor. So my suggestion is to use all kinds of formula rather than sticking to one (as long as your baby is not picky). This includes store brand! Even if you are breastfeeding- I would suggest signing up at these websites. You never know what will happen- it is nice to have a little bit of formula in case of an emergency and someone else needs to feed your baby. If you are planning to breastfeed, it's nice to have a backup plan in case your baby does not take well to breastfeeding. So sign up while you're pregnant! If you don't use it, oh well! These are free to join. Most of them give you samples in the mail to start with and they ALL give you checks to use toward your purchase of formula. I solely formula fed my first two, breastfed for the first 2 months with my third, and my fourth one has NO INTEREST in saving me money by breastfeeding. I have just quit pumping because it was no longer worth the time. (Being home with 4 kids makes it a little difficult to find extra time!) Trust me- the expense of formula adds up! Any money toward it will save you big over a year's period. Checks can be used WITH a coupon too! So if you have a coupon on top of it- kuddos to you! Also, when the checks are about to expire, I go to the store and buy the cheap ready-to-feed formula with them. Then I only have to put about $1 to them. So instead of wasting the check, I basically get free formula! I use ready to feed and powdered. Either work fine. Also, the condensed liquid kind (where you add water to it) work just as well. A little side note- have your parents sign up also! These websites allow you to sign up as a grandparent also! So they can pass the checks on to you! Second hand stores like Once Upon A Child sells formual also! At lower prices, but you are limited to how many you can buy and you cannot use the checks/coupons. The formula links are below:
Similac - Similac should send a sample pack around the due date of your baby- or later if you sign up after the birth of your child. They also mail several $5 checks throughout the first year. I have also received a few Shutterfly coupon codes for free photo gifts from them throughout the years.
Enfamil - Enfamil I believe also sends a sample pack with your first baby. They usually send $4 checks throughout the first year.
Gerber Good Start - Gerber sends you checks anywhere from $3.95 to $14.95 throughout the first year. They also send you coupons for their baby food and toddler items as your child grows.
BABY FOOD
As I mentioned above, Gerber will send coupons for baby food as your child grows. You can also sign up with Beech-Nut to receive a free baby food, and they will send you some coupons.
I don't use much baby food- usually I just make my own, but a lot of people use it.
Beech-Nut
DIAPERS & WIPES
Diapers are another story. I do not personally use any brand of diapers or wipes. I mostly switch between pampers and huggies. I have ventured to try store brands, but learned it is better to stick with the good kind. Luvs are okay, but to me it is worth the extra money to stick with pampers and huggies. But there are ways to save on these too! You can sign up through their websites and they will send you coupons from time to time. Also- if you shop at Kroger, they often have coupons for several diaper brands to load on to their kroger plus card digitally! The newspaper has coupons for these pretty often also. Pampers Swaddlers are my favorite for newborns. But after that I think Pampers and Huggies are pretty equal. Huggies pullups are way better for toddlers though. I like Pampers wipes better for newborns only- because of the wetness- it seems to clean them better. But Huggies work much better after the first couple months. Both Huggies and Pampers have rewards programs currently. I suggest signing up if you are going to use the brands. I mostly buy Pampers, and their rewards program seems better to me, but the Huggies one is decent also. You enter codes (that come with their diapers and wipes that you buy) to earn points. The points add up and you cash them out on what you want. Pampers has shutterfly items, toys, etc. They also have a new program where you get shutterfly gifts if you enter pampers codes so many months in a row for a year. You get a gift at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and a year! I have heard that target has good diapers and wipes, but I have never tried them since they are not in my usual shopping routine.
Also- if you live around here, you can sign up at P&G to do diaper studies! You could be selected to test out diaper products (that means FREE DIAPERS for the study period) AND you get paid for doing it! They are time consuming- you usually have to fill out a questionaire for every diaper, but the studies can last a couple of weeks. So free diapers for 3 weeks is awesome enough- and that doesn't include whatever payment amount they are offering!
Of course- you could be a rockstar mom and use cloth diapers, but that has never been my path. I want to save money, but I am not willing to give up convenience for it!
Pampers
Huggies
Luvs
P&G Discovery Center
SECOND HAND STORES
Many people don't go to places like Once Upon A Child and Reruns For Wee-Ones. But honestly- baby clothes don't get much wear and tear in the first 6 months of sizes! A lot of times you can find things that have not even been worn. Sometimes they will even have the tags on them! I have bought MANY things there. (And sold many things to get some extra money too!) Even for my older kids. You can find great deals on things that look brand new! They also sell FORMULA at discounted prices and sometimes they will have diapers! You can't use checks and coupons though. But they usually have programs to where your shopping adds up to a store credit for $10 or so!
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