Comments on: 10 Baby Items You Think You Need, But Really Don’t

By: Regina

Regina — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:53:24 +0000

I agree with no pacifier, walker, & monitor. You actually have to teach your child to hold the paci in his mouth…ridiculous! Out of 4 of my kids 0 took a paci & only one took to sucking two of her fingers.

I had a walker with my oldest as a gift but rarely used it. I do suggest the stationary walker type activity center. I find I can sit baby in here (once he’s old enough to keep his head up) and get stuff done around the house. I just move the center around as I need to.

The other posts mentioning that unless you have a mansion you don’t need a monitor…very true. I only had one with the first. You will hear baby cry. New moms are given super sonic hearing. It’s crazy good. I hear everything without even trying! Besides I used a co-sleeper with my last two. I recommend this item to everyone! So easy for moms, especially if you breastfeed as I did.

I had a swing for my first two. Finances were a tad tight with my third…she was 8 years after my last child. I must say. She has slept better alone than my first 2 who lived in swings. I think because she never got used to the constant swinging motion. I’d breastfeed her, swaddled her in the co-sleeper & she’d be out for a 5 hour period. She’s 2 years 4 months and I put her to bed like a big girl. We have the occasional “i need water, I’m not tired”, etc. but for the most part put her to bed at 9pm & she”ll be up at 9am. People have come to my house & asked how did you get her to stay in bed? I’m not really sure, but I attribute it to never putting her in a swing.

Bouncer…I’ve splurged on one for all the kids.. You can get a inexpensive one for $35. I don’t recommend vibrations and noisy toys. Just something you can strap baby in safely to cart around the house while you get something done. I use this on the regular for my daily shower. My youngest is 3 months. The 2yo & I shower while the 3 mo bounces away.

Baby tub. We have only showers in our house. A baby tub was a must. Get something simple, with a sling for newborns. $35 bucks max. I have a fisher price one. Sing for newborns, then it has features for them to recline which you can remove when they are ready to sit up. My 2 yo has also used this outside for water play in the summer months.

Shopping cart covers, I agree, never had one.

Bibs. I’m torn on this one. I had one boy who while teething slobbered so much I was using a bib a hour . However my daughter never touched a bib. She was a perfect eater & never drooled while teething. So I guess this really depends on your child. If your child needs one for teething, I recommend one with a plastic back so it doesn’t wet their clothing. Change often!

Playpen was only useful when we traveled. We do an annual snow trip & trips to grandparents. Dont splurge on a super expensive one. You’re better off child proofing your home if you don’t plan on traveling.

I don’t agree with no stroller. Are you kidding me?!?! Try holding a 10 lb sack of flour for 10 minutes. You’d give anything for a stroller! Especially if you have more than one. I like the Graco sit and stand. It has a bench on the back for my 2 yo to stand on or she can sit on a little stool. We start out with her walking, but a trip to the mall can be overwhelming. The front has a full reclining seat & it will hold a carrier if need be. It’s hard to chase a 2yo when you have a newborn. Get a stroller.

Baby bedding. The cute factor is not even useful. My first 2 kids used the blankets for wall art since they were not baby friendly. Then they started saying bumpers were dangerous. My last two got cutsie sheets with a plain dust ruffle. I saved a ton of money.

After touching on this article I’d like to put out there my must haves. If you’re breastfeeding, a boppy or some type of bf pillow is a godsend. Your arms WILL get tired. Also a breastfeeding cover. They drape around your neck and save you from trying to constantly hold up a blanket to keep from exposing yourself. I wish I could sew, I’d make one for every new breastfeeding mom I know.

Plenty of feminine hygiene products. Who wants to be postpartum trying to explain to their significant other what “wings” are. Stock up before baby.

Newborn nighties with zippers. Imagine this…it’s 3am you haven’t had sleep in 2 weeks…who wants to snap 18 snaps. You will never find the zipper so inventive until you are sleep deprived.

Although I didn’t agree with everything in this list, I do agree with saying every child/family is different. Do what works for you. After 4 kids (aged 18, 9, 2y4m,& 3m) I’ve really found what works for our family. I have found after 18 years of child rearing, less is more. Good luck & best wishes!

