Baby Showers

how important to you is matching baby gear?

Our shower was last weekend and we got items that we did not register for (which I know is pretty typical). We wanted a Chicco Keyfit travel system and were gifted a pink Graco car seat, a black first year stroller, a light blue Graco play yard, a bright stars bouncie (we didn't even request/want/need a bouncie) and an orange Chicco high chair. I am definitely appreciative of the gifts and the generosity of our family & friends, but these items were not the ones we registered for nor are they the items that I carefully selected and spent so many long hours researching and reading reviews on, etc. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, but would it be worth the trouble/effort/time to exchange these items for the ones I really wanted? What about when family comes over and don't see the gifts that they gave us? I also had my heart set on getting unisex/neutral items and colors so that we can use them again when we have #2. I am also a little OCD about having our gear match. Am I crazy?? Thoughts?

Re: how important to you is matching baby gear?

  • I understand the review standpoint, and even the unisex. But the matching? The least of my worries.
    "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
    ~Benjamin Franklin

    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers
    DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10

  • It doesn't matter what we would or wouldn't do.  If you want the matching items you were planning for, then exchange them :)
    Pregnancy Ticker
  • Loading the player...
  • imageEastCoastBride:
    I understand the review standpoint, and even the unisex. But the matching? The least of my worries.

    This. But I noticed that you got one brand car seat and a different brand stroller. They won't work together, so I would pick which one you like best and exchange the other so they can work together.  

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • I returned several things, and selected other ones. Like PP said, matching was not a concern.  Two times people came over and asked where their item was, I just said it was broke and that I had to exchange for another one, and I got this one!

    Totally passive aggressive, and probably silly. But, it sounds a whole lot nicer than saying "I did not like what you got me!"

    Good luck!



    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • I am really OCD and all of my stuff matches perfectly. I'm way too particular about every single little thing. The only clothing that goes in his closets are certain brands. 80% of his clothes are Ralph Lauren. The rest are a few items like Lacoste, Baby Dior... but they are all matching outfits. His nursery - everything goes together.

    To everyone that's given me stuff I am entirely so grateful and let them know so. We made up our mind that we'd provide 100% of everything our baby needs and anything extra is icing on the cake. If anyone gives us anything, it's appreciated so much. Doesn't mean I will use it though. I have so many friends having babies, a lot of it I've re-gifted or a lot I will sell on eBay.

  • I tend not to do matchy matchy, but I like for things to compliment eachother to some degree. There's always gonna be something someone gifts LO that isn't gonna be your style/taste, and it's not a bad thing to want to exchange it if you can. At the end of the day, you are the one who has to look/use these items, so if you know it's gonna irk you that it's not what you really wanted for whatever reason, then you should go right ahead and make those exchanges. If you can't find these items at the store you registered for or don't have reciepts for them, then quickly make a regsitry at the stores that do have them to make the exchanges a bit easier.
    Pregnancy Ticker BabyFruit Ticker IAmPregnant Ticker BabyFetus Ticker
  • imagebaby2011boy:

    I am really OCD and all of my stuff matches perfectly. I'm way too particular about every single little thing. The only clothing that goes in his closets are certain brands. 80% of his clothes are Ralph Lauren. The rest are a few items like Lacoste, Baby Dior... but they are all matching outfits. His nursery - everything goes together.

    To everyone that's given me stuff I am entirely so grateful and let them know so. We made up our mind that we'd provide 100% of everything our baby needs and anything extra is icing on the cake. If anyone gives us anything, it's appreciated so much. Doesn't mean I will use it though. I have so many friends having babies, a lot of it I've re-gifted or a lot I will sell on eBay.

    No slumming it at Target for your baby. 

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • Matching was not even on my radar. I'd rather not have everything match.

    Having the same pattern on the high chair, stroller, PNP, car seat, diaper bag, bouncer, etc... Gawd, that would be annoying.

    What happens when your LO outgrows the car seat or the diaper bag breaks? Do you go buy all new stuff so everything matches again?

     

    That being said... my dad bought a travel system for us that was not the one we registered for. He told us that he saw the one we registered for but it was "boring" so he found one with animals on it for us. We took it back to the store and exchanged it for the one we wanted (better reviews, not a hideous animal pattern, etc). He noticed that the seat wasn't the animal print, didn't say anything but did look at us all weird. We just told him that the one he bought didn't fit in my car so we had to exchange it. He bought it.

