Nurseries and Baby Gear
joyfullyfound
member
Waste of $$?
joyfullyfound
member
Anyone with experience:
What is one baby item that you thought you NEEDED, and it turned out was a total waste of money? In other words, what are the things out there that everyone says are necessary, but really aren't.
Thanks so much for the impute! 
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Re: Waste of $$?
I have a few, hope that's okay!
Bumbo. Fortunately, I got it used for very cheap, so it wasn't a huge waste. I'll save it for the next kid, but this baby doesn't like it at all. She's tiny, and still fits, but I imagine that most kids grow out of it super fast.
Changing table. I actually kind of knew that this might be a waste, and again, we got it used for cheap. I will say that we did use it quite a bit for the first couple months and I loved it then. But we have more than one level in our house and as soon as she didn't need changed in the middle of the night, I hardly EVER change her in her room. We just change her on the couch downstairs. So we only used the table upstairs for a couple months at most. Just consider your house and furniture set up and decide whether you really need it. If you do, buy used if possible, or just throw a changing pad on a dresser. Then you can remove it when you don't need it. We do still use the table for the storage underneath, so it's not a total waste.
Blankets for swaddling. ONLY because our baby got out of every swaddle we made. So she used the SwaddleMe every night. My suggestion is to have one good swaddling blanket, and if that doesn't work, then get a SwaddleMe or Sleep Sack. And some babies don't like to be swaddled at all anyway! Basically, don't get a whole pile of anything until you know what works for your baby.
Baby Monitor. This of course is going to be different for each person's home and sleeping arrangement. Our baby slept in our room for six weeks, then slept in her own room, which is two doors down and we can hear everything without a monitor. And she's a great sleeper anyway, which we could not have predicted. Again, just really think about the set up of your home and where your baby will be.
The Bumbo...we didn't use it a whole lot, DS didn't mind it but could have done without it.
Konstantino
Maximo
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Bumbo, because his little legs got too chunky for it before he learned how to sit.
The free-standing high chair. It took up SO much space and was nearly impossible to clean. We got a space-saver for about $30 when he was nearly a year old, strapped it to a chair, and we still use it as a booster.
A bouncer, but that's more of a personal preference. Bean hated it, but he LOVED the swing.
The playmat/gym. Silly. A quilt would have done just fine.
Toys for newborns. They're just silly. Those first few months are for learning about baby's surroundings, not about putting things in front of his face.
Sleep Sheep. Bean still prefers the music on his Tiny Love mobile (the arm detaches and we still use the music box).
Totally agree with the high chair thing. We have one of the Fisher Price seats that attaches to a regular chair and love it. Super portable too if we need to take it somewhere. I can't imagine having a huge high chair.
Also agree about NB toys. They don't really "play" with toys until around 3 months, and even then it's mostly you waving stuff in their face while they (maybe) try to grab it.
About the playmat...I kind of agree...but I kind of don't. Sorry!!
The thing is, our kid looooooves her play mat, and a quilt on the ground would be similar and certainly cheaper but there are a couple benefits to the mat.
1. The toys that are attached to the poles. She loved to look at them when she was really small, to hit at them when she got older, and even now at six months she loves to chew on them while she's on her belly.
2. The poles keep the whole thing flat. My kid grabs and pulls at the edges of the mat and if the poles weren't there, she'd be pulling a blanket over her face and I'd constantly be untangling her from it now that she's rolling.
All that being said, I totally think that a lot of play mats are way overpriced for what they are, especially since not all babies will enjoy them the same. The one we have is a great price (probably the best price out there for a full sized mat), and is basic but still cute and fun. I love the bright colors (so does the baby) and the jungle animals. It's machine washable and still looks new even though I've washed it a zillion times. Also, it folds up very easily for storage or travel. Also, the poles buckle onto the mat as opposed to velcro, which would be easy for a kid to tear off and cause the whole thing to collapse.
This is the one we have. It's also available at Target and BRU. We have ours permanently set up and my husband and I comment all the time about how it's one of the best things we got at the shower because it gets constant, daily use. Did I mention that I love the colors? I wish I had a blanket that looked like this mat, and I also wish MORE kids toys were made in this color scheme/pattern.
