New Baby, are there any useless toys/products not to buy?

Question

I recently had a baby and found that there are so many things you buy and you really don't need them. Baby shower gifts always consist of nail clippers, how many of yous got way to many of those? I bought way to many clothes, to many undershirts, which were not needed. A useless toy is the the ones that go on the handle of car seats. I mean you have to keep the handle down in the car, so whats the point of them? Diaper Genie was useless. I find the playpen is great that has the bassinet with it, especially if you travel a lot. Any advice for those soon to be moms on what they don't need to spend money on?

Answer 1

i was like that with my first daughter. i bought everything. now im pregnant with my second and here's my top ten list of things i won't be buying:
1. diaper genie-only works if you empty it twice a day and with an infant who has the time

2. changing table-didn't use the first one i had i usually changed her on whatever was convenient.

3. high chair-recycled from the first baby

4. walker- my first baby didn't sit in it. she went from crawling to pulling up on tables and walking

5. mittens-they just annoy the baby and if you clip their nails they won't scratch their face

6. regular bottles-i like the playtex air vent bottles they kept the baby full and gas free

7. pacifier clips-true the keep the pacifier close to the baby but they also can irritate the baby's face and cause rashes.

8. diaper stackers-cute but there's no point. get a plastic storage unit with wheels for all your baby's diapers & lotions and they work perfect

9. bottle sterilization kit-bought one for $56 and basically it was a large pot with a rack for bottle and i realize i had a big cooking pot so i plan to use that

10. bassinet-pack & plays come with bassinets now so i plan to use one of those.

Answer 2

Most people overspend on babies who actually need very little. I would buy a Stroller, a crib, 6 onesies, 6 undershirts, 3 blankets and sheet sets, 6 bottles etc if you aren't breast feeding, a sterilizer, 6 bibs, a car safety seat , a baby bath and a diaper bag. I never used a change table and my children grew out of a bassinet very fast. They lived in onesies in summer and winter..they are so easy and comfortable. Nail clippers can be dangerous...we were told to bite our babies nails if they needed it. I used disposable diapers...they are much easier and it costs about the same by the time you buy all the stuff you have to use to wash and dry cloth diapers. Toys are useless for the first few months also...they don't use them. One thing my babies did like was a bouncing chair....they often fell asleep in it.

Answer 3

I agree about the Diaper Genie....it was just stinky and a hassle.

I also didn't like the Boppy. I just used a King Size Pillow on my 2nd daughter....much more comfortable for me and my daughter. PLUS....wonderful to have out in the livingroom when you want to take a nap!!!

Just get a bottle of Johnson's baby wash. This is all you need until baby's hair starts getting really long!! The lotions and oils aren't really neccesary, either. I live in the desert (Phoenix) and my children NEVER get dry skin!! However, if you live someplace cold I suppose it might be a neccesity??

An overpriced stroller is RIDICULOUS!!! It is just going to get banged up in the car and when you are folding it in the mall parking lot. Your stroller shouldn't cost more than a car payment!!!

Expensive crib sets.....another ridiculous purchase. The baby is too little to use the comforter (eventhough you could hang it on the wall to decorate the nursery). They only come with one sheet....and additional, coordinating sheets are overpriced!! The diaper stackers aren't neccesary! There are better more visually stimulating mobiles for baby than the ones that come with these sets!! Instead....buy the items seprately!! When baby is big enough for a toddler bed, that is when you maybe want to purchase the higher priced comforter!! (And by then you will probably want to change the decor in that room, anyway!)

Answer 4

I found that I didnt' need a changing table - you change the diapers everywhere other than the table! The pack n play is great if you have a two story house also. The glider/rocker is nice to have, but you can use an exercise ball to do the same thing. Don't need the nursing pillow - use a normal pillow. You only need 3-4 receiving blankets. My mobile is useless. But the GREATEST invention ever is The First Years Gentle Vibrations 3-in-1 Crib Soother. It helps my daughter go to and get back to sleep.

Answer 5

that carseat toy will be valuable in a couple of months trust me. so will the clothes babies have to be changed alot. no such thing as too many undershirts and clothes.the nail clippers will get lost too i lost soo many pairs and had to keep replacing them the diaper genie is no good i will give you that one put the baby car seat behind the driver or passenger seat and leave the handle up with the toy on it it will be useful around 2 months old. as far as what not to buy. at first you dont need a walker or high chair. i cant think of anything that i had other than the diaper genie that i didnt need or want.

