Baby Items You (Probably) Won't Need

Baby gear retailers try to convince you that you "can't live without" certain baby items. They even provide you with extensive checklists when you register to make sure you are completely ready for your baby's arrival. (Ironically, absolutely nothing can prepare you for bringing baby home, even if you bought the entire store!) I can personally tell you that most of that stuff will be completely useless once your baby arrives. I've had two children now and have discussed this topic with many fellow moms, and we agree that the following items are not worth wasting your (or your family's) money on. Of course, each child and each situation is different, but I'll bet that once you bring your baby home, you'll agree.

The Poo Stuff:

-I have heard both sides of this argument, but for the most part, people say a changing table is a waste of money. We put a changing pad on top of a low dresser, with a non-skid pad underneath and used that for the first month or so. After that, we mostly changed our kiddos on the floor or on the couch. Once your child starts wiggling around more, it gets even more dangerous to have them on the changing table anyway.

-Lets face it, a Diaper Genie is simply an expensive garbage can with expensive inserts. This product claims to trap in smell, but unless it's made of titanium metal sealed with bulletproof glass, you're going to smell the poo eventually. We just placed a regular 'ol $3 receptacle on the top step of our garage and put diapers in there. It has worked magnificently.

-You can't bring a wipe warmer with you when you're out and about, so why get your baby used to nice warm wipes while you're at home? These warmers also tend to dry out the wipes and you'll find yourself constantly adding water to moisten them back up. You'll be busy enough with your baby, you don't need this extra stress.

The Clothes Stuff:

-Despite their claim to be "infant sized," infant socks absolutely will not stay on their feet! If you need socks, I suggest buying an older child size since they tend to hug the foot tighter and go up higher on the calf. (I use my 2 year-old's socks for my youngest even now at 6 months!) Your little one will likely be in footed jammies most of the time anyway.

-Unless you are going to a wedding or some special holiday get-together, you aren't going to use fancy outfits, and they'll be a total waste of money. Buy yourself a $30 shirt to make your post-pregnancy self feel sexy instead.

-Yes, you will want some of these on hand, but your baby will grow out of anything Sized NB to 3 months very quickly. Instead, register for clothing sized 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 months. You baby will likely be in them longer and you'll get much more use out of them.

The Bath Stuff:

-There are definitely arguments on both sides of the baby tub argument as well. Many moms wash their newborns in the kitchen or bathroom sink, and once they're too big for that, they'll probably be big enough to sit up in the tub (with a hand support from Mom of course). The tubs tend to be big and bulky and take up too much space.

-Your child goes from the tub to a towel, to getting a into diaper and pajamas for bed. When are you actually going to put them in a robe? Seriously.

The Sleeping Stuff:

-Bassinette/Moses Baskets are expensive and pretty unnecessary. The first few months, when they're actually small enough to fit in them, your baby will probably be in bed with you. Whether you're nursing or bottle feeding, you'll probably crawl back into bed with baby in your arms and fall asleep together. By the time they're sleeping long enough to stay in a bassinette, they will likely be too big for it! Instead, I suggest a co-sleeper. They make nifty ones that fit right up to your bed, so you can scoop baby into your arms for feeding and put them back, without getting out of bed. Then, after baby has grown out of it, many co-sleepers convert into a playpen.

-Aside from the first few days in the hospital, I have personally never found a use for receiving blankets! They are so small, they don't do any good. There are a few exceptions to this rule, however. There are larger, thin blankets that will be wonderful for swaddling. Look for something sized around 36"x36".

-I hate to break it to you, but your baby just doesn't need an expensive bedding set. Yes, bumpers are cute, but for safety reasons, you're going to have to remove them when your little one starts pulling up (it'll happen before you know it). Yes, the blanket is extremely cute, but because of SIDS safety, you won't be tucking your little one underneath it. And don't even get me started on the dust ruffle... So basically, this leaves you with the necessity: crib mattress, mattress cover, and fitted sheet. Trust me, your baby will be the cutest accessory in her room, you won't miss all this other stuff.

-Companies who sell sleep positioners claim that they help your baby sleep on her back, especially if she wiggles around in the crib. But in actuality, sleep positioners have been found to be a safety hazard and the National SIDS Alliance does not recommend them. We did try using one, but always found our kids scooted down or in an otherwise unsafe position on them. It wasn't worth the risk and didn't seem to help at all anyway.

The Eating Stuff:

-Mesh Feeders, in a word: Ew. While this product is an amazing idea: give your little one fresh fruits, teething biscuits, ice chips, etc. without having to worry about choking, they are next to impossible to get clean. You are better off taking a little extra time cutting everything into little pieces.

-You can boil water for free and sterilize just as thoroughly as a bottle sterilizer. Plus, boiling water doesn't take up counter space like a big 'ol sterilizer contraption would.

-If you breastfeed exclusively, you really wouldn't want to waste money on a bottle warmer, but I have heard from bottle feeding mamas that they didn't use one either. It's pretty easy to warm up water in the microwave or on the stove and place a bottle in it, and often takes less time.

The Other Stuff:

-I'm all for being a stylish Mama, but do you really want to spend an arm and a leg on something that you're going to mess up? I am not suggesting that you buy a diaper bag made of some weird plastic material with a big picture of Snoopy on the side, but lets be reasonable. That bag is going to see everything from nasty blowout diapers, to Cheerios, cracker crumbs, and diaper rash cream that somehow exploded in your bag (and often all of these things at the same time). You will probably want a new bag after a couple of years anyway (if not sooner), so don't spend a fortune on one.

-Not to get all Grinch-y here, but your baby doesn't need much in the way of toys. A couple of teething rings, rattles, or link-a-doos will be all your little one needs. They will be much more interested in your hair, earrings, necklace, or even that sweatshirt string, than any toy you put in front of their face anyway! And, by the time they really start getting into toys, it'll be close to their 1st birthday, when they're bound to get spoiled with more toys than you'll know what to do with.

There you have it, my list of unnecessary baby items. I can sadly say that I have a few of them collecting dust in my garage as I type. So, as you are registering for baby items, keep in mind that there is very little that your baby will actually need. As long as they are fed, changed, and loved, they'll be happy as can be!

Sources:
"Safe Infant Bedding Practice."Expectant Parents. SIDS Alliance