Oh baby! With the average newborn racking up $6000 for the first year alone, expectant moms and dads need all the creative cost-cutting ideas they can find. Baby Bargains is the answer. Inside, parents find detailed ratings and reviews of baby gear, plus handy charts that compare brands and models.
"It's going to change your life"The Four Truths That No One Tells You 1What Does a Baby Cost For the First Year? 2Reality Check: How Much You Can Save 5What? There's No Advertising in this Book? 6So, Who Are You Guys? 7What You Need When 8First Time Parent 101 10We Get Questions: Top 5 Q&A 11What's New in This Edition? 14Nursery Necessities: Cribs, Dressers & MoreThe Downside of Waiting Until the Last Minute 15Cribs 17The Five Basic Sources 17The Four Essential Parts to a Nursery 20More Money Buys You 21The Old Crib Trap and Nine Other Safety Tips 23Recalls: Where to Find Information 27"Baby Buying Frenzy" and 17 More Shopper Tips 28Convertible Cribs and Five Other Wastes of Money 34Top Nine Things No One Tells You 35Eight Money-Saving Secrets 38Baby Superstores: Good, Bad & Ugly 41Baby Registries Disappoint 46Specialty Chains 47Seven Outlet Stores 48Hotel Cribs: Hazardous at {dollar}200 a night 49Reviews & Ratings of 57 Crib Brands 50Who is Jenny Lind? 52Baby Tenda 54Co-sleepers & Hi-Tech Cradles 67eBay for Cribs: Three Smart Shopper Tips 78Our picks: Crib Brand Recommendations 95Chart: Crib Brands Compared 96Bassinets/Cradles 98Mattresses 99"Coil Overkill" and Two More Smart Shopping Tips 100Top Picks: Brand Recommendations-Coil, Foam, Organic 104Dressers & Changing Tables 106What Is French Dove-tail? Corner Blocks 106Safe & Sound: Five Tips 108Our picks: Brand Recommendations 110Six More Items for the Nursery 110The Bottom Line: Save {dollar}1000 With Our Tips 116Baby Bedding & DecorSix Sources for The Best Quality and Prices 119Cyberspace: Four Great Sites 121More than Sheets: The Four Basic Bedding Pieces 123Electric Blanket Warning and Nine More Safety Tips 127Looking for Mr. Good Bedding: Nine Shopper Tips 132Diaper Stackers and Six More Wastes of Money 133Skipping the Quilt and Seven More Money-Saving Secrets 135Reviews & Ratings of 50 Top Bedding Designers 137Dangerous Impressions: Marketing of Linens 142The Bottom Line: Our Budget Saves You {dollar}800 to {dollar}900 159Chart: Bedding Designers Compared 160The Reality Layette: Little Clothes for Little PricesWhen to Start Stocking Up on Clothes & Diapers 163Nine Basic Sources 164Baby Clothes 167Garage & Yard Sales: Eight Tips for the Best Bargains 168Cyberspace: Web sources for deals 168What Is a Layette? 171What Does More Money Buy You? 178Flame Retardant Sleepwear and Three Other Safety Tips 178One Size Does Not Fit All 180Laundry Conundrum: What's Best for Baby? 181Beware of Appliques and 8 Other Smart Shopper Tips 183The Fuzz Factor: Six Wastes of Money 184Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes 186Second Hand Bargains and 11 More Money-Saving Tips 188Carter's and Six Other Clothing Outlets 192Best Bets: Best, Good and Skip It 194Seven Great Mail-Order Clothing Catalogs 196Our Picks: Brand Recommendations 199Diapers 20015 CyberSpace Diaper Sources 202Who's Got the Cheapest Diapers? 205Our Picks: Brand Recommendations 205Which Cloth Diapers Work Best? 210Buy in Bulk and Ten Other Money-Saving Secrets 215The Bottom Line: Slash Clothing, Diaper Costs by {dollar}300 217Maternity/Nursing ClothesMaternity & Nursing Clothes 219Getting Started: When Do You Need Maternity Stuff? 219Ten Surprising Sources 220Cyberspace: 20 sites 222Your Pregnant Wardrobe: How Much Will You Need? 225Reader Poll: Best Nursing Clothes Brands 230Battling Your Wacky Thermostat 232Fetal Monitors: Are They Safe? 234Our Picks: Brand Recommendations-Undergarments 235Our Picks: Brand Recommendations-Nursing Clothes 236Help! My Feet Have Swollen! 