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tweets-history-truebabycost

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Tweet History — @ShippingShovels (True Baby Cost)

True Baby Cost content on the builder account. Sticker shock, real costs, parenting tips.

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Blog: Diaper Math (Feb 27)

Option A — Hook first: $936.

That’s what the average family spends on diapers in year one.

But some spend 1,500.

The difference isn’t luck. It’s math.

I broke down the real numbers — by stage, by brand, by strategy 👇 https://truebabycost.com/blog/diaper-math.html

Option B — Sticker shock: 10-12 diaper changes per day.

330 diapers per month.

~2,500 diapers in year one.

Nobody tells you this at the baby shower.

Here’s the complete breakdown (and how to spend less without sacrificing quality): https://truebabycost.com/blog/diaper-math.html

Blog: 5 Hidden Costs (Mar 6)

Option A — List hook: 5 baby costs nobody puts on the registry:

  1. The laundry multiplier ($200-500/yr)
  2. The convenience tax (2 AM Amazon orders)
  3. Backup gear for grandparents
  4. The “it worked for 2 weeks” pile
  5. Your own wardrobe replacement

Here’s how to budget for them: https://truebabycost.com/blog/hidden-costs.html

Option B — Personal: Before baby: 3-4 loads of laundry/week After baby: 8-12 loads/week

It’s not just baby clothes. It’s sheets. Burp cloths. YOUR clothes covered in spit-up. Everything.

That’s $200-500/year nobody warns you about.

4 more hidden costs (and how to prepare): https://truebabycost.com/blog/hidden-costs.html

Blog: Stroller Guide (Mar 13)

Option A — Contrarian: 80% of premium stroller features are marketing fluff.

Honeycomb wheels. Infinite recline. Revolutionary suspension.

The 20% that actually matters? Depends entirely on YOUR life.

I analyzed 50+ strollers. Here’s what to look for (and what to ignore): https://truebabycost.com/blog/stroller-guide.html

Option B — Practical hook: The stroller question that actually matters:

Can you fold it with one hand while holding a baby?

A 25-lb stroller that folds one-handed > a 17-lb stroller that needs two hands and three steps.

More practical tests before you buy: https://truebabycost.com/blog/stroller-guide.html

Brand Voice Reminder

  • Builder sharing discoveries
  • “Holy shit, did you know…” energy
  • Data-driven sticker shock
  • Genuinely trying to help parents save money

Week 2 Tweets (Feb 25 - Mar 3)

Day 8 (Mon, Feb 25) — Viral Hook: The Hidden Bottle Cost

The bottles are 300.

What “bottle feeding” actually costs:

  • Bottles (8-pack): $50
  • Bottle brush set: $15
  • Drying rack: $25
  • Bottle warmer: $40
  • Sterilizer: $80
  • Formula pitcher: $20
  • Travel containers: $15
  • Replacement nipples: $20

Nobody puts THAT on the registry.

truebabycost.com/bottles 🍼

Day 9 (Tue, Feb 26) — Relatable Content: The Baby Industrial Complex

The baby industrial complex wants you to believe:

❌ You NEED the 200 bouncer ❌ You NEED the 180 bassinet

Reality: ✅ Your baby will have ONE favorite ✅ You won’t know which until they arrive ✅ Buy used. Sell what fails.

The “essential” list is marketing. Your baby doesn’t care about brands.

Day 10 (Wed, Feb 27) — Engagement Post: Data Drop

I tracked every baby purchase for our first 12 months.

Top 5 “didn’t expect to spend this much”:

  1. Childcare (obvious, but STILL)
  2. Larger car
  3. Clothes they outgrew in WEEKS
  4. Medical copays
  5. WIPES. So. Many. Wipes.

What’s YOUR unexpected #1? 👇

Day 11 (Thu, Feb 28) — Educational Thread: The Wipes Math 🧵

1/5 Wipes math nobody does until it’s too late:

Newborns use 8-10 wipes per change. 10+ changes per day = 80-100 wipes/day.

That’s 2,400 wipes in the FIRST MONTH alone.

2/5 Most “value” packs = 800 wipes.

You need 3+ packs PER MONTH. For MONTHS.

At $0.03/wipe average:

  • Month 1-3: 7,200 wipes = $216
  • Year 1: ~25,000 wipes = $750

3/5 But wait, it gets worse.

Not all wipes are equal. Some situations demand… more.

Blowouts exist. They’re real. Budget accordingly.

4/5 Money-saving reality check:

Subscribe & Save = 15-20% off Store brand vs name brand = 30-40% savings Costco/Sam’s bulk = best per-wipe price

Over 2.5 years: $300-500 in savings just on WIPES.

5/5 I added a wipes calculator to truebabycost.com

See your projected spend before the chaos begins.

Because nobody should be surprised by the cost of butt maintenance.

truebabycost.com/wipes

Day 12 (Fri, Mar 1) — Thread: The Pump Reality 🧵

1/4 “Breast pumps are covered by insurance”

This sentence is technically true and practically useless.

Here’s what nobody tells you:

2/4 “Covered” has asterisks:

  • Manual vs electric (not always both)
  • Specific brands only
  • Through specific DME suppliers
  • Sometimes just a “credit” amount
  • Replacement parts? Usually NOT covered

The “free” pump can cost $100-400 depending on your plan.

3/4 The REAL cost of pumping:

  • Pump: $0-400 (insurance dependent)
  • Extra flanges: $30-50
  • Storage bags: $15-30/month
  • Nursing pads: $10-20/month
  • Pumping bra: $30-50
  • Bottle cooler bag: $25
  • Extra pump parts: $40-80

4/4 Before you buy:

  1. Call your insurance FIRST
  2. Ask WHICH brands are covered
  3. Ask about replacement parts
  4. Check if manual AND electric are included

I broke this down at truebabycost.com/breast-pumps

Knowledge is power. And money.

Day 13 (Sat, Mar 2) — Community Engagement

Parents who’ve done this before:

What’s ONE purchase you deeply regret and ONE you’d buy again instantly?

Building a database of real parent opinions.

Drop yours below 👇

(I’ll start: Regret = wipe warmer. Instant rebuy = white noise machine.)

Day 14 (Sun, Mar 3) — Build In Public Recap + CTA

Two weeks of building truebabycost.com in public.

What’s live: 🍼 Stroller calculator (47+ models) 🧷 Diaper cost comparison 🍼 Formula calculator 📦 Wipes projector 🍼 Bottle cost breakdown 🤱 Pump reality check ✅ Baby prep checklist (200+ items)

The goal: Show REAL costs BEFORE the baby arrives.

Because financial stress + sleep deprivation = disaster.

If you’re expecting (or know someone who is), bookmark it:

truebabycost.com

BuildInPublic ParentingCosts NewParents

Hashtag Reference

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Secondary

Posting Schedule

Optimal times (Twitter/X):

  • Weekdays: 8:30am EST (catches morning scroll + sleep-deprived new parents)
  • Weekends: 9-11am EST

Notes:

  • Threads perform best on Mon/Thu
  • Engagement posts mid-week
  • Weekend content can be softer/more personal
  • Respond to replies within 2 hours when possible
  • Quote-tweet interesting responses for reach

Cross-Promotion Opportunities

Day 11 (wipes) and Day 12 (pumps) link directly to calculators. Day 14 recap links to all tools.

Consider cross-posting wins to @CalWizzApp with “from the same team” angle.

Notes

  • Best times: 9:00 AM ET weekdays
  • Angle: “Sticker shock” — real costs vs marketed prices
  • Review this file before drafting new tweets

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