Walmart's Baby Box Is The Subscription Service Parents Need, & It's Basically *Free*

I am a huge fan of subscription boxes. I get one every month for beauty products, one for teas, one for my dogs, and one full of art supplies for my daughter. The idea is beautifully simple — a box full of samples to entice the receiver to buy more of whatever they love. But now it seems that Walmart is getting in the game with baby products designed to target your child's individual life stages, making it stand out from the competition. To be honest, Walmart's free baby box is kinda genius, and it's super easy to get yours now. (Even before your baby is born!)

Most subscription boxes deliver specific goods monthly. What makes Walmart's baby boxes different is that they are based on your baby's due date or birthday, and are tailored to your baby's stages. They send you a new box with samples geared toward what your baby will need during that period in their life, so think newborn diapers and sensitive wipes for a baby fresh out of the womb, or a spoon and baby food samples for a 6-month-old. These boxes are free, and Walmart only charges for shipping, meaning that each one is only $5. That makes it one of the least expensive subscription boxes on the market. (And it automatically sends you the new box as your baby grows, so it's totally out of your hands. The Walmart website notes that you won't be billed the $5 until the box is ready to be shipped.)

There are dozens, if not hundreds of baby-centric subscription boxes on the market. They range from the most basic diapers or formula boxes to elaborate toy and clothing boxes that cost as much as my car insurance payment, and they all have their place. The thing that sets Walmart's apart is the price point and tailored service. It's hard to imagine that a retail giant as large as Walmart would be interested in such small potatoes, but when you think about it, it makes sense.

In these boxes, Walmart could help you find the pacifier that helps your child finally calm down at night, or the diaper rash cream that soothes your baby's bum the best. At that point, you're hooked. You become a loyal customer of the brand, and you know exactly where it is that you can get it — in the aisles of your local Walmart. And while you're there, you might pick up some more milk, a giant pack of diapers, and a few boxes of wine. If you're fortunate enough to be shopping without your tiny human in-tow, who knows what you'll come home with. You had time to browse, and it's all because of that subscription box.

When my kids were babies this box would have been a lifesaver. I had zero clue what to buy, or what would be the best for my kids. I must have spent hundreds of dollars trying to find the best leak-proof diaper for their tiny bottoms. I always assumed that I would be the mom who bought the pricey, designer diapers that all the celebrity parents were using. In the end, it became clear that I was a basic Huggies mom. Had I access to these boxes, I wouldn't have needed to go to such extreme lengths, as Huggies is one of Walmart's primary brands in this venture. I swear, those diapers could hold a two liter full of soda and not drip out of the sides.

Walmart knows this. All of the items that they send are a part of their "Essentials" list, which also includes brands like Aveeno and Nuk. They are tried and true products that parents buy over and over because of their reliability. In Walmart's free welcome baby box, you're sure to find both the expected favorites and some unexpected new items that are bound to be incredibly useful and soon to be indispensable.