Baby Stuff Question

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
A couple of local businesses are collecting "personal care items" for indigent families in the town.

They have a "wish list" posted on the bins. I got some multi-packs of toothbrushes and some "cavity-fighting toothpaste".

Then, I went to check out diapers. Well, I never had children of my own, and the last time I changed a diaper was when I was in my tweens and those were cloth diapers.

I found out a couple of things: there are an awful lot of brands plus store brands, PLUS, given that children go through a lot of these things, they are awfully expensive.

I wound up getting a mega-pack of 10-14lb house-brand diapers, and a much smaller pack of "training diapers" (pull ups?) to donate.

Does anyone have any recommendations for good, economical diapers and what sizes are most commonly used and needed?

They also wanted baby formula and bottles and nipples. Baby formula is ungodly expensive, and I'd figure that the types of formula, bottles, nipples, etc, would be something a mother would choose based at least partly on the recommendation of the pediatrician.

I noted that the mfrs each make several types of formula, does anyone know if you can get coupons that could be applied to any formula within a mfr's product line?
 

klmno

Active Member
I wouldn't buy the formula either. Simulac is a common brand and I would think you could get coupons somewhere- a baby/new mother focused magazine maybe or their website.

Diapers- my son wore breathable Huggies because he had sensitive skin. They aren't the least expensive but they are good. Newborn or the next size up would probably be good- heck any size of any diaper would be used. And wipes.

The best nipples are the type that's shaped like a baby's mouth- the same for pacifiers. (They look "squashed" on one side.) I think silicone is suppsoed to be good- but I'm not sure if it's really better. Bottles themselves don't matter.

Baby tobogans and mittens with a clip to clip to the jacket, a pack of socks, a pack of side-snapped t-shirts- if you are buying clothes.

Baby wash clothes and receiving blankets (with a hood if you can find them) and a pack of cloth diapers (for burping) can always be used too. Also, one of those little kits with baby nail clippers and stuff like baby shampoo, lotion, powder, etc might be good. I would get Gerbers or another well known brand for that, but that's just me.

That's just my 2 cents anyway- I'm sure those with babies around their homes now will have more ideas.
 
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GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
I saw the Desitin and I remember that stuff from ages ago. There's an awful lot of brands of that stuff, too, finishing off with "Butt Butter" which sounded vaguely obscene, LoL.
 

trinityroyal

Well-Known Member
You can get manufacturer's coupons for formula, and "premium" brand diapers by going to the manufacturers' websites.

Similac, Enfamil and Nestles are the three major brands, and all have different varieties to account for ages, dietary needs, certain allergies, etc.

I've found that the store brand diapers are every bit as good as the premium brands. They just don't have pictures of Disney characters on them. And they're significantly cheaper.

Same thing for diaper rash cream. I buy generic zinc oxide. It's the same percentage as Zincofax, but it's WAY cheaper and works equally well even on sensitive skin.

For diapers, I would suggest size 2 and 3. I agree that formula coupons are a better bet than actual formula. If you're going to get formula, I would suggest one of the soy varieties, which accounts for milk allergies.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Thanks Trinity. I have found that for myself, store brands work pretty well. Suave shampoo at 2 dollars a bottle does just as well as salon stuff for thirty dollars for a smaller bottle.

We have both Walgreen's pharmacy and WalMart where I live and both have an extensive line of house brands.

Looking at diapers I did see a couple of things that amused me. First all, there were diapers that changed colors when wet(what ever happend to sticking a finger down the back or in the leg opening?), AND, other diapers that gave a cold sensation when wet.

I guess that was one thing to be said for cloth diapers and rubber pants. A kid sure as heck knew when they were wet.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
We used Walmart brand formula for thank you with no problems (as a supplement to nursing so husband could feed him. He refused mom juice from a bottle, LOL!). My niece was also fed it, and it worked just as well as the name brands.

The diapers that feel cold when wet are for potty training. I think it mostly is in the pull up type diapers (made like underwear but disposable like diapers) because otherwise many children just don't make the connections because they never feel wet.

Baby stuff has gotten so complicated and seems to get worse every year.
 

klmno

Active Member
I had one more thought- I found underarm thermometers invaluable and they are inexpensive. I think I might have gotten a package that had nail clippers, a nose cleaner, and thermomter in it- oh- and a plastic tube/spoon thingy for measuring and giving liquid medicine. The reason I suggested name brand for a pack of utility type items is because I found that occasionally, the off-name brands' stuff would end up with a thermomter that didn't work, nail clippers that weren't sharp enough to cut nails, etc. A friend of mine told me that any shampoo other than the original No More Tears really hurt her child's eyes- but my baby was bald so I just used a typical baby wash all over him. :tongue:
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I wouldnt get newborn diapers. Babies are rarely in them long! 2's and 3's seem to last the longest. By the time Keyana got to a 4, she was ready to potty train...lol. I realize that is so not the case for most kids. She was just thin and we got lucky she potty trained really easily.

That Butt Paste is an amazing product! I liked it much better than the old zinc oxide. Really. Works so much better. Yes it has zinc oxide in it but it is brown and it goes on easier and is more creamy. I still have a tube. Actually sitting on my computer desk right now...lol.