By: janet

janet — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:23:47 +0000

While I can agree you can survive without many of the things listed in your article, many of us parents ‘choose’ to buy this stuff because it eases our lives. Any parent will tell you I’m sure, looking after young children is hard work and exhausting,not to mention, grocery shopping, housework etc. etc. on top.
Makes me wonder of the author is NOT a parent!

By: usuck

usuck — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 06:34:14 +0000

You seem like a crackhead. Some of the things you say are simply unsanitary. I have MS and could not function without some of the items you mentioned. Not having a stroller is simply ridiculous and borderline cruel. My 3 year old still uses one at the zoo and other places when he gets too tired or just needs a break. Also good if I need to move him quickly and have things to carry. It is actually very unsanitary to bath a baby in your kitchen sink. The kitchen is typically more germ and pathogen ridden than a bathroom! Would you bath yourself in your kitchen sink? Really, you can get a baby tub with insert for well under $20. Even less if you buy used. Maybe if you quit smoking meth you could think more clearly and afford a few things to make your child’s life more comfortable. I guess you don’t believe in wipes or diaper cream either. Probably figure that is why we have washing machines (washing board in your case). And why try to prevent a rash, the kid will get one someday! By the way, pacifiers can be very inexpensive and are GOOD for baby. They have proven to reduce the chance of sids. I can assure you a funeral costs far more than a pacifier!

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:16:15 +0000

Every child, every parent, every family is different. There are no hard and fast rules.

My children are 5 & 3.

A pram/buggy/stroller/travel system was a must – and while travel system’s are bulky the flexibility to use from birth and the car seat make them valuable, just shop around. Yes, some people prefer slings, fine but if this is a money saving thread I think it’s fair to point out that these eco-green-mummy-stretch of unstructured cotton for £25 slings are extortionate!! Buggy’s also handy for controlling toddlers, and hauling the shopping home too!

Baby bouncer seats are cheap and handy – means baby can see what’s going on while mum takes time to do essentials such as shower.

Some things are pointless – change tables, bottle warmers, childlocks (they get through them so easily), those nappy holder pouch things, cot bumpers…. – but many baby items make life easier for the parents and that’s a good thing. You don’t need to be a martyr just cos you can reproduce!

Is it relevant that this article was written by a man??

Dummys suit many children and they hardly break the bank. I always like the fact that when they got too old I could give the dummys to Santa – can’t do that to their thumbs!

Monitors may not be essential all the time but if they put the parents mind at ease then that’s also a good thing.

By: amber

amber — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:23:24 +0000

The author of this article is SO Wrong. I have three children. My first loved his pacifier and NEEDED it. The second child did not care for a pacifier and NEVER used one. Our final child likes it to soothe her when she cries. She pulls it out when she is settled down. All children are different and all families are different. Everyone has different needs and simply stating that these things in her list are not needed and a total waste of money is ridiculous. Unfortunately, trial and error is the only way to tell what your child will like or not…if money is an issue then of course go with the necessities.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 19:26:31 +0000

I agree about everything except the stroller as well. I used the stroller a lot: when I volunteered, for running errands, going on walks, etc. My daughters both loved it! You can get a great stroller at a yard sale.

I used a monitor solely for the music and lights that it threw up onto our ceiling. I used our changing table as a shelf to store small toys.

I used bibs only for messy meals because the mess did in fact only end up in that small area if I was feeding my daughters. If they were feeding themselves, all bets were off though.

I used a playpen as a portable crib for when we went out of town. My daughters used to love sleeping in their swings while I managed to get some cleaning done.

Overall though, I still could have lived without those things with exception of the stroller.

By: not a mom

not a mom — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 01:05:51 +0000

Okay, I just got married and am not planning on having children but most of my friends have children of various ages and to be honest, it all depends on the parents and what they think will be best for their child. I have a friend who has one boy and all the fancy stuff and she likes all of it. She doesnt use them all the time but being a single mom she says it makes her life easier. I have another friend who has 4 boys and is about to have twin girls and she is very old school and doesnt use ANY of these things and she does just fine. So whether one person thinks its a neccesity or a waste of money, it all comes down to what the parent thinks is best for their own child and not one person is more right than the other.

