Preparing for Baby

My husband and I are so excited, we finally decided to make the decision to start trying to have our first child in the near future. So I decided that, as with everything else, I would try to save as much money as possible on baby preparations as possible. There are a few things I have started undertaking based on extensive reading of pregnancy preparedness books, blogs, and talking to everyone I know who recently had a baby.

1. Start stocking up on diapers and wipes. I compared all around and found that the best prices to buy diapers and wipes is Amazon. It might not always be cheaper, but Amazon also has a feature where you can "Subscribe and Save" on products which means that the product (in this case diapers and wipes) are not only discounted, but they are automatically delivered to my house without a second thought from me. The amount of time I save driving all over town comparing prices and trying to find deals more than makes  up for any small price difference between Amazon and me buying diapers locally.  (You can check out the subscribe and save deals in Amazon's baby department here.)
2. Start crafting for the nursery. Sewing items for the nursery is a great way to save money on essentials, plus ensure that it is tailored to my needs and wants. For example, I am sewing all of our crib sheets and blankets, as well as thermal curtains and diaper bags. To save money on my fabric costs, I am making small items our of scraps from other projects. I have a few sets of baby booties and bibs already finished. I am also buying smaller pieces from the remnant section of my favorite fabric store, which saves tons of money for smaller projects.
3. Add to the store-bought stockpile. We keep a generous stockpile of items I buy couponing or find for a rock-bottom price, but I am hoping to double it's size so that during the later months in my pregnancy and  after the baby is born (or as my husband has been saying, after our little person arrives) I can have time to focus on the little person instead of doing a lot of couponing. I will be stocking up on things like garbage bags, paper products, ziplock bags, kitchen staples, and anything else that comes to mind. 
4. Add to the homemade stockpile. I make all of my laundry soap (I found my recipe here), dish washing soap (like Dawn, not the kind you put in the dish washer) and stain treatment. Because my laundry soap has minimal scents or dyes, it is perfectly safe to use on the baby's clothing and other items. Plus I don't have to buy over-priced baby laundry detergent. It takes no more time for me to make a double bath of most of these things, so I am spending time to make a stockpile so I won't have to make them for a while. 
5. Create a registry. This might seem a little premature, but I love planning, and it makes me feel better to do things ahead of time. So in my mind, the more time I have to add things to my registry before the baby comes, the more time I have to ensure the things I registered for are really the products I want. I decided to go with an Amazon membership, because it is shared with The Bump and I can add items from any site to my registry. Plus, I just love Amazon! (Feel free to check out my registry for ideas, or if you are a compulsive shopper and need  someone to things buy for.)

That is all for now. I figure that once we know the gender of the little blessing, I can start begging my friends with little kids for their old clothes and anything else they want to get rid of. 

Did you do anything to prep for your children? What was effective and what wasn't? As a first-time mom, I would love to hear any and all advice you have!