Up where you are GN...undershirts would be good. Plain white. The kind that snap at the crotch are excellent if you are getting for an infant, if for a toddler, the boys type is good. We use those on Keyana. Speaking of for a toddler, a pack of briefs would be good. Boys and girls.

Regular plastic bottles...the ones we have always used are fine. Also the cheap sippy cups. You can get them for a dollar at walmart. Babies are in sippy cups at less than a year these days.

I think walmart is Parents Choice diapers. They worked just fine for us.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
The WalMart brand diapers are what I wound up getting. I got the toothbrushes (2 4-packs) and tooth paste at Walgreen's.

I also got my monthly big sack of IAMs dog food for the local shelter. I wouldn't feed IAMs to my own pets, but the shelter survives on donated food and IAMs beats Ol' Roy hands down.

I'd like to see something similar to what the church is doing for young families/children started for the indigent elderly.

I'm probably the only full-time Jewish resident of this town--it's funny that I have to go through Catholic Charities via the local parish to deal with stuff like this.
 

TPaul

Idecor8
Many store brands are made by the big name brand companies and then sold to the stores to sell as a store brand. You would be suprised how many items that are big buck as a national brand are the same exact product!!! You pay for the name and the huge advertising budgets!!

Butt butter is great to use, also I agree size 2 and 3's are worn for the longest amount of time. With these indiviuals, I expect that they do not take the kids to a pediatrician., because they most likely have no insurance. A hungry baby will drink anything, and it is better to just buy what you can afford to donate.

May you recieve blessings for helping others,
Tpaul
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
I don't know about these parents being able to take their kids to a pediatrician or not; I do know that free care and vaccinations and well-baby checkups are available free of charge through the county. Medicaid pays for 'urgent care' for children as well.

What I suspect might be an issue with using a pediatrician is that an awful lot of doctors up here don't accept Medicaid due to the fact that they pay too little and take too long to pay.
 

Shari

IsItFridayYet?
I think we used Luvs diapers.

I tried some off brands, but they didn't seem to work as well. Then again, I am so stingy at the store that I probably bought the cheapest thing the store had when I tried the off brands, and I had 2 of the 3 stooges helping me diaper him, so......I gave up and just bought Luvs.

Kudos to you for you donations. Maybe you could start up something similar for the elderly? Our restaraunt friends do it for kids in the military, and it started quite by accident.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
I tried to live on just a VA pension which was about what the typical senior up here would get from SS per month.

Without the help of the local food pantry, energy subsidies etc., it would've been impossible. As it was, it was terrible.

I'm able to manage on VA and SSDI, but that is more than the typical senior has coming in by far.

One thing that bothers me is that all of this stuff is both aimed at young families AND that there is nothing like this going year round.

The need is there all year, not just during the holidays. I don't know if I am up to setting up and running something like this myself, but I am wondering if I could get the church community involved in a program like this.

I think when you have people having to choose between being able to eat and being able to pay utility/RX bills, that something just has to be done.
 

klmno

Active Member
Can't you get VA, SSDI for yourself, and SSI form your H, too? I could be mistaken- I just know my mother drew SSI from her deceased H for at least some period of time. Maybe you can't draw it on yourself and deceased spouse both.

What I'm really wondering though is if you start a non-profit organization, are you able to draw a paycheck?
 

trinityroyal

Well-Known Member
What I'm really wondering though is if you start a non-profit organization, are you able to draw a paycheck?
s
The short answer is yes. If you start a not-for-profit company, you can draw a salary, in some cases a considerable one. You can also hire paid staff to manage the organization's operations. There are regulations and criteria that must be met, and different tax returns from regular corporate tax returns.

This info applies to Canada, but I'm sure there are similar rules in the U. S.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
KLMO. No. I cannot draw both SSI and SSDI. I draw SSDI and have Medicare as my primary provider. ChampVA is my "part B supplemental" and my part D provider.

I draw SSDI based on my previous income because husband, while he did have his quarters in, did not have the previous earnings that I did.

When you get SSDI and are widowed, you have the option of drawing against your own income or against your late spouse's income.

In fact, SSDI automatically picks the higher past income to base their amounts on.

If I were to choose outside ins for my RX coverage, I would lose my VA RX coverage which would be crippling. with VA I can order my chronic medications 3 months worth at a time, and they are free.
 

klmno

Active Member
Ohh- I guess that makes sense. Thanks for the info, both of you- sorry for getting Occupational Therapist (OT), GN.
 

Marguerite

Active Member
If you're going to get formula, I would suggest one of the soy varieties, which accounts for milk allergies.

We found out too late that if you have a child with a tendnecy to allergies, you should AVOID soy because it comes in second, after cows milk, as a common allergen.

One more reason to not buy formula, I guess.

Marg
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Marg, I suspect the US is less "kind" to working mothers than in Australia. Women here often don't get breaks to pump milk and if they do, they are very often expected to do so while sitting on the toilet in an employee rest room.

It wasn't that long ago that only "lower class" women nursed their babies. Upper class women fed formula.

I know that even in 1960 when I was born, nursing was not the norm. My mother nursed us because she couldn't afford to buy formula, not necessarily because it was seen as healthier.

Certainly back then she had to go and basically hide somewhere to feed us. Nursing a child, even with everything covered up with a shawl or blanket was considered to be obscene. It simply was not done in public in the US.
 
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