Tips for birthing and parenting on a budget
Starting or expanding a family during a cost of living crisis is a daunting prospect for most. The amount expectant or new parents could spend on their baby is honestly limitless and you can feel a pressure to equip the perfect nursery or invest in gadgets that promise to make your life easier. But with cost being an increasing consideration, how can you keep to a budget while still making sure you and your baby have everything you need?
A positive birth should not be a privilege!
Free NHS antenatal classes have become less available since the pandemic and other providers of in-person classes can cost £200-£300, which is unaffordable for many. Antenatal education has a proven impact on improving birth experiences, so we want to make sure that expectant parents are still preparing.
We offer complete online antenatal education in our Hypnobirthing pack for £45 and this includes a ‘Call the Midwife’ service, giving you a free appointment with one of our midwives to chat through whatever you like. We’ve also got loads of other resources that don’t need to break the bank:
Watch our Hypnobirthing videos on YouTube, covering all the hypnobirthing basics
Read our book - Practical Ways to Make your Birth Better - you can borrow this from the library for free
Create a birth plan using our free template
Download the Freya app for practice in pregnancy and daily affirmations - £4.99
Use the Freya app to coach you through birth - no additional cost
Postpartum: knowledge is power, support is essential
Once your baby has arrived, you’re going to want to be equipped with the basic knowledge to keep those ‘What are we supposed to do now??’ feelings at bay. You may be targeted with ads tempting you with gadgets that are guaranteeing you better sleep, or consultants for just about every minute of the day. Support is indeed essential, but it doesn’t have to come with a whopping price tag. As well as our postpartum or early years digital courses (£39 with free access to a midwife), we have loads of free resources!
Watch our ‘What to expect in the fourth trimester’ workshop on YouTube
Complete our free breast and bottle feeding masterclasses
Make a postpartum plan using our free template
Join our bump and baby clubs on Facebook for peer support
Buying for baby on a budget
One of the most frequent pieces of advice parents-to-be hear is ‘Don’t buy too much for the baby, they won’t need it all’. And we whole-heartedly agree. Babies don’t need loads of stuff, so buy the essentials and wait to make decisions on other items later on when (or if!) you need them.
Essentials for the baby include:
A crib
Crib sheets
Sleepsuits and vests
Sleeping bags or swaddles
Nappies and wipes
Car seat
Pram/sling
Still, sounds expensive, right? It doesn’t have to be!
Buy secondhand wherever you can! Most baby stuff is barely used. It will be like new but for a fraction of the price.
Accept hand me downs! Again, newborn stuff is barely used so will likely be as new but free! It’s lovely to see baby clothes being re-used by friends or family and it’s better for the environment.
Check out Facebook marketplace, which is a great place for bigger items like cots, prams and toys. You can search for what’s available in your local area and collect.
Resell! Make the most of the opportunity to sell items on…just keeping those items with the most sentimental value!
Online marketplaces include Vinted, eBay, Gumtree, free cycle and look out for local nearly-new sales
You can also borrow or rent items, including maternity wear, slings and breast pumps. This helps to spread the cost and means you can return any items you don’t want
Most NHS Trusts and many community centres and churches offer free baby classes, giving you an opportunity to meet other parents and give your baby some stimulation without the cost
Speak to your midwife or health visitor to find what’s available in your local area
Remember that there is Government support available for many households.
Go to gov.uk and use the calculator to see if you’re entitled to any benefits eg child benefit and find out how to apply.
Managing costs with a new baby isn’t easy, but we hope these tips and resources will help you. We are always adding content to our virtual village and regularly post more information on our Instagram.