7 Must-Have Supplies for the Crunchy, Frugal Parent
I never pictured myself with kids. Ever. Never thought of baby names or what it would be like to be pregnant. My mom, who we fondly refer to as “the baby hog,” had given up hope on being a grandmother. My sister’s been a hard no on the kids-front and I was ambivalent and dating shitty dudes. (Want to know more? See my previous article).
But then, there I was: pregnant.
It was totally on purpose. But I was pregnant for 39 weeks and 6 days and the entire time I kept thinking “what the fuck did we do.” We made a baby, that’s what we did, and now we had to figure out what to do about it. I spent a lot of time reading and researching and have turned into a way hippie-crunchier mom than I ever thought I would be.
Here are my top “must-haves” as a crunchy, yet frugal parents:
1. Mama Natural Week by Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Genevieve Howland
Buy used on Amazon for about $7
A friend recommended this book and the corresponding website. I don’t hold stock with 100% of the author’s claims, methods, etc, but for the most part, this was my jam. Each week-chapter is a few pages of what’s going on with your body and with your fetus, things you might expect to happen, commentary by nurse-midwives and doulas, recipes, and mantras. The tone is chatty and not didactic. My husband read many of the weeks along with me, which was good because he knew almost nothing about pregnancy and childbirth. Much of the text focuses on increasing your health and wellbeing before the birth of your child and the information is reviewed by certified nurse midwives. I have subscribed to her weekly updates on Facebook Messenger for my pregnancy and now for Baby Zeus as she’s out of my uterus and in the world. It’s nice to get the little updates about what is generally going on with the baby at this point in her life.
2. Ring Sling
Buy on Amazon from about $40
People in my area don’t babywear. Every now and then, I see someone wearing their baby...but usually, it’s just my reflection in a car window or mirror. We make a bit of a fuss in the grocery store or at the brewery when I wear her because people aren’t used to it, but Zeus loves to be snuggled to my chest or side in the sling. I bought a Wildbird sling second-hand from a mom-friend for $45 and I use it nearly every day. The sling is easy to put on and keeps both of my hands-free to eat, vacuum, or browse the aisles of Target. If you decide to go the babywearing route, be sure that you do your research. B/S/T groups can get wild with pricing on second-hand carriers, especially “limited edition” options. Individuals teaching babywearing classes should be certified and insured. Do your due diligence and enjoy wearing that baby!
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3. Haakaa Silicone Pump
$12.94 on Amazon
If you’re choosing and able to breast/chest feed, get one of these suckers (ha). Haakaas are inexpensive and are a great way to catch letdown while you feed your baby on the other breast. I started my frozen milk stash this way right after Baby Zeus was born. Even now, nearly 8 months into my breastfeeding journey (because, whoa, it is a journey), I still use the haakaa to supplement my stash. Sure, some days I don’t get much and that reminds me to relax, hydrate...and check the calendar to see if my period is coming. Other days, I’ll get a full ounce or two of letdown. I “catch” as much milk as I can because every day my body is willing to produce milk is a day I don’t have to pay for formula (and can use that money to buy myself a coffee on the way to work instead).
4. Homemade Baby Food
I don’t subscribe to any one philosophy of baby feeding. Sometimes Baby Zeus eats purees. Sometimes she gnaws on a slice of green pepper. Sometimes she picks up tiny bits of whatever we’re eating off her tray. I do whatever I have time for that meal. About once a month, I spend an hour or two on the weekend making a variety of purees to keep in the freezer. These are easy to send to Zeus’ caregivers for lunch or for us to take out for an easy dinner.
I was gifted these stackable 1.5 oz freezer trays and a pouch-filling kit at my baby shower that I use to freeze smushed fruits, veggies, and beans. I buy whatever is on sale and that’s what I steam, roast, and puree up for Zeus. A quick perusal of prepared baby food on the Target website shows me that baby pouches cost about $1.20 each while a bag of frozen vegetables (which would make an entire tray of puree) cost about $2.00. To me, the time and mess are worth the savings.
5. Mason Jars
$7.99 for a dozen at Walmart
I’m crossing the hippie/hipster line here, but hear me out. When I express breast milk at work, I store the milk in a mason jar. Whatever I collect while nursing Zeus in the Haakaa goes into the jar. Before bed, I either pour the milk into bags to freeze or I send the jar to Zeus’ next-day caregiver for her bottles. I also send purees, yogurt, and leftovers off for lunch with Zeus in the mason jar because they seal shut, keep food fresh, and are really durable. I take leftovers for lunch in a mason jar nearly every day. I love a mason jar.
6. A Giant-Ass Water Bottle
I thought I drank a lot of water while I was pregnant. I was chugging down 90oz a day from a 30 oz Yeti Rambler my husband bought me for Christmas one year. I feel kinda bougie and weird with that bottle, but the quality is great and I never use a plastic water bottle now, which makes me feel like I”m doing something to reduce my impact on the planet. My milk output is directly linked to my hydration levels, so I need to hit that 90 oz of water at a minimum. If I want to have good pumps and be able to run and not have epic headaches, I need all the water. All. The. Water. So get a giant water bottle you love and keep hydrated. Hell, even if you’re not chest/breastfeeding, go have a glass of water. Your body will thank you.
7. Cloth Diapers
Alva Baby Cloth Diapers from $29.99 on Amazon.com
When I did the math on disposable diapers, especially ones that were biodegradable, my husband and I were horrified at the cost to diaper a baby each year. While I love to save money, I’m not a couponer, so I knew I wouldn’t spend the time to bargain hunt and stack coupons and blah blah. So we decided to cloth diaper. I went pretty basic: these Alva pockets are inexpensive, easy to use, and size up with the baby until about 30 pounds. Our family and friends supported my crazy idea and bought us the cloth diapers for our baby shower. Some people say that the cloth diapers cause more laundry and water use, but our water bill stayed the same pre- and post-baby. We do throw our sweaty gym clothes or bath towels in with Zeus’ laundry, so I think that helps us stay at the same laundry level as before.
Besides not spending much on diapering (confession: we’ve bought a couple of packs of diapers to do disposables at nighttime), we aren’t putting bags and bags of diapers into the landfill every week, which feels good. If this is a small thing we can do to help the planet, I’m here for that.
How do you frugal-hippie-crunchy parent your baby?
