When I was pregnant I, like most of you, was tricked into buying things we don't really need for a baby. I walked into Babies R Us and was dazzled by full nursery sets, bright singing toys, and other things we don't really need for a baby but are somehow tricked into believing that we do. These are the 7 things that I bought for my son's birth that I never really needed.
Snapshot Survey
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Please subscribe for your personalized newsletter:
1. Changing Table
I know, this doesn't really seem like one of the things we don't really need for a baby, but trust me, it is. The changing table was nice when he was just a little guy that didn't struggle to get away from me when I changed him, but when he started to fight back and I started having to put him into an anaconda leg hold to hold him still, the floor became a much easier place to change him.
2. Video Baby Monitors
This was seriously the worst $200 that I ever spent. First of all, I put it next to my bed and lost hours of sleep because I kept thinking that the baby was moving when he wasn't. Unless you're planning on leaving your child in their crib and going into another room and staying there while watching your child's misery, you really don't need a video monitor to watch them sleep.
Frequently asked questions
3. Bottle Warmers
I laugh at the thought of a bottle warmer now that G man is a year old, but when he was a newborn I really thought that I needed one. But, then I realized that it takes about 5 minutes to warm up a bottle in most bottle warmers. Who has 5 minutes when their baby is screaming in the middle of the night? Not this lady.
4. Diaper Pails
Disclaimer: The diaper pail is a great buy up until your baby moves out of newborn diapers (which my son did at 1 month old). Once the diapers get a little bigger, you fit less and less into the pail and when you change the liner, it smells, it's ridiculously heavy and it's impossible to lift without looking like you're carrying a giant snake.
5. White Noise Machines
Seriously, most of these machines have about 12 different settings ranging from ocean waves to heartbeat. But, I've found that most of the time, my son prefers the noise of a fan to the noise of bird cawing on a beach or in the jungle.
Related Videos about
6. 5 Million Toys
I am not kidding when I tell you that I bought my son pretty much every toy that I could find in every store that I visited. Here's the rub: my son really loves things that aren't toys, like measuring spoons and empty diaper boxes. I thought for sure that my baby would need as many toys as I could get my hands on, but honestly, babies can be distracted and occupied by the littlest and silliest things.
7. Parenting Books
I am not bashing any person that makes their living writing parenting books because honestly, sometimes you need a little help. But, you don't actually need them to have a baby. Most people would be surprised to know that women have been having and raising children for years without expert help. Go on instinct, you are literally made to be a mom. If your instincts tell you to buy parenting books then go ahead, but you don't actually need them.
Well ladies, these are the things that I don't think new parents actually need. What are some things that you bought when you had your baby that you never used or needed? Let me know down below!
Feedback Junction
Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge