One of the main things I'm focusing on is trying to make sure I'm all stocked up for when our little girl makes her debut. I'm going to be sleep-deprived. And nursing. And sleep deprived. And probably going to feel like I got hit by a truck after labor and/or a c-section. Did I mention I'll be sleep-deprived?
I'm not going to want to make an emergency run for toilet paper or diapers at 3 in the morning because we JUST realized we ran out, so I'm stocking up now.
Affording It
I'm blessed enough to have a husband that works a full-time job and still manages to run a web design business. I'm also blessed enough to have that business pay some of our bills for us. Which freed up a good chunk of money these last two months so I could stock up on some essentials.The rest of you might not be so lucky. But if you want to start stocking up, here are some ways to do it without breaking the bank:
- Start Early: The minute you find out you're pregnant, set aside a few extra bucks a month to buy things that aren't going to go bad and that you can "hide" for 9 months (so you won't use them up in the meantime).
- Budget For It: If you keep to a budget (and you really should!), set aside just the money every month that you're pregnant, then go on a huge shopping spree the last month.
- Watch the Sales: Publix has some really great sales that I've been taking advantage of. Even though I don't need peanut butter right now, it was on sale 2/$4 recently, so I grabbed a couple of jars. Easy lunch for a tired mommy.
- Coupon: If you're into that sort of thing. I find that the only coupons that really benefit me enough to justify the time spent are BJ's coupons. They are nearly always $3 and $4 off (on things that are already a great deal!), not the piddly 50-cent off coupons you get in the paper. But, then, Florida doesn't allow double coupons. So if you live somewhere that has 'em, couponing might be your best bet.
- Get Familiar with Costs: If you're really hard-core like me, go on a fact-finding mission to your local wholesale club/grocery store/pharmacy, etc. and make a note of what certain staples cost at each place. I took a trip to BJ's one day and wrote down the cost of certain items that I buy all the time (or items that I will need once Peep is here). Turns out, there are certain things at BJ's that are a better deal than the Publix BOGO price. Now I don't have to feel obligated to buy something at Publix "just because it's on sale." I also know now whether a sale price at another store is really that great of a deal.
What to Buy
Every household is different, but this list is a good starting point:Hygiene
Toilet paper
Flushable wet wipes (my husband loves these)
Tissues
Sanitary napkins (The big kind! You can't use tampons postpartum)
Hand soap
Cleaning
Paper Towels
Garbage bags
Laundry detergent (for baby clothes, your clothes, and cloth diapers, if you're using them)
Dishwasher detergent
Liquid dish soap
Sponges
Cleaning products
Baby Products
Diapers
Wipes
Food Prep
I know that once Peep is here, I won't want to a) cook, b) think about cooking, c) run out to the store for ingredients, or d) assume that people are going to bring over casseroles every day. So I opted to prepare 6 freezer meals and stock up on shelf-stable and frozen items that will be easy to prepare with little to no prep time.
Pancakes: I made a double batch one afternoon (and somehow managed not to eat any), then froze them on a cookie sheet in between pieces of waxed paper. There is a nice stack in my freezer in an old bread bag that I can heat up in the toaster oven.
Tortillas: I made a big double batch so that half could be made into Chicken Enchiladas (see below) and the rest could be made into breakfast burritos, quesadillas, or wraps.You don't have to be this ambitious, but after tasting these homemade tortillas, there really is no comparison to store bought.
Baked Ziti: I made two pans like I always do, but then I froze them both.
Chicken Verde Enchiladas: I used the recipe on this post, but cut it in half (to make two pans, not four) and added 1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup.
Chicken Pesto Stuffed Shells: I doubled the recipe found here (same link as above), but after adding the 6Tbsp of pesto to the filling, I used the rest of the pesto (I bought a regular sized jar) in dollops on top of each shell. I didn't want them to be dry.
I also stocked up on the ingredients for Tortellini Soup and Chicken Tortilla Soup (I will put the recipe up here eventually; it is AMAZING). Most, if not all, of the ingredients are shelf-stable or frozen.
Now that everything is done and I am all stocked up, here are my food options for when Peep arrives. All I'll need to run out and buy is produce and dairy (cheese and milk) as needed.
Breakfast
Pancakes
Cereal
Bagels/Toast
Breakfast burritos
Lunch
Quesadillas
PB&J
Chicken nuggets
Mac & cheese
Frozen pizza
Snacks
Granola bars
Peanut butter crackers
Trail Mix
Dinner
Baked Ziti
Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Pesto Stuffed Shells
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Tortellini Soup
Did any of you do any "prep work" before your babies arrived? What did you find was indispensable during those first few weeks?
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