By: jm

jm — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:01:58 +0000

p.s. I forgot to mention, I am now pregnant with my first and we are going to have the world’s smallest babyshower. No stroller, no changing table, no bottles or pacifiers, and no electronic or plastic toys. Hurray!

By: jm

jm — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:59:55 +0000

I was a nanny for various urban families for 6 years, most with more than one child, a few with twins. I would say that 90% of the time a stroller is absolutely not necessary. The exception I found was with multiples- it would have been too dangerous for me to carry twins in a sling and hold on to their 3 year old brother while crossing a busy street. In every other instance, however, the stroller was a burden, not a blessing. It was always in need of cleaning, always packed with unnecessary items, it was hard to maneuver and it required watching while the child was out of it (it could be stolen). Getting a stroller on a bus or train? Murder. Whenever I had the option of using a sling or walking the toddler I jumped on it and found many benefits: we took only what we needed, we were more relaxed and able to enjoy and talk about our walk (instead of that blind, bored mumbling you often get when the kid is in that stroller cocoon), and I felt closer to the child during our outing. Some parents seemed confused by my desire to walk their toddlers, and worried they would get tired, but that’s why you TALK to them! They understood that I wouldn’t carry stuff for them, they knew they could request to stop and rest and I would say okay, and they knew that if we were in a hurry I would scoop them up and carry them if necessary, without any anger. Most of the time kids in strollers look like fat adults in Lazy-boys, or they are too little to enjoy being in a stroller and would rather be held anyway.

By: Liz

Liz — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 19:53:29 +0000

Well I am going on my third child and I must say that i think this article is great even though I do disagree with a few things.

I will add onto a couple items though.

Nightlight..a complete waste..my son had one and is terrified of the dark. My daughter didnt have one and can’t sleep with any lights on at all..usually I have found that the lights from neighbors homes and the glow of the moon shining through the window is enough to check on your little one.

Changing table…unless you have no couch, no bed, and no carpet, this is a complete waste of money and space. I found that all I needed was a portable changing mat that usually comes with most diaper bags, if you have one of those you can protect your carpet and furniture with that one compact cheap and simple item.

Stroller is nice to have but not neccessary. I use a homemade Moby-style wrap(cost $10 to make and so easy) and I carried my children easily, painfree, and hands free..and I had a 30lb 1 yr old so I dont want to hear that we cant carry our children. My son rode around in a stroller everywhere and didn’t learn how to walk till he was 19 months, my daughter was carried in my sling and once she didnt want to be carried anymore she learned how to walk @ 10 months old….don’t create lazy children by throwing them in the stroller ALL the time although I do feel that have one is esential(even a double stroller now that baby #3 is on the way)

and I agree with noise making toys…with my first I HAD to have all the bells and wistles…now I can honestly say that there are less than 10 battery powered toys between my two kids’ toy boxes and even those are very mellow(like a car that you shake and then it drives by itself and one of those walking roaring dinosaurs. But none of the flashing lights and high pitched music makers.

Classical music…no I don’t know if it actually helps brain stimulation, but we live in a small house and my 2 yr old goes to bed earlier than my 5 yr old as well as still takes naps, and having music playing in her room does help drown out the sound from my noisy 5 yr old, and when he goes to sleep it does the same for him so mommy and daddy can watch a grown-up movie together at a comfortable volume without worrying about keeping him awake or distracted with sounds from that (or words that he shouldn’t be hearing).

quick list of other things that are pointless:
-doorway jumper
-more than 5 good blankets
-hooded bath towel
-cloth bibs( vinyl baby ..only vinyl)
-toddler bed(just take one side off the crib and you have a toddler day bed even if it’s not the convertible type)
-play mat(blanket on the floor works great!)
-car seat cover(use a lightweight blanket if you must carry that thing around)which brings me to…
-car seat base(no need to carry that big bulky car seat around, baby does just as fine in your arms or in a sling and will be more comfortable being carried that way) car seats are just too heavy and can really mess up your back …but definately have a good one installed in your car–duh!