Haul

by

Kelly Wilbanks

posted in Products

As a mother of three I’ve learned a thing or two about stretching my dollars. I’ve found I’m not a crazy coupon-er, although I use them when I can. I’ve learned to simplify things by shopping where I know I’ll find great selection, quality, and low prices. That is how I found myself at Walmart as I put together an essentials kit for a first-time mama friend.

As I walked the brightly lit aisles I noticed several brands on display I hadn’t seen there before. I found Ideal Baby swaddle blankets (made by Aden + Anais) for a fantastic price. There were some super cute gift box blanket sets from Bananafish and sweet nursery decor options. I also saw that Parent’s Choice now offers a range of great items, from bath accessories to crib sheets to their newly improved diapers.

I had a mission: to see how far I could stretch my dollars while still buying quality products for my friend. During my adventure I found some great things and I pinned a few items I’ll come back for later. Here is how I spent $ 100 to buy all the essentials (and some fun items) for this soon-to-be first time mama.

My haul:

1. Even though I am a cloth diapering parent I still like to use disposables for those first few weeks. In my opinion, new parents have enough to adjust to without throwing in extra loads of laundry. Walmart’s Parent’s Choice diapers have been revamped with many features I’ve depended on with my newborn, and their Premium line is brand new. My favorite feature will always be the pee line. Especially when the baby is still new and diaper changes are still “fun.” Another feature I appreciate is that the diapers are hypoallergenic – baby skin is so sensitive. I like to know I’m putting the gentlest materials I can on their little bums.

2. I always buy sensitive wipes for newborns. It’s better to be safe than sorry. My first daughter had zero sensitivities, but my middle child needed products formulated for sensitive skin. These Parent’s Choice wipes are fragrance-free, super gentle, and super reasonably priced.

3. I love swaddle blankets because you can use them in so many practical ways. There’s the obvious — swaddle your baby. Muslin blankets are the best for this because they are breathable and great for summer or winter. You can use also use these blankets as a cover on a stroller, car seat, or for nursing.

4. These are the only pacifiers my children will use. I even tried other brands and was told they were yucky. Not every baby will take a pacifier, but these have been a staple in my home since 2012.

5. I like to give a little sampler like this to future mamas because it gives them a chance to see how well they like the product before buying the big version. It’s also nice to just have this on hand if traveling.

6. This is not an essential, but I think most parents are pretty excited to share that they have a baby — even if it’s to every driver they encounter on the road.

7. These were a fun find — cotton crib sheets from Parent’s Choice, in gender-neutral patterns and colors. Perfect for mixing and matching with pops of color!

8. There is some debate about how often we should bathe our babies. But there is no debate about how slippery they become when they are all soaped up. This is a simple sling that comes with two warmer wings to help keep your baby warm while bathing.

9. I loved this cute unisex take-home outfit. It’s nice to have a few items like this that button in the front when your baby’s umbilical cord is healing.

10. We haven’t always needed gripe water, but when we did, we needed it STAT. I like to provide parents with gripe water because it really helped our daughters when they had tummy troubles.

11. Binkies get lost — like, all the time. Especially right now as we’re trying to steer our 2-year-old away from using them because she drops them everywhere. This Nuby Pacifinder keeps the binky clipped to your baby’s clothing — or at least makes the missing pacifier a lot easier to find.

12. Baby hangers are an often-overlooked baby item, but they really help with organization. You can get 10 hangers for $ 1.00 in-store at Walmart. This really helped me stretch my budget while providing something super-helpful.

13. This is a slow-flow bottle that has a sweet design. All the pieces pictured are included. I like the sleek design because they are easier to store.

14. We use this rinse cup all the time in our house. It keeps the water from flowing down your baby’s face during a bath because the flexible side creates a seal. The two water compartments distribute water evenly so it doesn’t all come out at once.

15. This last item I bought on a whim because it was just so cute, and appropriate. This is a “boy” plaque, but I just love it for either sex. My daughters are always having adventures too (Adventure Begins plaque, $ 3.97). You’ll find more sweet nursery options at Walmart Baby Nursery Decor.

I chose these items because I found them really helpful the first few months with each of my girls. I chose to shop at Walmart because it saves me time and money — two things I don’t have a lot of with three kids 5 and under.

If I’d wanted to simplify thing further I could have shopped online too. My hubby just happened to be home the day I needed to shop, so I went out, but usually I’m stuck home with a morning and an afternoon napper. I love that I can just as easily shop online and receive savings whenever I choose the ship-to-store* option.

Guess how much all this was? My total was $ 99.66 before taxes. Walmart had great prices on a lot of name-brand items — not to mention their own new-and-improved brand, Parent’s Choice. I know from experience that this mama will use all of these items as she transitions into motherhood. I’m glad to bridge the experience-gap and bless my friend with fun finds.

This post is sponsored by Walmart.  All opinions are truthful and my own.

Photos by Kelly Wilbanks, Walmart

*On eligible items. Free store Pickup is based on store availability and is now available in all stores in Alaska and Hawaii. Not available in Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories

BabyCenter Blog

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