Time for the next installment in our “What To Buy For Baby” series – What NOT to buy for baby!
There are SO MANY baby products out there, you guys. So many. When you’re trying to set up your nursery, it can be so overwhelming, trying to decide what to register for, what to buy, and what to skip out on! We covered THE BASICS, and THE LIFESAVERS (click on over if you missed those!). So, now it’s time for those silly products – the ones that seem like a great idea…but you’ll never really use.
And baby products are not cheap, in case you hadn’t noticed. Selling “miracle” products to new parents is a big market, these days! You need to know what’s really worth your money, and what you really should skip out on. You’re going to need to hang onto all of the money you can, guys – babies are expensive!
I’m three kids in, now – and I live my life surrounded by moms and babies, photographing birth. I’ve definitely learned a thing or two as to what baby products are useful, and which ones are a big fat fail.
So, let’s get your registry set up right, so you can focus on getting the things you really need – and saving money on the rest! #CuzDiapers
1. Changing table
Okay, hear me out on this one. Yes, you’re going to be changing a LOT of diapers in the next few years. It makes total sense to have a convenient place to do it, I get it. But, consider that this is often an expensive piece of furniture that provides a limited-time use, usually. It takes up a lot of space, and you’re going to use it for a few months, at most. I promise that once you’re completely in the trenches with diapering, you’re going to start changing that kid on any and every available surface! Once they start becoming really mobile, it’s a little scary to be changing what seems like a thrashing demon on a surface that’s four feet off the ground. Consider a portable changing pad set, like THIS ONE – you can use it at home to protect your floors and furniture, AND it’ll travel with you. You’ll have more room in your kid’s room for those obnoxious toys that Grandma won’t stop buying, too.
2. Diaper Pail
Okay, okay – I know this one is a little controversial. Some people swear by these things. In theory, they let you dispose of diapers in a single pail, with a mechanism that helps seal them off from the room air. Thus, no dirty diaper smell in your baby’s room. Except, I’m not really sure that’s how the science of this works, because it never did a THING for us. Our diaper pail required expensive bags, still left the kid’s room stinky from opening and closing, and was impossible to get rid of once diapers were outgrown. Who wants to buy one of THOSE used on eBay? In the end, it was a waste of money. Instead, get a few rolls of diaper disposal bags, like THESE. If your kid has a particularly smelly incident, you can use them to wrap the diaper in before disposing of it in your own trash. When you’re out and about, it’s considered good parenting etiquette to not throw stinky diapers in public trashcans, so these bags help you avoid parental judgment, too. They also double as an emergency plan for dirty and clothes! Just dump your little darling’s mess in, tie it off, and deal with it when you get home. No gross diaper bag!
3. Bottle Holder
Y’all. This is an actual thing. I came across it recently and immediately thought it was a joke, but alas IT IS NOT. Link proof HERE. It’s a device that basically straps a bottle to your chest so that you can have a hand free while you’re feeding your baby. In theory, this sounds brilliant – but it’s a waste of money, in my opinion. It’s never going to line up with the exact angle your baby wants that bottle at, and the purchase price is going to be much better spent on truly necessary things. This thing is good for a laugh, but not much else! (Disclaimer: if it was a lifesaver for you, congratulations. There’s a product for everyone. I just thought this one was funny!)
4. Wipes Warmer
Know how many moms I know who have bought a wipes warmer? Like, all of ’em. Know how many moms I know who actually used their wipes warmer for more than the first week? Zero. Again, we’re in a very niche usage scenario, here. Unless you’re storing your wet wipes outside in winter, the natural temperature of your baby wipes are juuuuuust fine for baby. I can think of maybe a handful of times where I held a wet wipe in my hand for 30 seconds or so before wiping my kid’s behind, and that’s it. If you really feel like your baby’s behind needs a warm, welcoming wipe, consider DRY WIPES, which you can quickly moisten with warm water. Those are way better than a dedicated hunk of plastic that dry out all your wet wipes so you’ll need to re-wet them anyway.
5. Bottle Warmer
You think you need this, but you don’t. I promise. Does your baby need a warm bottle? Yes. Do you need a dedicated machine to perform this function? No. Preparing your baby’s bottle, then either running it under hot water, or letting it sit in a cup of hot water for a minute or two works just fine. Get yourself a microwave-safe cup like THIS ONE, set a timer for 2-3 minutes, then sit your prepared bottle in its own cozy little bath for a few. Same result, more money in your pocket!
I hope this post on what not to buy for baby was helpful for you. Hopefully I saved you a few bucks, and some aggravation in trying to sell things at a garage sale later in your child’s life! If you missed the first and second part of this series (featuring actually USEFUL items), check those out HERE and HERE!
PS – affiliate links are contained in this post. Some mostly for comedic affect, but most to save your sanity.
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