Dressing your newborn baby doesn't have to be expensive. Don't be shy about asking friends and family members for hand-me-downs. Those who aren't planning any more children will probably be glad to get rid of them. Get together with your women in your prenatal class, and arrange a swap session-many moms may have older children of a different sex than the new baby, and have no need for pink T-shirts, or polo shirts! While the idea of your baby wearing "used" clothing may take some getting used to, rest assured that most babywear is hardly worn.

Look on the internet for end-of-season sales, and even on some of the auction sites, where you can often pick up designer goodies for a fraction of the original price. Visit your yard sales or garage sales. Shop around; you don't have to pay a lot for items such as sleep sacks and will find inexpensive prices in the supermarket. Make a purchase with your weekly grocery shopping and you won't notice the cost as much.

Remember, too, that you will probably receive numerous gifts of clothing when your baby is born. If you know exactly what you'd like, you may like to create a gift registry from a favorite store or ask people for gift certificates for that store. When looking for more expensive items of clothing, head for the three- to six-month-old rack, so that your baby will get plenty of use out of them. It can be disappointing if your newborn only gets a couple of weeks' wear out of an outfit you like.