236Plus Size & 13 Other Money-Saving Tips 238Three Outlets for Maternity Clothes 242Reviews of Maternity Chain Stores 243Watch Out for Return Policies 243Stay Fit: Pregnancy Workout Videos 246Bottom Line: Save {dollar}860 With Your Tips 248Feeding: Breastfeeding, Bottles, High ChairsBreastfeeding 249Eight Sources for Help 250Eight Web Sites For Breast Pumps 253Chart: Which Pump Works Best? 255Reviews & Ratings: 11 Breast Pumps Compared 257Breast Milk Storage Options 256Breastfeeding in Public: Four Tips and Advice 258Our Picks: Brand Recommendations 265Three Money Saving Tips 267Formula 267Organic Formula and Other Options 268Nine Money Saving Tips 271Bottles/Nipples 275Bottle Warmers & Sterilizes 276Baby Food 280Taste Tests and Five Other Safety Hints 281Toddler Foods: Waste of Money? 283Make Your Own and Five More Money-Saving Tips 284Reviews & Ratings of Six Brands 286High Chairs 289Strap Me In and Five Other Safety Tips 289Smart Shopper Tips: Basic Features and More 291Reviews & Ratings of 18 Brands 293Chart: High Chairs Compared 304Our Picks: Brand Recommendations 306Hook-On Chairs & Boosters 307Around the House: Monitors, Diaper Pails, Safety & MoreGetting Started: What You Need, When 311Best Bath Tubs 313Six More Items for the Baby's Room 314The Best Diaper Pails: Reviews & Ratings 316Bouncer Seats 320Coupon Sites Cut Online Shopping Costs 321Monitors 322Bugging Your House and Four Other Shopping Tips 322Reviews & Ratings of Nine Brands 327Chart: Monitors Compared 332Our Picks: Brand Recommendations 334Swings: Godsend or Neglect-o-matic? 335Safety 337Top Ten Baby Products That Should Be Banned 338Gates: Our Picks 340Ten Tips for Safe Toys 343Baby First Aid Kit 349Top 11 Safety Must-Haves 351Playpens: The Best Bets 352Car SeatsGetting Started & Four Sources to Find Car Seats 355Cyberspace: Six Great Sites For Car Seat Info 357One Size Does Not Fit All and Nine More Smart Tips 358Consumer Reports Crash Test Controversy 36111 Car Seat Safety Tips 376Four Money Saving Secrets 381Reviews & Ratings of 13 Top Brands 382What is the Lightest Infant Car Seat Carrier? 384Model by Model Reviews: Infant Car Seats 395Model by Model Reviews: Convertible Car Seats 407Our Picks: Brand Recommendations-Infant Seats 424Our Picks: Brand Recommendations-Convertible Seats 425Chart: Infant Car & Convertible Seats Compared 426Booster Seats 428Nine Smart Shopping Tips: Testing, Harnesses & More 430When Is a Child Ready to Stop Using a Booster? 436Model by Model Reviews: Booster Car Seats 437Our Picks: Brand Recommendations-Booster Seats 452Strollers, Diaper Bags, Carriers and other To Go GearStrollers 455Strollers in Cyberspace 456Six Types of Strollers 457Untrustworthy Brakes and More Safety Advice 460What Features Do You Really Need? 463Silly Stroller Accessories & Other Wastes of Money 469Stroller Overkill and Nine Other Money-Saving Secrets 470Reviews & Ratings: The 42 Best & Worst Brands 473Shopping Cart Covers: Our Top Picks 480The Latest From Europe: Trends & Fads 484Our Picks: Brand Recommendations by Lifestyle 515Bugaboo Smackdown: The Best Bugaboo Imitators 518Chart: Stroller Round-up 520Chart: Sport/Jogging Strollers Compared 522Three Mistakes to Avoid with Joggers 524Strollers for Two: Double the Fun 526Discount Mail Order Source 528Top Six Tips for Traveling with Baby 529Bike Trailers & Seats 530The Well-Stocked Diaper Bag 532Top Nine Items for a Well Stocked Diaper Bag 534Our Picks: Brand Recommendations 536Carriers 538Four Carrier Types & Our Top Picks 539Child Care: Options, Costs & MoreThe Three Basic Options for Child Care 545Dependent Care Accounts & Three More Money-Savers 547Ten Question to Ask a Child Care Provider 548Au Pair Option 549Does Your Nanny Have a Past? 550Conclusion: What Does It All Mean?Average Costs vs. Our Baby Bargains Budget 551Our Parting Advice 551Canadian Sources & Bargains 552Sample Gift Registry 563Multiples Advice: Twins and more 567Phone/Web Directory 570Index 580Contact Us 598Our Other Books 599About the Authors