Getting a balance between buying STUFF and staying connected
Written by Harriet
Did you know that the average amount couples in the UK spend on baby items by the first birthday is more than £5000?
We know that averages can often be misleading, and there are many people who get by on a lot less than this, but the interesting issue that arises is: just what are the bare minimums?
Our lovely admin queen, Sarah Charlton, brought our attention to a recent article in the Guardian. Check it out here. In it, Rebecca Schiller, who is a doula based in Hackney, talks to a couple who have chosen to minimise the amount of money they have spent as new parents. It was a conscious choice for them, and has had rewards way beyond the financial saving (they spent 85% less, or saved more than £4000 compared with the average): 'We discovered that the less you buy that's baby-specific and designed to put them at a distance, the easier it will be to meet their instinctive needs.'
It's an interesting way to see all the 'stuff' that is so heavily marketed - and how much of it does involve putting our babies at a distance. And it's good to hear a story from very contented parents who say their baby is contented too - not because of what they possess, but because of the closeness they feel to one another. Bring it on!