Unexpected Baby Expenses As A First Time Mom

As a new parent, there are a lot of expenses that you expect when you have a baby, such as a car seat, diapers, wipes, and baby clothes. But there are a TON of unexpected baby expenses that are different with every child. Today I’m sharing my top 10 unexpected baby expenses as a new mom.

Watch the full video on YouTube:10 Unexpected Baby Expenses

Breastfeeding Expenses

Breastfeeding is free right? Nope.

As a first-time mom, I was shocked at how expensive breastfeeding was (and how difficult it was).

Unexpected expenses that come along with breastfeeding are:

Lactation massager: clogged ducts are common and painful
Vitamin D drops for baby
Flanges of different sizes
Replacement pump parts that need to be replaced every 2-3 weeks
Breastmilk storage bags
Bottles

Formula

Whether you are supplementing with formula or your baby is drinking formula exclusively, it adds up quickly.

The recent formula shortage brings a whole new level of stress and potentially leads to an increase in the cost of formula.

Check out:

Educational and Developmental Toys

We all know babies need toys but I didn’t know the importance of developmental toys, especially in the first couple of months to help baby’s developing eyes.

My favorite toys are Lovevery, they are such high quality and my baby LOVES them!

Velcro Swaddles

Swaddling your baby not only helps them feel like they are being held and in the womb but they also help with the the moro or startle reflex which can wake babies up.

Blanket swaddles are great but are so easy for babies to break out of. I loooove the velcro swaddles that are so easy to put on and instantly calm my fussy baby.

Mom tip: If your baby is a Houdini and gets their arm out of the swaddle, try using a long-sleeved onesie underneath.

Additional Resources:

Random Things During 3 am Feedings On Amazon

In the beginning, those 3 am feedings are ROUGH and often include endless scrolling on Amazon.

From extra pacifiers to extra blankets to use as burp cloths and everything in between.

Here are some of my top Amazon finds (that I didn’t end up returning):

Hospital style Receiving Nursing Blankets I use these as a burp cloth, to lay down on the floor, pumpers in the swing… absolutely everything!
Tommee Tippee Ultra-Light Silicone Pacifier
DockATot Deluxe Cover
Infant Toothbrush Clean Baby Gums Disposable Tongue Cleaner
Oball Classic Ball easy to grip with baby hands
Tummy Time Premium Water mat
Cooling Towel: I use these in the summer or hot car on babies feet to keep body cool.

Taking Cara Babies SLEEP Course

My baby has been sleeping through the night since 5 weeks old. Yep… not getting up to feed her or change her … but peaceful sleep all night for baby mom and dad!

When my baby was about 4 weeks old, I bought the Taking Cara Babies course, watched it in one day, and within 1 week my baby was sleeping through the night.

Click here to take the course!

Top things I learned:

How to extend sleep -worked up from 7 hours to 11 hours
What to do when she wakes up in the middle of the night… put her back to sleep without picking her up
NOT CRYING IT OUT
What to do during the day to make sure she sleeps well at night.

Again, this course is amazing and worth every penny!

Chiropractic

Chiropractic care is so important to get after you give birth but it’s also extremely beneficial for your baby!

We started our baby with getting adjustments twice a week starting at 10 days old but you can do it even sooner.

Chiropractic care for babies is very gentle and not the neck cracking that we think of for adults.

After the first visit, I saw a huge change in her digestive system (big poops), temperament and sleep!

More ways to save!

Lovevery Playkits: Designed by experts for your child’s developing brain.
Taking Cara Babies Sleep Course: This course helped my baby start sleeping through the night at just 5 weeks old.. without crying it out!
CIT Bank: BEST High-yield savings account; your bank shouldn’t be charging you money. Instead, YOU should be making money off your money!
Ladder: Get a quick, free quote on term life insurance, affordable, online term life insurance. No exam! No waiting! No hassles!
GetUpside: Earn 20 cents per gallon on gas cash back when you download the app and use code FIAB20.
Fetch Rewards is a free grocery savings app that rewards you just for snapping pictures of your receipts. That’s it. Really. Free gift cards on groceries on thousands of products every day, no matter where you get your groceries. Just scan your receipts and get gift cards from retailers like Amazon, Target, Ulta, Applebees. Use code QHKBH to earn 2,000 points ($2)!
Rakuten: Get cash back on online purchases and automatic coupons and savings with their browser plugin… and remember, you have to make a $20 purchase to get your $20 for free!
Blooom: FREE 401(k) or IRA analyzer, Let the experts take a peek at your retirement account. Get real advice on how it’s doing and how it could be performing better.
Lively: A modern health savings account. Prepare for tomorrow by making smart decisions about finances and healthcare today. Lively HSAs are free for individuals and families, so you never have to worry about hidden costs.
Build Wealth by Investing in Index Funds Course: I’ve teamed up with my friend Jeremy from Personal Finance Club to teach you everything you need to know to invest in index funds! How to open an account, how much to invest, and how to choose an index fund. You’ll gain the knowledge and confidence to optimally invest and build wealth for decades.

Some of the links in this article are "affiliate links", a link with a special tracking code. This means if you click on an affiliate link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. The price of the item is the same whether it is an affiliate link or not. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will add value to our readers. By using the affiliate links, you are helping support our Website, and we genuinely appreciate your support.