First time parents-to-be often experience sticker shock the first time they browse for baby gear. When you start adding up the cost of furniture, car seats, strollers and the multitude of other items you want for your baby, it really adds up to a lot. There are several things you can do to save money while getting ready for baby to arrive.

Watch where you shop: Baby boutiques and specialty stores have adorable items for your new baby. You may get some of their catalogs in the mail during your pregnancy. The first thing you will notice is the high price tags for most of the gear sold in these stores. Overspending is a common mistake, especially with the first baby. You can often find comparable items at a discount store or on sale and save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

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by Patricia Hughes

One piece of baby gear that all new parents will need is a car seat. You will be asked if you have a seat at the hospital and a nurse may check before you are discharged from the hospital. A car seat will protect your baby in the event of an accident and in most places, using a car seat is the law. You have two basic choices in seats for your new baby, an infant only seat or a convertible car seat. There are pros and cons to each type of seat.

Infant Seats are made to fit rear facing and are used for young babies. The seat part can be removed from the base and carried by the handle. This feature can be useful for moving a sleeping baby into the house. Some are made as part of a travel system and can fit inside the stroller. The biggest benefit of these seats is that newborn babies just fit in them better. Newborns, especially smaller babies, flop around in many convertible seats and just don’t fit well.

More on Buying A Car Seat For Your Baby