There are SO many websites and information overload. I strongly suggest speaking to a professional to figure out what is best for your family. You need to educate yourself. Not ALL financial planners are bad. You stand to lose a lot more if you are not educated on the process and tax implications.
We have a 529 plan now through our advisor at Edward Jones. When we determine that we want to invest in something our advisor does not "sell" we do it on our own. You do not have to have a planner to invest in solid funds. My husband is very much a numbers man, he has his MBA from Duke but we still elected to go through a planner. We feel it is better to keep the emotion ( up and down swings of the fund) out of the picture. We learned this during the first stock market crash when we lost a lot of money. Thankfully, we have built it back but it has been better emotionally going through our planner.
We started the college fund as soon as she was born and we put in $10,000 per yr by her birthday in Dec each year. She will be 16 this year and everything looks pretty good. Some years when we were more fortunate, we put in more and when the stock market dropped and the 529 lagged, we added the difference plus some to keep it funded properly.
That is our goal, I know everyone does not have the same goals so you have to figure out what works best for your family. Any amount in the college fund is good...do what you can.
It is great that you are starting this. Our personal opinion is that one of our obligations as her parents are to get her out of college debt free. I'm not saying let her sit on her rear and do nothing, although I don't have that type of child, I'm just saying wheh she goes out on her own, she starts debt free. Also keep in mind that you need to make sure you are fully funded for retirement.
Keep up your good work.