The expenses of having a baby does not only include the cute little blankets, shirts, nappies, socks, mittens, hats and those delightful miniature outfits that we are so fond of but it also takes in those feeding bottles, formula, and a number of baby furniture which may look small but could take a big chunk out of your finances. Here are a few tips on purchasing the essential furniture that your newborn baby should not be without.

Upon learning that they are going to have a baby, most excited parents think of purchasing a good old steady crib at first thought. In buying a cot, however, there are a lot of considerations to be made and not just on whether you should go for the color blue or pink. One main thing to take into account is the safety of the cot which you are purchasing. For one, parents should look into whether their chosen cot has been duly certified as meeting the safety requirements of the Australian/New Zealand Standards by an independent recognized authority such as the SGS, QAS, or Lloyds. When it comes to your baby, quality should never be compromised so you should also check on the quality and durability of the materials used for the baby cot.

Since you will only be able to physically check the furniture once it arrives when you purchase it online, make sure that you can still contact the manufacturer and return the product if there are any defects. Things to look into are exposed nails, screws or dowels for timber cots and bent or rusty parts for metal cribs.

Next to cots are the baby carriers and strollers. You and your baby will be on house arrest and stay at home forever. You may want to go take a walk in the park or go for a trip to the mall. It would help for you to have sturdy baby carriers to keep your sweet toddler ensconced safely in front of you or on your back. Make sure to look for shoulder straps that are well-padded and that go crisscross so that it distributes the weight of the baby evenly. A waist or hip strap can also take the off weight from your shoulders so look for this feature as well.

As for strollers, there are basically four types: the pramettes, the layback strollers, the umbrella strollers and the jogger strollers. One very important thing to check is the wheels. Many accidents are caused by defective stroller wheels. Also check on the brakes. You would not want to go chasing after a run-away stroller that has lost control of its brakes.

As soon as it appears that your child has had enough of his crawling sessions and is now ready to take the world on both feet, you may think of purchasing a baby walker. There is considerable debate however on whether a baby walker really does aid your child or it could prove to be a setback to your child's walking capabilities. In Australia, all walkers must meet the safety standard. It has even been noted that the Australian Consumers Association has expressed their opposition to the use of this product which they deem is useless and unsafe. As an alternative, the following are suggested: bouncers, playmats, rockers and playpens.