Seriously, we all love it.
https://www.amazon.com/Infantino-Twist-Fold-Activity-Vintage/dp/B002DWALTI/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1328082105&sr=8-13
(There's a pink version but we have the "boy" version, which I think works for everyone - but I also am not a fan of pink at all!)
I bought (or was gifted) way too many onesies! I had no idea that with it being winter it would be so much easier to use the footie pajamas / sleep-n-plays. Socks come off too easily, pants are a pain to put on/off at every diaper change. The one-piece footies are so much easier and so comfy. I have several of various fabrics in each size to factor in the weather (cotton, terrycloth, fleece). Her onesies (at least for now) rarely get worn and she's outgrown so many outfits she never even wore. Limit what you buy until you find what works for you and baby.
Bouncer - I use it occasionally, but if you're going to get one, I'd just get a basic one. I registered and got this $65 bouncer and it's really not all that useful. The toys are out of reach for her and so we use it without the toy bar... the vibration part is nice, but I know that is on more basic models too.
Bumbo - We haven't gotten much use out of this yet, not sure if we will at all, she just doesn't really like it.
Itzbeen timer - As a FTM, I really thought I was going to need this, it seemed like such a great idea to handle the newborn fog... never used it once.
Things that were worth their weight in gold (for me and my DD): tons of washcloths, bibs, and flannel receiving blankets to use as burp cloths (spit up a lot!), footed sleepers, swing, play mat, moses basket with rocking stand, gas drops/gripe water, baby saline nose spray, nose frida, tweezerman nail scissors, and Dr. Brown's formula mixer pitcher (if you use formula).
Wow- I respectfully disagree on all 4 counts
just goes to show you all babies and mommies are different so save your receipts, and try to try friends stuff out before buying big ticket items! One thing I regret is my Chicco cortina stroller, wish I had gotten a stroller with suspension and the option for the baby to face me instead!
I also think everyone will have very different answers for this!
Video Monitor is my #1 thing! DD did like laying on her playmat when she was very little, but actually I was about to put it away & she still loves to sit & play with it!
DD didn't use our bouncer very much since we had a RNP (which I loved!) but maybe if we had a cheap bouncer that vibrated instead of bounced she would have liked it more. Bumbo, we didn't use it much & if you want one you can find them cheap.
Best thing is to probably keep as many things in boxes or with tags on just to see if you need them. I had all her clothes washed & folded before she was born, & actually there was a lot she never did wear.
hmmm. Where to begin?
Diaper Genies, Diaper Champ, Changing table, Expensive video baby monitors, Boppy,.........I'm sure there is more, but I'm working on no sleep today..
I think a changing table is a waste of furniture. We just did a lower dresser with a changing pad on top.
The bumbo. Not completely worthless, but not worth $50! Find one used! I still us it sometimes for my 10 month old.
Baby monitors are a personal decision. We don't have one since LO is in the room right next to us and being in a small apt, we can hear him from anywhere in the house.
I agree that any fussy outfit for under 3 mo is a waste. Footed PJ's are the best, so easy and you're not really concerned with looking fancy at that stage! I still keep DD is footed PJs most of the time now since socks fall off too easy and its cold out.
The boppy was a waste of money for me, I just held DD to nurse and still do. I didn't even ever try out the boppy for feedings, but I did use it a little to put around her when she was learning to sit up.
We couldn't have done without our bouncer or the playgym, she used those daily and still uses them a lot, but the swing was a dud. Glad it was a hand me down! I think each baby is different on these things, so who know what yours will like.
changing pad on a dresser is awesome.
For us it was:
1) Paci's - DS never used them.
2) Wipes Warmer - We were told we'd NEED it. We got one (baby shower), never ended up using it. He was born in Spring (very warm spring) & by the time the weather started cooling off, he was use to the wipes at room temp. If we flet they were cold, we'd hold them in our hands for a minute or 2 then use them.
3) Square shaped receiving/swaddling blankets - these were awful for swaddling. The only ones I ever used for swaddling were rectangtular (30"x40") Carter's receiving blankets (4 in a pack). Best things ever. All the square ones we got as gifts never were used.