Answer 6

We keep the handle of our daughter's car seat up when we're in the car - I've never read or heard anthing saying you have to keep it down in the car. Anyways, my daughter is 5 1/2 months old and loves the things hanging on the handle of the car seat now. She plays with them all the time now and tries to pull them to her mouth.

One of the things you don't need is a changing table. I just got a changing pad and put it on top of my daughter's dresser and it works perfectly. Another pretty useless thing is a sleep positioner. The only time I used one was when my daughter first came home from the hospital and was co-sleeping with us. One more thing that I didn't use too much was the pretty burp cloths. Just get a package of cloth diapers - I like the thin, gauzy ones best for burp cloths. I didn't use my bulb syringe too much either. We brought it home from the hospital, but it never works very well for me. I can't ever suction my daughter's nose out with that thing, so I usually just wet the tip of a Q-tip and roll it around right in the tip of my her nose and that seems to work best to get the boogies out. My daughter was/is really gassy and none of the gas drops have worked for her at all. So far, we have tried Mylicon, Little Tummies and the store brand.

At the moment, I can't really think of many things you don't need, but a few that I thought really came in handy.

I love the cloth waterproof pads. I keep one in my daughter's diaper bag and one on her changing pad. I really prefer the cloth ones best, because I can just throw them into the washing machine.

I also love the sleep sacks/wearable blankets. The ones I have are made by Halo and they are woderful since you aren't supposed to put blankets in the crib with infants.

Another great thing is the little formula/snack contaners. The ones I have are made by Munchkin. Even if you don't use formula, when your baby gets old enough, you can put Cheerio's or other little snacks in the containers and take it with you wherever you go.

Other good things to have are: a thermometer, thermometer probe covers, KY jelly (to lubricate the thermometer), infant's Tylenol, Baby Orajel, diaper rash cream.

And, FYI - I have a Prince Lionheart Wipe Warmer and I really love it. It's not by any chance a necessity, more of a luxury item. My daughter really doesn't like cold wipes and I see a big difference when I have to change her diaper when we're out vs. when we are at home with the warm wipes (especially now that it's winter). My wipe warmer has a specially designed micropore pillow that fits between the heat source and wipes, keeping wipes moist and fresh so they don't dry out and get brown. I just rinse out the sponge and re-wet it about once a week and replace it every three months and we're good to go (I always wash my hands really good beforehand too so I don't get any germs in there). The wipes are not piping hot when you pull them out, but you can tell a big difference from the ones that have not been in the warmer.

Answer 7

A changing table is useless to me. I change my son's diaper anywhere there is a flat surface...usually on the living room floor! I have a diaper changing mat that came in his diaper bag and that is what I change him on. I didn't feel the need to buy an expensive table just to change a diaper.

One thing that I found useful was a bundle me to go over the carseat. This is perfect for winter weather. It keeps the little one warm without having to mess with jackets or coats.

Answer 8

You don't need lots of baby lotion, shampoos or baby washes. One bottle last a very long time. I found that boppy pillows and or the my breast friend feeding pillows were over rated they suck and are horrible. But hey some people like them. It's kinda of a hard question because everybody has their likes/dislikes. I found I had way too many onsies, a lot that he still hasn't used and probably never will and he's 4mo old. The only other thing I can think of right now is beanies, I only used a couple of them when we went out at night time and they fall off most of the time. I have like 13 of them.......Hope this helps.....

Answer 9

just about everything for a baby can be useless.babies like to play with things that arent pretty or shiny.but things like a rag or a teddy bear.pacifiers do help when the child takes it.my 10 mo old likes to makes faces in the mirror .zipper pajamas in the winter are a must.and a tip:buy all clothing a little larger that way they will last alittle longer

Answer 10

I found that I did not need a High Chair. It is big and takes up room that I did not have in my kitchen, we use a booster seat that has a tray for the first little bit, now we just sit at the table in the booster, my daughter is 21 months old, and I feel that this makes her part of the family when we eat and she is not in the corner by herself.