Any parent will know that there is an awful lot of baby equipment you don't need. Well-meaning and generous relatives often gift you a vast array of gadgets that you never actually find useful. Or as a first-time parent you want to give your baby the best. If you don't want a house filled with baby items, here is the baby equipment you don't need …
Some of the baby equipment you don't need might sound useful, such as a changing table. But it's a piece of furniture that just takes up space. A changing mat will be more useful. Most parents just end up changing the baby on the floor or bed anyway. If you really want a changing table, get one with storage built in.
Kim and Kanye can afford designer baby clothes (although they are gifted plenty). But does little North really need designer clothes? No, she just needs something to keep her warm. Nor does your baby doesn't need expensive clothes, so don't be tempted to splurge on filling his or her wardrobe. Put the money in their college fund instead, and buy cheap, practical clothes that can withstand the rough treatment they'll get.
Moses baskets may look adorable, but they're not a worthwhile investment. They're only really good for tiny babies - and babies don't stay tiny for long. So unless you are given one, don't bother. Your money is better spent on a crib that will last your baby until they are old enough for their own bed.
Sure, you can spend a 4-figure sum and push your baby around in a top-of-the-range buggy. But why waste the money, when you can get a decent, safe model for a fraction of the sum? Spend some money on a new car seat instead (never use a second-hand model, as you don't know if it's been in any accidents).
I'm all for gadgets that save you time or perform a useful function, but I cannot for the life of me see the need for a wipe warmer. Yet such items do now exist. Apparently your poor infant needs to be protected from nasty cold wipes when you change them. Look, I think they'll survive.
This is something else that exploits parental anxiety. Babies drop their pacifier a lot, it's true, and you won't want them to put it back in their mouth if it's been on the floor. But there's no need for expensive wipes when there's a simple alternative - just carry a spare pacifier. Or attach the pacifier to a cord.
Apparently regular baby monitors aren't enough these days - you should have a video monitor to keep an eye on them. Well, your child isn't a character in 1984, and they'll be fine with a sound monitor. Babies manage to be heard miles away anyway, so you may not even need a sound alarm!
It's tempting to splash out on equipping your baby's nursery with every possible piece of equipment, but you'll just be wasting your money and taking up space. Babies don't need a fraction of the gear on the market these days, and if something is really useful you'll soon work out if you're missing it. What is the most useless piece of baby equipment you bought or were given?