When you’re pregnant, it feels like the entire world is trying to sell you things. They want you to buy their baby clothes, take their pregnancy supplements and save with their bank accounts. All of a sudden, a whole world of products you didn’t even know existed, is inviting you (and your soon-to-be maxed out credit card) inside for a look around. It’s easy to lose your way in the beautiful department stores, with their pristine display nurseries, and end up buying one of everything, even if you don’t know what half the products do.
As a mum-to-be with a teeny bladder, a love for baby clothes and a lot of hormones forcing you to cry at the smallest upset, you might feel like you need some help in the shopping department. If you’re on a budget, or like to keep things to a minimum, you might be wondering which items you need, and which will end up gathering dust. Here’s a list of five useless baby products being marketed to new parents.
Top and tail tub
Ok, some of you may find this useful, but realistically you could easily use two small tubs from around the house. You shouldn’t wash your baby’s face with the water you just used to wash their bum, but do you really need a whole new product to remember that?
Wipe warmer
Yep, you read that right, a warmer to heat your baby wipes. While it sounds like a wonderful idea, it is quite unnecessary and a lot of new parents mention this when discussing pointless purchases. Your baby won’t be horrified by room temperature wipes, so don’t waste money on this item. If you really want one, ask your parent friends if anyone has one stored away that you could borrow.
Nursing chair
These overpriced seats will set you back a pretty penny, but you’ll be unlikely to get your money worth. If you’re feeding the baby, you’re most likely to be seated in front of the TV so you have some entertainment, not sitting alone in a nursery with nothing but glass-eyed bears for company. During the early months, your baby is likely to be sleeping in your room anyway, so why not wait until your little one moves into their room before deciding whether this is a necessary purchase.
Matching cot set
When you’re waddling round the baby department, gazing at the kitted out pseudo-nurseries while rubbing your hand over your growing bump, you will probably feel an overwhelming urge to buy a matching cot set. After all, it comes with everything you could possibly need, and it all matches! But don’t waste your money, most of the set will go unused because bumpers, comforters and pillows increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). While the sheet may still look beautiful, it’s probably not worth buying a whole set for.
Baby helmet
The baby you made is precious, and of course you don’t want him to bump his head. But, sadly, head bumps are a part of life. Parental supervision in the early days should ensure your child doesn’t suffer a serious head injury from a fall, so there’s no need to whack a helmet on him.
If you’re expecting your first child, speak to your mum friends to find out what they consider to be useless items. You don’t have to take their advice, if you want to buy a wipe warmer anyway then go right ahead. You could even see if anyone has one you can borrow to see whether it’s worth buying one.
Do you disagree with the list above? What would be on your list of five useless baby products?
Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.
