“How can one little person need so much STUFF?” is a question I asked myself over and over while pregnant with my first. Parents-to-be are bombarded with products for their bundle of joy. You walk into any major baby store and are handed a LONG list of all the stuff your teeny tiny 8 pound baby must have to survive. We bought and received a lot of things that we didn’t need the first time around and just sat in our unused nursery. I’m here to help you avoid some of those unnecessary purchases that could sit unused in your nursery.
- Crib– If you plan on co-sleeping you won’t need a crib. I highly recommend buying a co-sleeper instead. When ready, transition your baby to your bed, a bed attached to yours, or a regular bed in the baby’s own room.
- Diaper Pail– This large plastic pail only has one use, and when you are finished using it, it ends up in the landfill. Not to mention all the special plastic bags that go along with it. A regular trash can will accomplish the same purpose and can be re-purposed instead of going to the landfill. If you use cloth diapers, a hanging wet bag or a diaper pail liner will be all you need to store dirty diapers between washes.
- Changing Table– Essentially this is a piece of furniture that serves one purpose, to change your baby’s diaper. You can do that anywhere, the couch, the floor, a bed. If you decide you want a specific changing area, you can also convert any dresser or nook in your home to a changing area by using a changing pad.
- Baby Laundry Detergent– There are many options for baby laundry detergents that cost more than regular detergents. You can just continue using the regular eco-friendly detergent you are already using for your family. You can also make your own DIY laundry detergent (recipe found here).
- Fancy Clothes– Its nice to have a special outfit or two to keep or pass down, but babies are messy and grow quickly. Expensive clothes just aren’t worth it. Save your money now (maybe keep it for the teenage years) and buy cheaper clothes or used clothes.
- Shoes- Babies don’t need shoes until they start to walk and toddle around outside your home. Until then, bare feet or socks will do the job.
- Fancy Stroller- I highly recommend a baby carrier instead of a fancy stroller. When your baby is older, an umbrella stroller will be cheaper, more compact, and work just as well.
- Bedding Set- Bedding sets include sheets, blankets, bumpers, pillows, wall hangings, dust ruffle, diaper holders, etc. If you are co-sleeping you won’t need any of that. Plus, if you do use a crib, babies shouldn’t use pillows, blankets or bumpers.
- Bottle Warmers- Instead of using more traditional methods, you are supposed to put your bottle into the warmer, so that the breastmilk or formula can warm up. I suggest either running milk under warm tap water or placing it in a bowl filled with warm water. Do not reheat baby’s milk in a microwave!
- Clothing in larger sizes-Its nice to have a few pieces in bigger sizes, but you never know how quickly your baby will grow and what season you will need if you buy ahead. Babies don’t always follow the suggested “age” for clothing.
What is the most useless piece of baby gear that you bought or received?
