Now when I first became pregnant, I was terrified. First time mom, no experience. I had no clue what to do or how to do it. And living in Southern California, where you only get paid minimum, and bills are expensive, its hard.
All I wanted to do was ask everyone, how they did it. So Im here to tell you how I did it, and a few other things. :)


1. Health Insurance - Dont panic if you dont have it! I dont know how they do it in other states but in California, you get free Medi-Cal during your pregnancy, and afterwards too. Your child receives it as well.

2. WIC. Wic is a program that supplements you during your pregnancy and also after your baby is born. Especially if you plan on breastfeeding.
During your pregnancy, they give you food checks every month that you can use for cereal, milk, juice, beans, fruits & veggies. When your baby is born, they continue to supplement you for 6 months or until you stop breast feeding. If you decide to not breast feed, they also give you 9-10 cans of formula a month! They also provide a manual breast pump if you request it.

3. Food Stamps. There will always be many opinions on food stamps. There are many people who abuse the system and that I understand. But you should never be ashamed of the fact that you need help. If you want to be a parent, you should allow to be one, even if you are financially struggling.
Setting that aside, food stamps can not only provide food for you and your family, but it can also be used to purchase formula and gerber.

4. Craigslist. Craigslist can be an alternative site to purchase brand new baby items. People sometimes list the stuff that they got doubles of in their baby shower. For example, I bought a brand new Maxi Cosi Mico car seat for $60 when it retails for $200.

5. Registry. EVERYONE SHOULD MAKE ONE. Even if you dont want to share it for your baby shower, at most stores you get a 10% off discount for the stuff that wasnt purchased. List everything that you might want or need because in the end, you get %10 off anyway.

6. Diapers. Im sure youve heard that diapers are expensive. And its true, they are. But you can save money, if you know how to buy them.
Have a diaper raffle at your baby shower and have the prize be a $25 gift card or something. Many poeple will participate and itll be like youre only buying one box.
Target and sometimes Babies/Toys R Us offer gift cards of $5 and up (depending on the sale) if you buy two. Babies/Toys R Us also occasionally have $10 off when you buy the super pack.
On a side note, I recommend buying baby wipes at Costco. The big box costs $25 and it lasts a really long time. Some of the Pampers diapers also come with Free wipes coupons.

7. Mommy Freebies. These are extra little things that you might not need but you might want. Theres a couple of sites that give free stuff and all you need to do is pay for shipping.

https://www.carseatcanopy.com/
https://www.uddercovers.com/
https://www.sevenslings.com/
http://www.nursingpillow.com/
https://www.babyleggings.com/
https://www.bellybuttonband.com/
https://www.breastpads.com/

UPDATE:

8. Car Seats. Some hospitals offer FREE car seats if you participate in their maternity tour or early registration. Make sure you ask.


So that is all for now. This will be updated if I think of anymore or if anyone else has some other tips. :) Thank you for reading!



-Kenia