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When I was expecting my daughter, I was overwhelmed with all there was to buy for a baby. My husband and I could afford it at the time but did I seriously want to spend thousands of dollars on one baby? What was really necessary and what was not?

I had one lady tell me that all my daughter needed to grow and develop properly was a book, a ball, and a body. This generally held true but we sure did buy more than a book and a ball for her. We did not buy a lot of extra things but we still had them. We shopped frugally and looked for the best. While we spent more money on the items that we did buy her, we bought quality items. We knew that buying a high quality crib not only would it last through most of our children but it would also be something we were pleased with longer. We did the same with our stroller and our car seat.

A baby carrier is another item that I recommend going with high quality. I have used one every single day with my 10 week old son and it has been the most practical thing that I could have invested in. I am a huge fan of slings because of the many ways that you can wear your baby. You can also nurse while grocery shopping and still have both hands to keep going. When buying a sling, look for high quality and the right size. Make sure you also pick a color that you wouldn’t mind wearing every day. I personally purchased a blue Hotslings sling when I had my daughter and have continued to use with my son.

As a mom, do not be overwhelmed with all the baby purchases out there. Ask other moms and read forums and blogs to find out the things that other moms love the most. You will save money and get the best items for your baby (and money) this way.

About the Author: Rachael Coe “This began as a very small site dedicated to share the money saving tips that I had discovered in purchasing items for my family. I had the desire to share this with all of those that I love so that they also could make their money stretch a little further.” Visit her blog, Money Saving Tips for the Keeper at Home

So, your expecting a baby…yeah! If you are like me, chances are you have been on the internet searching for ways to determine the sex of your unborn child. There are the classic old wives tales, the Chinese calendar and funky signs like hair growing faster if it’s a boy.

Thanks to fabulous technology you can know with more confidence than ever what you are having as early as your 2nd trimester!

This is both a pregnancy test kit with the lab sample collection kit. There are less expensive tests but none are as accurate and none can tell you any earlier than Pink or Blue.

GIRL or BOY? This is the #1 question asked right after a positive pregnancy test. Pink or Blue® will share this exciting news to with you as early as 10 weeks after the first days of your last menstrual period… which is 7 weeks post-conception.

“The Pink or Blue® Early DNA Gender Test is the most accurate home collected early gender tests on the market to date. With real customer accuracies measuring greater than 95%, this product far exceeds the accuracies of urine testing and early ultrasound in predicting gender. Consumer Genetics stands by its test, and its results.

Some people do get wrong results; in fact, 5 of every 100 results are incorrect. Because of this, Consumer Genetics has always offered a money back guarantee to those who have received wrong results.

Just watch the video below to learn more about this fascinating technology! I sent my lab work in today–I will find out next Friday if I need to buy PINK or BLUE!

This isn’t my 1^st trip to the rodeo. I am Victoria Arya, the head honcho and mommy behind Life Starring the Kids & Me.  I am a married stay at home mom to two little girls: Ellie, who is 2, turning 3 in September, and Eve who turns 1 in June.  I am also expecting my third child, yes another girl, sometime in late October. 

I don’t know how many times I have heard all about how I have “easy” pregnancies and that everything has been so “easy” for me, and each and every time it seems like the person saying that is some how lessening my 9 month commitment.  Now, I admit to the fact that I happen to not have any issues with being pregnant; no morning sickness, no huge problems, no premature labor…I am healthy as a horse while pregnant.  But, even though I may have an “easy” pregnancy, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a physical, emotional, and mental toll. 

According to me, growing a plant is hard, so imagine how hard it is to grow a human…you basically give up your body for 9 months, your hormones go wacky and you deal with the emotions that come up, and then you torment yourself with the mental thoughts about the next 18 years of your life and how you are going to be responsible for a kid…a real honest to goodness kid.

So, since I have been through this a couple of times (even though those times were “easy”) I have a few tips on how to deal with even the “easiest” pregnancy when it gets hard.  First of all physically there are going to be a lot of changes: your feet and other areas are going to swell, it’s going to be harder to get around and your skin is going to go a little wacky. 

* Swelling: Face it, you are going to swell, the real question comes in how much are you going to swell?  Keep your salt intake down to a minimum and drink water…yes I know you will have to use the bathroom a lot if you do, but it’s worth it.

* Getting Around: While it’s a good thing to be as active as your doctor allows, remember to take it easy and rest when you feel the need; you’re growing a baby and you need to keep your body happy.

* Your Skin: Alright so some pregnant women get glowing skin, but for the rest of us mere mortals we get skin issues because our hormones are going crazy.  If you are like me your skin will get dry, so invest in a couple good lotions to lock in moisture and keep everything feeling smooth.  If your skin gets oily try switching to a stronger face/body wash and a lighter moisturizer.

Not only will pregnancy effect your physically, but you will also have to deal with it emotionally and mentally.  You’re hormones are going to be wacky which means that you could potentially go from swinging on the rafters to getting annoyed because your hubby/partner ate the last donut.  This may sound weird, but don’t control the wackiness; if you keep everything bottled inside you are more likely to become stressed and unhappy, neither of which is good for you or the baby. 

Mentally you are going to have to deal with the fact that you will have 9 months in order to prep yourself into becoming a parent…and actual guide to another human being (heck I have 2 right now and there are times when I look at them and think “I am in charge of making them decent human beings?”).  In order to mentally prepare yourself read parenting books if that is what works for you, talk to people who have been there.  And just because you get all of this advice, it doesn’t mean you need to do what they tell you: your kiddo-your rules.

So, overall while people may tell you that you have an ”easy” pregnancy, that doesn’t diminish the fact that you are not only growing a human (think about it, that’s amazing), but you are also mentally and emotionally preparing yourself to put a child first…forever.  That’s big.