ETA: I have to agree with a few other PP's that our video monitor was the best thing ever! DS' room is right by ours but when he's napping & we're downstairs or when everyone is in bed, it's nice to just be able to check the monitor instead of going in his room to check on him (he sometimes makes noises like he's awake but he really isn't; I'd hate to go in & end up waking him just because I peeked). I actually like it so much that I'm looking to upgrade to the newer model & have 2 camera's, 1 for DS's new room & 1 in the nursery.
My Attempt @ Motherhood {blog}
Receiving blankets. I have probably 30. I have used one or two maybe to cover LO on a rainy day. We used the Miracle blanket for swaddling and hospital blankets when she was teeny tiny because it was so hot here and they breathe so well.
Bumbo- useless and actually shown to cause hip problems. It sits their hips down below their natural sitting position. If you want something like this, go for the summer infant seat instead- but really, you're better off just getting a high chair and letting them sit in that. That's what we did.
Wipe warmer- I was given two. What a waste lol They dry out wipes and all you're doing is making LO accustomed to having a warm wipe for their butt. What are you going to do when you're out and don't have that? Then LO is angry. don't waste your money.
Bottle warmer- was also given two. LO is exclusively breastfed but again, this is one of those thinsg that if you get them accustomed to it, you're dealing with an unhappy baby when you don't have it. If they're hungry, they'll eat a cold bottle. End of story.
My list of wasteful baby items are:
Wipe warmers- great in theory, but completely unnecessary. They take up more room than needed and unless you're willing to shell out the extra cash for a travel sized wipe warmer and batteries, then what's the point? Trust me, babies quickly get used to having a cool/room temp wipe on thier bottoms.
MOST swaddle blankets- I say MOST b/c the majority of them are simple cut too small to effectively get a good traditional swaddle on your LO, and the small size only means they will quickly grow out of/escape from them sooner than you expected. The BEST swaddle blanket IMO is the Aden + Anais BOUTIQUE SIZED (47'x47') swaddle blankets. They are HUGE, yet thin, so LO won't overheat. You can layer them if you need to, they take up a small amount of room in a diaper bag, and you can get the best swaddle on your LO so long as they want to be swaddled. Later, it can be used as a spring/summer blanket, a sun shade, and even a lovey once baby gets older. They don't come cheap, but you'll only need a few and trust me, it's money well worth spent.
Changing tables- I think it's simply a waste of space and money, unless you live in a multi story home and have mulitples, otherwise, pass on it. You can easily put a changing pad and secure the straps to the back of any waist height dresser and add a basket for diaper supplies instead. You can also opt to get a changing table topper as an alternative too.
Tons of NB sized clothing- unless you have a premie, this is also a huge waste of money. Babies grow out of these NB sizes w/in a few wks at best, and although they are beyond cute, the money you spent will be wasted. You're better off purchasing infant clothing starting at size 0-3 months instead.
Gerber Onesies/footed sleepers- I'm not against onsies or sleepers, but I don't like the Gerber ones. Simply put, they are just cut WAY TOO SMALL. Of course, if you have a premie or a skinny mini, then these will work for you, but if you have an average sized baby, you should pass on the Gerber brand entirely. Opt instead for Carters. Carters is more true to size, doesn't shrink like Gerber stuff does, and IMO, the cotton is a lot softer too. Target even has thier own line of Carter stuff and that's pretty good too.
Bumbo
Tons of fancy outfits, especially in 0-6 months
Hats
At this stage in my life as a parent, I am very no frills. I don't use a lot of the convience type things mostly because I dont see the point, and agree with most of the PP.
The one thing I have to add is don't waist all the gift cards you recive on stuff you thing you are going to need. Save them for the things you find you do need. My youngest was 6 weeks early and tiny. I had stocked up on newborn diapers and sleepers that she never wore untill she was 3 or 4 months old. All those extra gift cards came in handy when I had to go buy her an entire wardwrobe! Size neborns swallowed her whole. When she was relased from NICU and let her come up to my room the night before they discharged us the nurse tried to put a size 1 diaper on her and it came up past her armpits!
MMC 3.30.16
THIS!!!
Have nothing to add to the list, just had to let u know that your baby is cute!