  • imageSean+Lyss:
    imagebaby2011boy:

    I am really OCD and all of my stuff matches perfectly. I'm way too particular about every single little thing. The only clothing that goes in his closets are certain brands. 80% of his clothes are Ralph Lauren. The rest are a few items like Lacoste, Baby Dior... but they are all matching outfits. His nursery - everything goes together.

    To everyone that's given me stuff I am entirely so grateful and let them know so. We made up our mind that we'd provide 100% of everything our baby needs and anything extra is icing on the cake. If anyone gives us anything, it's appreciated so much. Doesn't mean I will use it though. I have so many friends having babies, a lot of it I've re-gifted or a lot I will sell on eBay.

    No slumming it at Target for your baby. 

    Haha! But then again, I don't buy Pampers either. I can't stand the thought of my kid schitting on $20 bills.

  • imageEastCoastBride:
    I understand the review standpoint, and even the unisex. But the matching? The least of my worries.

    Same here.  If something was of lesser quality or had poor ratings I'd definately exchange it and get what I wanted.  I also spent a lot of time reading reveiws on line and reading up on what Baby Bargains had to say about the big ticket items I choose.  I don't think any of my gear matches per se, it's just all stuff that I liked and could live with (no pink or girly patterns).

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • I understand the "I researched these items and wanted the particular ones I registered for for a reason" viewpoint.  I kind of feel that way too.  That being said you can take the items back and get what you wanted.  Or just look them up now and see that the reviews say for the items you got.  Maybe they are just as good.

    As for unisex items orange and black are fine.  I see you got one pink and one blue.  The baby, either the first or second, is not going to remember whether they were in a blue or pink carseat.

    As for everything matching.  That does matter at all.   

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • imagesrs5624:
    imageSean+Lyss:
    imagebaby2011boy:

    I am really OCD and all of my stuff matches perfectly. I'm way too particular about every single little thing. The only clothing that goes in his closets are certain brands. 80% of his clothes are Ralph Lauren. The rest are a few items like Lacoste, Baby Dior... but they are all matching outfits. His nursery - everything goes together.

    To everyone that's given me stuff I am entirely so grateful and let them know so. We made up our mind that we'd provide 100% of everything our baby needs and anything extra is icing on the cake. If anyone gives us anything, it's appreciated so much. Doesn't mean I will use it though. I have so many friends having babies, a lot of it I've re-gifted or a lot I will sell on eBay.

    No slumming it at Target for your baby. 

    Haha! But then again, I don't buy Pampers either. I can't stand the thought of my kid schitting on $20 bills.

    We don't get pampers either. We slum it with the Target brand. Lol! 

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • For gear that all sits out together in the living room, I try to get it to at least color coordinate.  For example, the swing, pack n play, and highchair cover shouldn't clash enough to drive you nuts.

    In general, I would go ahead and make the effort to exchange for gender neutral unless you're 100% sure you'll never have another child.  Why re-buy the stuff you have in pink for a future son? Get earth tones now and it'll last forever.  Not to mention, it tends to look better in normal home decor.  (No need to throw all fashion sense out the window when you become a mom)

    Most family members don't care that you exchanged.  Everyone does it.  If they do bring it up, be brief, honest, and move on.   

    Married 5-24-2008;
    BFP 4-19-11. Ezri Ana born on due date, Dec 30 2011!
    My Ovulation Chart 
    BFP 10-05-2014; MMC 11-15-2014.
    BFP 02-17-2015
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • I am certainly not matchy matchy but we've always been team green and I registered for certain things that I liked (features, safety, neutral colors, etc).  If I were you I'd definitely that the carseat and stroller back and get the combo you want.  I would also take the highchair back.  I like Chicco brand but not orange!  lol  That would totally clash with my decor.  I'd probably exchange the play yard as well and get a neutral color.  The bright stars bouncy I'd probably keep.  That isn't used that much...although we used it with #2 more than we ever did with #1.  If they ask...just tell them that you read reviews on different brands and you were looking for convenience, ease of use, and safety so you exchanged them.

     

  • We want the items to match the room they go in reasonably well [I refuse to have a bright red PnP in my yellow bedroom] but because of that, we are registering for specific items with different colors.  Grey carseat, yellow PnP, brown highchair.  The exact patterns mattered little, we just don't want to be bombarded by clashing baby items for two years. 

    imageBaby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • I would exchange it.  If someone asks you can always say that you got two and so you had to take one back.
    Pregnancy Ticker
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"