What not to waste your money on: for Babies

In my few short months as a mama, and the months preceding I have spent LOTS of time browsing the internet and various stores trying to shortlist what I thought we need. I came across some things that in my opinion just aren’t necessary. Some are full on crazy and others I personally didn’t feel the need for. To reiterate, this is just my opinion but perhaps this post will be helpful to some, and amusing to others! If you disagree with any of them feel free to share in the comments, and add your own useless baby-contraptions too!

Breastfeeding bibs/cover ups. I honestly think that this type of thing could draw more attention to you than you want, and you can use a muslin/blanket for the same thing if you feel you need it. Generally people can’t tell i’m feeding and if they do look a bit weirded out that’s their problem! If you’re opening your shirt/top then just fling a muslin/blanket over your shoulder to cover bare boob, or use the down and up trick (vest top down, top/jumper up) and you can’t see anything anyway.

Specific Burp Cloths – these are long things that look a bit like oven gloves specifically for burping your baby over your shoulder. Just use a folded muslin, or don’t burp your baby over your shoulder… we found that sitting her up and gently folding her in the middle worked best, so if she was going to spit up it would hopefully go on a bib/ a muslin cloth.

Baby wipe warmer – REALLY?! Surely if you get your baby used to cosy warm wipes and they’ll want them all the time. One day you’ll be out and obviously without the wipe warmer then where will you be? rod for your own back… who buys these things?! (I investigated, the picture above is a SEVENTY POUND travel version!

Portable steriliser soother – if your baby drops their dummy then surely it takes less space in your bag to just have a fresh sterilised one with you? We don’t use dummies so I don’t speak from experience but it just seems a bit OTT to me! But then I don’t sterilise anything she chews on/plays with so perhaps I’m not the best one to comment…

Baby nail clippers – we have some. I’ve used them once, on one nail. it was too nerve-wracking so I just nibble them now. I do expect when she’s old enough to sit still and know what’s going on that I’ll be able to use them again. Some people have said do it when she’s asleep but I still wouldn’t chance it as she’s a wriggly little monster!

Nappy caddy/organiser – overprices for what they are. I bought a woven basket from Tiger for £4 and it keeps almost a full pack of nappies in and sits on the cot-top changing table. Or you know, you could just keep them in the pack.

Room thermometer –  fine if you don’t use a baby monitor, but if you do then it probably has a thermometer on it anyway. Also several companies that sell baby sleeping bags attach a cardboard to the packet it comes in, which works just fine!

Tiny bottles – don’t bother. Hard to hold (although this may be because my husband has giant hands and I never needed to feed her from a bottle as I have boobs) and you can just put the right amount in a bigger bottle, it’ll only be a matter of weeks before you need a bigger amount per feed anyway.

Baby towels with a hood – very cute, we were given one with a tiger on the hood which we do use, but can just as easily be made using a regular towel and folding the top down, which we learnt in our NHS birth prep classes.

Car seat foot muffs – surely a blanket does the trick, tucked right under the bottom of the car seat so it can’t be kicked off? Athena always kicks things off but if they’re tucked under then they stay put. I can see the point of pram footmuffs as a blanket there could end up on the ground. Our pram came with one but I expect you can multitasking ones that fit prams and car seats?

Baby bath –  washing up bowl did us fine for the first few weeks, now she either bathes with me or I just run a couple of inches or so of water in the bath and support her with one hand and wash with the other. Plus they take up so much space! Another bath related product is the below, padded knee protector… surely just fold a towel up?!

Sterilising – if you have a dishwasher you can make do without a posh steriliser, according to our first 2 health visitors dishwashing will do the job! If you don’t have one then a cheaper alternative to a steriliser is to buy sanitising tablets or liquid and fling everything in a Tupperware tub (following the instructions of course) and microwave sterilisers are WAY cheaper than the plug in versions.

Scratch mitts – unless your baby has hands three times the size of the average new-born they will fall off ALL THE TIME. I found first size socks work so much better as they’re tighter round the wrist. Alternatively buy sleep suits with fold over built in mitts on the arms.

Obviously one mans trash is another mans treasure… do feel free to put me right about anything in the comments!

3 thoughts on “What not to waste your money on: for Babies”

  1. I.didn’t know that half of this stuff existed! Heated wet wipe holders? I do see the logic but i enjoy his shocked face! Our biggest money masters were a bottle warmer and some accessories that he just pulls off like scratch mits and shoes that just fall off.

  2. We were discussing this yesterday! We’re due baby number 1 in a week, my attitude throughout has been ‘as long as we’ve got a bottom drawer for her to sleep in, some blankets and functioning boobs we’ll be fine’. How on earth did we survive childhood without warmed wipes?! And ‘sink baths’ are the best baths surely :)?! (The iPotty is hilarious though, best not show it to hubby as he’ll want one himself!)x

  3. Nail clippers are a bit redundant when they are small, but I do use them for Aiden now, so maybe hang on to yours!
    The only reason we had hooded towels was because we were gifted them! I wasn’t fussed otherwise, and blankies are just as good as foot muffs (especially when your child is a monster and won’t. Stop. GROWING.)! Xo

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